My sister is diagnosed with Haphephobia
My sister was a raped victim some years back, she is suffering from some psychological problems demonstrated by fear and refusal of any form of relationship that will lead to marriage. We took her abroad and she is diagnosed with Haphephobia. Kindly shed light about it.
Agnes K
Thanks Agnes for your question. Haphephobia is an “anxiety causing fear that can greatly interfere with the person’s life who has it. It’s not half of a phobia, despite what it sounds like; it’s a full blown abnormal, yet palpable, dread. By its definition, a phobia is a specific type of anxiety disorder that causes an overexaggerated and largely irrational response to the presence or even the thought of the thing that is feared. In this case, haphephobia refers to the fear of being touched.” It might also be referred to as Aphephobia or Thixophobia. The anxiety response can be rather poignant and the person with it exhibits an intense dread of touching or being touched. If it goes on unchecked, it could lead to someone avoiding all sorts of situations because they don’t want to risk having that extreme anxiety response that others won’t understand. Succumbing to this trepidation can lead to a life of missing out on otherwise fun, fulfilling, or rewarding experiences just like what your sister is experiencing now.
Causes;
• As with most phobias, real-life trauma (an external event) took place at some point in the person’s life (probably in their youth) to trigger the exaggerated response. Since the human brain is largely busy making associations for the duration of its life, it’s reasonably certain that touching or being touched is associated with something extremely unpleasant in the mind of the haphephobic.
• They could be the victim of a horrific rape, assault, or molestation which unequivocally warrants a fear of being touched. In some cases, it might be a response that was imitated because a key adult in a child’s life was seen to react with disgust or great fear when touched.
• It could be a matter of a person wanting plenty of personal space and feeling acutely violated when someone doesn’t respect that. As far as the fear of touching someone else is concerned, it may be that something triggered a belief that there is a negative result (disease or illness perhaps) when you touch someone.
Symptoms;
When confronted with a situation where touching might be an issue, there are many varied response the haphephobic might have. Reactions and behaviors will differ on a case by case basis, but could include any of the following: 1. Discomfort and Perspiration 2. Nausea 3. Heart Palpitations 4. Dry Mouth 5. Feeling Dizzy 6. Rapid Heartbeat 7. Panic 8. Numbness 9. Heightened Senses 10. Breathlessness 11. Feeling Trapped 12. Muscle Tension, Rigidity 13. Trembling 14. Hyperventilating 15. Feeling Totally Out of Control 16. Feeling of Impending Doom or Disaste
Treatment Options;
Most people identify this disorder themselves because they realize that it’s abnormal. After speaking with a primary physician and ruling out other causes, a mental health professional can recommend options for treatment which include:
1. Counseling (talking with a therapist who specializes in dealing with and overcoming phobias) 2. Cognitive Behavior Therapy 3.Exposure Therapy (gradually and incrementally being exposed to touching until fear is gone)
4. Support Groups
5.Learning Relaxation Techniques
6. nti-Anxiety Medication
7. Forums that brings together people who have haphephobia to share their experiences in managing and even overcoming it.