We live in society and depend on each other for our own survival.

However, not everyone can cope well with a closer relationship with others.

people, and, because of this, they are afraid to touch and be touched. To better understand the subject, we

we will talk about aphophobia What it is, symptoms, and how to treat it.

What is aphthrophobia?

Many definitions summarize aphrophobia only as the fear of being touched. But, since the human being is a reciprocal being, aphrophobia will usually also be the fear of touching. After all, touching a person would give that person the freedom to touch me.

Aphaphobia is a psychological disorder in which a person has a exaggerated fear of touching

and be touched In this way, people with this condition do not like to have sex and receive

But not only this contact, but any action related to affection in general.

Since aphophobia relates to fear of affections, people may have difficulty in

As a consequence, there are also problems in the relationships with friends and family.

love relationships.

Understand that this fear is not only something related to strangers

Thus, this exacerbated fear of physical contact occurs, even with people

In other words, this is a specific case that needs to be dealt with.

Meaning of aphaphobia

Phobia of being touched: an anxiety disorder

It is important to say that this fear of physical contact is related to a disorder of

Thus, the individual suffering from such a psychological disorder does not feel secure

in different environments.

Everyday tasks such as going to the supermarket, shopping, doctor, work, and school or college

This is because the mind is conditioned to the possibility of physical contact.

at home, home life can also be stressful, since the proximity to other

people can be greater.

In this sense, the phobia of being touched causes the person to seek to live isolated from others.

psychological state makes her believe that solitude provides her with security. That is, the

search for a physical stability that avoids any possibility of touch.

Causes

The causes of aphophobia are not one-sided. There are different catalysts for the

In short, such a phobia is believed to have two sources

Understand better each of the sources below.

Psychic factors

The first is intrinsic, that is, something that comes from its own internal factors. The phobia of touching

someone can arise from the person's birth, or caused by a change in function

In this case, there is already a psychological predisposition to this fear of touching someone.

Because it is a rare case, it is not always possible to detect aphophobia by this aspect alone.

it is necessary to know more about other aspects of the person's life to better understand his

suffering from exaggerated fear of touching another individual.

Traumatic experiences

The second source, on the other hand, can be related to external factors. Here we are referring to the

For this reason, abusive relationships permeated by physical violence and/or

sexual violence can trigger dread of being touched.

Traumas can occur at any stage of life, so it is not always possible to

In the case of abused children, for example, it is often

they may not keep the traumatic memory. But the mind registers the event and creates it,

unconsciously, "barriers" of protection.

Symptoms of Aphaphobia

As mentioned before, aphophobia is related to anxiety. Thus, the symptoms

are similar to these types of psychological disorders. Here are the main symptoms:

• panic attack;
• discomfort;
• nausea;
• dry mouth;
• heart palpitations;
• hives;
• faint;
• dizziness;
• shortness of breath;
• exacerbated sweating.

Consequences

People who suffer from aphophobia Therefore, it is very common that they do not live in isolation.

The simplest contact and affection become terrible tortures and ends up in the hands of the family.

influencing in a negative way all those who are part of the family life.

It can be seen, then, that the phobia of being touched not only interferes in the person with this disorder.

Not everyone can understand the individual's suffering, so discussions can

make the family environment chaotic.

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Also Read: Body and Mind: Everything You Need to Know about this Connection

Friendships and love relationships

If even with family there are difficulties, with strangers it is almost impossible. One

Since there is an exaggerated fear of being touched and of touching, it is not possible to develop a

closer relationship with "strangers".

Can you imagine being friends with someone who doesn't like to leave the house?

It becomes basically impossible to keep the physical affection up and going.

friends when there is no trust.

When it comes to love relationships, everything can be even more complicated.

common indicates that people need to fulfill their sexual desires and needs, one can see

What's worse is that the simplest hand holding, hugging, and other forms of affection

cause deep discomfort and even panic.

Treatments for aphthophobia

Because it is a psychological disorder, aphthrophobia has no cure. However, it is possible to seek

treatments that will help control the symptoms, and therefore the consequences

of the dread of being touched.

Medications

It is also important to know that other disorders can be linked to aphthrophobia.

Depression and anxiety can also be linked to this phobia. Therefore,

In the case of medications, these need to address all the disorders involved.

Psychotherapy: cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy

Seeking help from specialized professionals is also extremely important.

sufferers of aphthophobia can find solutions to better cope with the symptoms. Still, it is

It is essential to seek therapy to be able to cope with social interaction.

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy can be a great ally in the treatment of

Understand that this type of psychotherapy deals jointly with the thoughts and

destructive behaviors regarding physical contact.

Final considerations about aphophobia

Anyway, as rare as it is aphophobia The suffering of the person who suffers from this disorder needs to be investigated and not treated as a nuisance. The case is serious and

does need attention and proper treatment by reliable professionals.

The best way to deal with psychological disorders is to seek information on the subject.

Thus, it is possible to better understand the anguish that permeates people with this and other

Only with information it is possible to demystify prejudices and misconceptions about phobias.

aphophobia .

So, to better understand about the phobia of being touched, please know that our online course

Besides improving the student's self-knowledge, the classes in Psychoanalysis can help you!

also help to stimulate the potential and wider knowledge about the aphophobia Don't miss out

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