7- optophobia
optophobia: Fear Of Opening One’s Eyes
If ever an award was given for Most Inconvenient Phobia, it would have to go to optophobia – the fear of opening one’s eyes! Although the act of opening our eyes is something that few of us ever give thought to, for optophobics this simple, daily act can be a nightmare. Luckily, if you are reading this list, you most likely aren’t suffering from this condition
Treatment of Optophobia
For many individual who are suffering from opening one’s eyes – Optophobia. Don’t always feel the need of treatment because they can just avoid the object of their fear. This gives people suffering from Optophobia a feeling of control on the problem. But sometimes avoiding opening one’s eyes might not be possible or enough
If you thought you knew some weird phobias, then think again, as these are the 10 strangest phobias around
It is important for someone to always seek professional help when possible. This way you don’t lose time and do a better job and understanding what is happening. With understanding you can next move on to overcoming your fear of opening one’s eyes
Talking Treatments for Optophobia
Talking treatments or talking therapies, which include counselling, might be very effective at treating fear of opening one’s eyes or Optophobia. Talking therapies are very laid back treatments and physically non intrusive which involve talking to a highly trained and proficient professional about your thoughts, feelings and behavior. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to
help you recognize unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to)
help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them
help you make sense of things and understand yourself better
give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won’t judge you
Talking therapies are in most cases the same as counselling, therapy, psychotherapy, psychological therapy, talking treatment. There is usually a very little difference between what’s meant when talking about any of these
(CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT treatments stand on the concept that what we thing and perceive are constantly influencing our behaviour. Experiencing anxiety and distress are in some cases distorting and bending ones perception over reality. Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to identify if they are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them
For example when someone is experiencing Optophobia. Through the help of Cognitive behavioural therapy you could identify if the fear and anxiety experienced from opening one’s eyes is an accurate depiction of reality. And if not working on ways to change that
Medication
Medication should be never taken without asking a doctor first. In general medication is not recommended for overcoming phobias. Therapies have resulted to be a definitive way to overcome fears. However some types of medication are prescribe as short term solutions to the side effects of phobias. Which include anxiety or depression. There are three general types of medication recommended for treating anxieties
antidepressants
tranquillisers
beta-blockers
Self-help with Optophobia
One of the best ways to overcome any difficulty or be prepare if any might arise in life, is to take good care of oneself. Being able to know how to help yourself is vital not to just be able to control your fear of opening one’s eyes, but also other phobias and anxieties before they get more severe
Symptoms of Optophobia
Phobias are to be taken seriously. If they aren’t given proper attention and treatment, might start to limit the sufferers life. In some cases up to the degree of extreme anxiety and depression. Knowing how to manage thoughts and anxiety will not only help a person live or overcome the fear of opening one’s eyes. But also manage to live will all phobias in general
People who suffer from fear of opening one’s eyes. At most times are purposely avoiding coming into contact with what it is that triggers them to experience fear or anxiety in the first place. This might seem like a good quick fix but truth is as mentioned above, if not completely understood what you are experiencing might start hurting or limiting your life in the long run
Sometimes, the people suffering from Optophobia, which is a Specific phobia, try to avoid not only the exact objects (in this case opening one’s eyes) or situations that trigger it but sometimes in severe cases the thought of those thing all together
There have been a lot of cases in which an individual has develop a phobia from opening one’s eyes where they become fearful of experiencing anxiety itself because it would make them feel very uncomfortable in the moment they are in contact with any of those. Panic attacks can be very discomforting for the main reason that they are felt in a physical level. People experiencing panic attacks commonly feel a pounding heart, palpitations or accelerated heart rate
A person doesn’t necessarily need to be in a situation exposed to opening one’s eyes to experience Optophobia. The brain doesn’t have to be in that situation to experience the symptoms of panic. A persons brain is capable of creating a reaction to fearsome situations even when the subject is not actually in that situation
People are different and so are all the types of phobias someone might suffer from. So the symptoms also vary strongly on the severity in which an individual is experiencing these fears. But generally speaking, Specific phobias and fears such as Optophobia fall under the category of anxiety disorders. Meaning that a person can experience any if not all of the below mentioned physical and/or psychological symptoms
Physical Symptoms
opening one’s eyes sufferers, often experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be extremely frightening and distressing for the person suffering from those. These symptoms most of the time happen suddenly and without any prior signs or warnings. No matter how overwhelming feelings of anxiety, a panic attack can cause real physical symptoms, such as but not limited to the ones below
sweating
trembling
hot flushes or chills
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
a choking sensation
rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
pain or tightness in the chest
a sensation of butterflies in the stomach
nausea
headaches and dizziness
feeling faint
numbness or pins and needles
dry mouth
a need to go to the toilet
ringing in your ears
confusion or disorientation
hyperventilation
tightness in the chest/chest pain and difficulty breathing
rise in blood pressure
Psychological Symptoms
In some very severe cases, a person suffering a panic attack triggered from Optophobia. Usually when exposed to its triggers such as opening one’s eyes. Can have one/or all of the following symptoms
fear of losing control
fear of fainting
feelings of dread
fear of dying
fear of harm or illness
guilt, shame, self-blame
Withdrawing from others
Feeling sad or hopeless
Feeling disconnected
Confusion, difficulty concentrating
Anger, irritability, mood swings
anxiety and fear
On some very special cases, there may be people experiencing intertwined phobias. Or what may be called complex phobias. These can often have a detrimental effect on a person’s everyday life and mental wellbeing. Because they may limit someone’s life so much that they become uncap-able of leading a normal personal and social life. Hence triggering a chain reaction of the above mentioned symptoms and lastly depression
