Rectal phobia (or proctophobia): causes, symptoms and treatment

A strange phobia whose main characteristics are explained in this article.

Phobias are very common anxiety disorders, and there are different types that usually fall into three groups. Specific phobias, social phobia and agoraphobia. Within the specific phobias we can find arachnophobia (fear of spiders), cynophobia (fear of dogs) or rectophobia (fear of anorectal diseases).

In the following lines we will talk about rectophobia, a strange phobia that is also received by some people.a strange phobia that is also called proctophobia, and we will go deeper into what it is, what are its symptoms, its causes and its treatment.

What is rectophobia

Rectophobia is a phobia, and therefore an irrational fear of a phobic stimulus; in this case, anorectal diseases. The human being, unconsciously, is capable of being afraid of situations, objects and even thoughts.

This fear causes great discomfort and anxiety, and that is why this pathology is included in anxiety disorders.This is the reason why this pathology is included within the anxiety disorders. A characteristic of phobic disorders is that the person suffering from this condition tends to avoid the feared stimulus. A person with cynophobia will avoid contact with dogs, in the case of arachnophobia avoid contact with spiders and in rectophobia avoid any situation that may lead the person to suffer some kind of disease in that area of the body.

Possible causes

Phobias usually have their origin in associative learning known as Classical Conditioning. Ivan Pavlov was one of the key figures in providing knowledge about this phenomenon for the first time. Classical Conditioning is a form of learning that involves automatic or reflex responses. This differentiates it from another form of learning known as Operant or Instrumental Conditioning.

Classical Conditioning is the creation of a connection between a new stimulus and an existing reflex (in the case of phobia, fear). (in the case of phobia, fear). If we look at the formation of a phobia, the learning of this disorder would have its beginning in an originally neutral stimulus, which does not provoke a response (for example, spiders, thoughts about a disease of the rectum or getting into an airplane).

Through a traumatic experience that would elicit a strong fear response, an associative connection of the originally neutral stimulus to that negative experience could occur. This would cause the phobic patient to unconsciously respond with fear, anxiety and discomfort to the stimulus that previously did not elicit this response. Learning does not always occur through direct experience, but can also occur through observation.

Although Pavlov was the pioneer in Classical Conditioning research, John Watson made it popular in the West and was the first to provide knowledge about the relationship between emotions and this type of associative learning.

• In our article "John B. Watson: life and work of the behavioral psychologist" we explain a little more about his research and contributions to the field of Psychology and Education.

What role does genetics play?

Although there is a certain consensus that Classical Conditioning has its origin in learning, other authors claim that genetics makes some people more prone than others to suffer from this type of pathology. Moreover, according to Seligman's preparedness theory, we are biologically predisposed to suffer from phobias, as it is possible that we more easily associate some stimuli to fear.

The reason for this is that fear is an adaptive emotion and thus would favor the survival of our species.. Phobias would occur by primitive and non-cognitive associations, which are not easily modified by logical arguments.

Symptoms of this phobic disorder

The different types of phobias usually have a very similar symptomatology caused by the presence of the phobic stimulus. Anxiety and irrational fear are undoubtedly characteristic symptoms of rectophobia. So is the desire to avoid the feared stimulus and the avoidance of the stimulus.

It is important to note that this disorder has a strong relationship with other disorders such as Hypochondriasis or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and is usually a secondary symptom of these. Now, if the irrational fear is more pronounced than the obsessions or compulsions the primary diagnosis is rectophobia.

In summary, the symptoms of rectophobia are:

• Irrational fear of contracting anorectal diseases or fear of dying.
• Anxiety and discomfort.
• Avoidance behaviors
• Tingling (paresthesia)
• Hypersweating
• Palpitations and increased Heart rate
• Tremors
• Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
• Chest tightness
• Nausea and abdominal discomfort
• Dizziness and fainting
• Depersonalization

Treatment and therapy

As I have said, phobias are caused by Classical Conditioning, and are characterized by the sufferer's irrational fear of the phobic stimulus. Scientific studies have shown that behavioral therapies, both second and third generation, work very well and are very effective in treating this pathology.

When referring to second generation therapies, I am referring to cognitive behavioral therapy, which aims to modify those thoughts, beliefs or behaviors that cause aims to modify those thoughts, beliefs or behaviors that provoke discomfort in the patient.. In the intervention for phobias, relaxation techniques and expository techniques are ideal to help the patient to control the negative symptoms of the phobia and to make him/her understand that his/her fears and beliefs about the phobic stimulus are irrational.

An exposure technique widely used by cognitive behavioral therapists is systematic desensitization, which consists of gradually exposing the patient to the phobic stimulus while learning different coping tools.

As for third generation therapies, Cognitive Therapy Based on Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which consist in the acceptance of the phobic experience, among other principles, so that the patient relates differently with the events that cause discomfort.

In extreme cases, the administration of drugs is necessary, but always together with psychological therapy.