Malaxophobia (fear of love games): symptoms, causes and treatment

This phobia can have very negative repercussions on the sexual and affective life of the person.

One of the characteristics of specific phobias is that they can appear in any area of a person's life, so sexuality is not exempt from them either. The dynamics of seduction and intimate games can be very enlivening if one knows how to carry them out.

However, the ambiguity that is often characteristic of some of these situations, coupled with negative experiences and a lack of social skills, can be the perfect breeding ground for the appearance of certain anxiety disorders such as malaxophobia..

What is malaxophobia?

The malaxofobia consists of a specific anxiety disorder in which the person experiences a deep fear of behaviors related to seduction or amorous games..

While it is true that some people feel uncomfortable in these types of situations or dynamics of an intimate nature, for the feeling of distress to be categorized as a phobia the fear experienced must be completely irrational, exaggerated and constant over time and situations.

Therefore, in cases of malaxophobia the person feels completely unable to carry out any behavior, as well as to immerse himself/herself in any type of situation that involves having to face behaviors aimed at initiating or maintaining an intimate or sentimental relationship with another person.

However, fortunately for the people who suffer from it, the symptoms of this mental disorder can be significantly reduced in intensity. and even remitted completely thanks to psychological interventions specifically created for this type of anxiety disorders.

What symptoms appear?

Since malaxophobia is one of a group of disorders known as specific phobiasit shares a large number of symptoms with them. The clinical picture of this anxious disorder usually appears in those situations in which the sufferer has to face or carry out activities or behaviors related to love play and seduction.

When this occurs, the person experiences a large number of symptoms typical of an excessive anxiety response. Although these signs of the presence of a phobia can vary both in quantity and intensity among sufferers, as a general rule and for the fear to be considered phobic, a series of physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms must appear.

1. Physical symptoms

Physical symptoms may appear at the very moment when the person has to face the feared situation or, on the contrary, as a response to an anticipatory fear, in response to an anticipatory fear. That is to say, before the situation occurs or only when thinking that at some point it may happen.

These physical symptoms consist of a series of completely uncontrollable physical alterations and changes that the person experiences in response to the occurrence of the phobic stimulus. The origin of these organic alterations is due to a hyperactivity of the central nervous system and can manifest in the following ways:

• Increased Heart rate.
• Increased respiratory rate.
• Sensation of suffocation or shortness of breath.
• Muscle tension.
• Headaches.
• Gastric disturbances.
• Increased levels of sweating.
• Sensation of vertigo or dizziness.
• Nausea and/or vomiting.
• Fainting or loss of consciousness..
• Feeling of unreality or depersonalization.

2. Cognitive symptoms

The experience of physical or organic symptoms is conditioned to a series of cognitive symptoms that appear in an anticipated way and that consist of a series of irrational ideas and beliefs about the feared situation. In the case of malaxophobia, these ideas are related to intimate love games and behaviors related to seduction.

These thoughts are usually related to an excessive fear of being humiliated, rejected or embarrassed by the other person. Among the cognitive symptoms characteristic of this phobia are:

• Distorted beliefs about the supposed dangers of seduction and love games.
• Intrusive and uncontrollable ideas related to these situations.
• Obsessive speculations about the possible consequences of these acts.
• Intrusive and catastrophic images.
• Fear of losing control and not being able to manage the situation satisfactorily.

3. Behavioral symptoms

As a consequence of the symptoms described above, the person also experiences a series of symptoms or behavioral patterns that appear in response to the appearance of the feared situation.

The objective of this behavioral symptomatology is to avoid the situation or to flee from it in the case that the person has not been able to avoid it. In this way, the experience of feelings of anxiety and anguish will also be avoided.

These behaviors refer to avoidance and escape behaviors. In the first case, avoidance behaviors refer to all those behaviors or acts that the person performs to avoid the possibility of having to face these situations. On the other hand, the escape behaviors appear when the person suffering from malaxophobia is already immersed in the feared situation. During this period of time, the person will perform all kinds of acts or behaviors that allow him/her to escape from the situation as quickly as possible.

What causes it?

Although at the moment it is not possible to determine reliably the concrete causes of a phobia. The evidence points to the possibility that the experience of highly traumatic or emotionally charged events or experiences, together with the or emotionally charged events or experiences, coupled with a genetic predisposition to the harmful effects of stress, may provide a basis for the onset of phobia.

For example, a person whose genetics constitute a risk factor and who has suffered rejection or humiliation while in an intimate situation is susceptible to developing malaxophobia.

However, other factors such as personality other factors such as personality, cognitive styles or learning by imitation, which may favor the appearance and development of malaxophobia.which can favor the appearance and development of irrational fear of any type of object or situation.

Is there a treatment?

Malaxophobia, although rare, is a highly incapacitating disorder for the person who suffers from it, who is completely unable to initiate and maintain the fear of any object or situation. completely unable to initiate and maintain any type of intimate interaction with another person. with another person.

This fear can be highly frustrating, as the sufferer feels the need and desire to be with another person. the need and desire to be with another person, but at the same time the fear of being with another personThe fear of having to face such a situation. So it makes this completely impossible.

Fortunately, treatments have been developed to reduce this distress and even eliminate it completely. Intervention through psychotherapy has proven to be highly effective in the treatment of phobias.

Through a treatment that combines cognitive restructuring to eliminate the psychological symptoms, along with systematic desensitization techniques or live exposure, as well as training in relaxation techniques can help the person to be able to overcome their phobic fear and rebuild their life in a normal way.