Scopsyphobia: symptoms, causes and treatment

This phobia is based on the irrational fear of these small, harmless animals.

Although it is true that worms are not usually the animals that enjoy the greatest affection from the human public, these small invertebrates are not dangerous nor are they a threat to the person.

However, under the right circumstances, an excessive and irrational fear of these animals can develop. This is known as escolechiphobia.. In this article we will describe what it is, as well as its symptoms, causes and the existing treatments to combat it.

What is escolequifobia?

The escolequifobia is presented as a fear to the worms that turns out to be excessive, irrational and uncontrollable.. This condition belongs to the group of anxiety disorders, specifically to specific phobias.

Although experiencing an aversive sensation or expressing an explicit dislike of these small living beings is very common, when this aversion turns into a pathological and disabling fear of these small living beings, it is very common. becomes a pathological and incapacitating fear, we can speak of escolechophobia. we can speak of escolechophobia.

To know the difference between a usual or ordinary fear and a phobia or pathological fear, we must find out what direct consequences this fear has on the daily routine of the person who suffers from it.

Thus, if a person feels repulsion or aversion for worms but it does not interfere in his life in an important way, he does not have to suffer from escolechiphobia. However, in the event that the person experiences a strong anxiety reaction to the presence of these animals, it is advisable to consult a professional, it will be advisable to consult a professional psychologist..

In order to know exactly if a fear, in this case the fear of worms, has the category of specific phobia, it is necessary to review the characteristics of the fear experienced by the person. Those requirements or qualities characteristic of phobic fear are the following.

1. It is disproportionate

The first point to take into account in order to differentiate between a normal fear and a phobic fear of worms is that the fear of worms must be disproportionate in comparison with the fear of worms. must be disproportionate to the actual threat that the phobic stimulus represents. the phobic stimulus represents.

The fear reaction to the presence of these invertebrates must be intense and exaggerated, taking into account the real danger they pose to the physical integrity of the person.

2. It is irrational

The person suffering from phobic fear is unable to find a justified and reasonable explanation for his reaction. In the same way, sometimes the person is perfectly aware of how harmless the phobic stimulus is, but still cannot avoid generating an anxious response to the phobic stimulus..

3. It is uncontrollable

The fear felt by a person with escolechophobia is completely incoherent and, moreover, absolutely uncontrollable. Therefore, the person is unable to produce or eliminate the sensations of anxiety and fear.

These sensations appear in an automatic and mechanized manner and will only be extinguished when the person has managed to flee or avoid the phobic stimulus.

Symptoms

In addition to the characteristics of phobic fear, another dimension that allows us to identify an anxiety disorder is its symptoms.

As with the rest of specific anxiety disorders, in escolechophobia the person experiences an excessive reaction of nervousness and anxiety.. This symptomatology includes three groups of symptoms: physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and behavioral symptoms.

However, as with a wide variety of psychological conditions and disorders, not all sufferers experience exactly the same symptoms, not all sufferers experience exactly the same symptoms, not with the same intensity. not with the same intensity. Rather, both the incidence and severity of the disorder can change from person to person.

The following are the three groups of symptoms typical of phobias and their characteristics.

1. Physical symptoms

When the person with escolechophobia is in the presence of the phobic stimulus, worms in this case, a process of great hyperactivity in the autonomic nervous system begins. This hyperactivity causes a great amount of changes in the organism among which we highlight the following.

• Elevation of the cardiac rate.
• Dizziness and tremors.
• Choking sensation.
• Increased levels of sweating.
• Sensation of pressure in the chest..
• Sensation of anguish and nausea.
• Gastro-intestinal problems.
• Sensation of confusion..
• Fainting.

2. Cognitive symptoms

The response of fear and anxiety conditioned to the appearance of the phobic stimulus are due to the fact that the person, at some point in his life, made an association of this stimulus with a series of ideas to go to the phobic stimulus, made an association of this stimulus with a series of irrational thoughts, in this case related to the phobic stimulus..

These thoughts, in this case related to worms, stimulate and provide the development and maintenance of the phobia and are characterized by presenting a series of poorly or not at all substantiated ideas about worms, their characteristics and particularities.

These thoughts are characterized by the following peculiarities:

• Obsessive speculations about worms.
• Intrusive, irrational and absolutely uncontrollable absolutely uncontrollable thoughts about worms.
• Mental images of a catastrophic nature.
• Fear of not knowing how to handle the situation and end up losing control.
• Feeling of unreality.

3. Behavioral symptoms

Like the rest of phobias and specific anxiety disorders, escolechophobia is usually accompanied by a large number of reactions or behavioral manifestations that appear in response to the aversive stimulus.

The purpose of these acts is either to directly avoid encountering the phobic stimulus or to try to escape if the person has not been able to avoid the object of the phobia. The former behaviors are known as avoidance behaviors, while the latter refer to escape behaviors.

Avoidance behaviors are carried out with the intention of avoiding the encounter with this type of animal. In them, the patient performs all kinds of behaviors to avoid the possibility of coinciding with the stimulus that is the object of the phobia. This is an attempt to avoid experiencing the feelings of anguish and anxiety that the worms generate in the person.

As for escape behaviorsthese are generated when the person has not been able to avoid encountering the feared stimulus, reason why it will carry out all type of conducts that facilitate to him to escape of the current situation as soon and fast as possible.

What is the cause?

Determining the origin of a phobia is an extremely complex task since there is no single factor that triggers the disorder. Anyway, there are a series of factors that can facilitate the appearance of this one.

However, genetic predisposition The phobia of the person coupled with the presence of a traumatic event or situation related in some way to worms will, quite possibly, trigger the appearance of the aforementioned phobia.

Is there a treatment?

In cases where the fear is disabling or interferes with a person's daily life, treatment for escolechophobia can be initiated. In this treatment, psychotherapy is used to modify or eliminate the erroneous thoughts and beliefs that end up causing the rest of the symptomatology.

This psychotherapy is accompanied by techniques for the treatment of phobias such as live exposure or systematic desensitization and relaxation training.