Cynophobia
What is CynoPhobia ?
-Cynophobia is the intense overwhelming fear of dogs. People with this anxiety feel intense fear when they encounter a dog. This makes it difficult to deal with their daily life activities. In severe cases, this phobia can cause people to avoid places where dogs might be.
Can it be categorized as a Mental disorder?
It is a type of specific phobia. Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental health disorder, affecting most adults. It is a type of anxiety disorder where even talking about dogs can lead to trembling, sweating, and other symptoms.
The word comes from the Greek words for dog (cyno) and fear (phobia).For a person with cynophobia, being near a dog can trigger an extreme emotional response, including panic attacks, feelings of dread, and heart palpitations. In some cases, even the possibility of encountering one can lead to these symptoms.
A person with cynophobia may worry intensely about the possibility of encountering a dog, with these thoughts causing ongoing stress. They may take active steps to avoid dogs, such as staying away from parks and busy areas and not watching TV shows and movies with dogs in them. Some people may find that just talking about dogs begins to make them feel anxious. When a person with cynophobia encounters a dog or a trigger that relates to dogs, they may experience a variety of symptoms, including the below mentioned ones.
- intense feelings of immediate danger
- fear of losing control
- depersonalization
- fear of dying
- heart palpitations
- chest discomfort
- excessive sweating
- shortness of breath
- feeling faint or lightheaded
- nausea
- trembling
Causes
These fears may come from the past traumatic experiences or by hearing someone else s traumatic experience even if u dont know the person. An imbalance in certain chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters, can also lead to anxiety disorders, including phobias. Two neurotransmitters that can contribute to anxiety are dopamine and serotonin.
Treatment for Cynophobia
-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Cognitive behavioural therapy is a type of psychotherapy. The main focus of cognitive behavioural therapy is to identify faulty thought patterns and learn how to change your behaviours.For example, your therapist can help you face your irrational fear of dogs and teach you ways to cope with your anxiety disorder symptoms.
-Exposure response prevention ERP can play a great role in solving this problem. Experiencing multiple situations which you fear continuously can help you overcome your fear.
-Relaxation and mindfulness techniques can help bring your mind back to the present and reduce your anxiety symptoms caused by your irrational fear of dogs.
-Guided imagery: This technique involves listening to a voice (and sometimes music) to help you imagine you are in a calming environment.
-Breathing exercises: When you're feeling anxious, take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Diaphragmatic breathing can reverse some of the physical symptoms of stress caused by your fears.