Types of haptophobia and methods of control

Haptophobia is one of the most uncomfortable phobias, which significantly complicates the life and socialization of a person in society. The patient is experiencing strong uncontrolled fear or even panic attacks from other people's touch. In this article, you will find out why such a phobia may appear, how it is diagnosed, and what treatment options are available.

Haptophobia is called fear of touch of strangers, and in rare cases, any touch in principle. Sometimes this disease is also called tactilophobia. It is worth noting that according to world psychological and psychiatric practice, this pathology is one of the rarest phobias. Often uncontrolled fear manifests itself in relation to the touches of strangers, but sometimes tactile contact with friends and relatives also causes panic.

Significant discomfort is caused even by the occasional touch of other people, for example, in public transport. This diagnosis significantly reduces the quality of human life and entails serious consequences, up to complete isolation.

Haptophobia is associated with the establishment of personal boundaries and the violation of a person’s personal space. For example, any healthy person is uncomfortable if the interlocutor comes too close, only the distance that is considered too close will differ for each person. A haptophobe has a very narrow personal space, and the reaction to its violation is aggravated. If a healthy person has occasional tactile contact with a stranger will cause only a slight dislike, then a person suffering from a phobia may begin to panic.

In psychology, it is customary to divide the causes of phobia into internal and external: the first category includes the features of our perception, regardless of the environment, and the second category includes all environmental factors.

Among the internal causes are primarily considered character traits. There are people who are naturally prone to haptophobia: these are usually closed, shy people, immersed in themselves, with a pronounced introversion. They tend to perceive others as enemies, respectively, any violation of personal space such people perceive very sharply. Sometimes haptophobia appears due to nervous strain or temporary aggression.

Chronic diseases of the nervous system and organic brain damage can also lead to fear of touch. Treatment in such cases is especially difficult, but these situations are extremely rare. Besides, sometimes, among the reasons, there is a lack of tolerance for certain social groups, for example, racist beliefs. In addition, women sometimes experience panic from the touch of men.

If haptophobia is caused by internal causes, it can be inherited and many such cases are known to psychologists. Genetics play a role here, because we inherit character traits from our parents. In turn, certain character traits may give a predisposition to fear of touching - it may not manifest itself in a lifetime or may manifest under unfavorable external conditions.

External causes are also very diverse. For example, negative experience can lead to haptophobia, for example, the experienced violence makes you acutely sensitive to any touch. It can be domestic or sexual abuse.

Psychoses and neuroses caused by external factors can also play a significant role in the emergence and development of phobia. They can appear from hard work, great life shocks, loss, mental or physical stress. In turn, psychoses and neuroses make a person psychologically susceptible, highly excitable and vulnerable, so the invasion of personal space is perceived much sharper. In such cases, it is useless to fight phobia separately - you need to treat psychosis or neurosis. That is why it is important to consult competent doctors who can make the diagnosis as accurately as possible.

People with disabilities are also prone to fear touching other people. Sometimes a phobia can even develop into aggression. In addition, some professions have been associated with haptophobia: for example, dermatologists who know everything about skin diseases often react very sensitively to tactile contact with outsiders - in some cases this can result in a full-fledged phobia.

In large cities, we encounter random touches inevitably and daily, so no special test for haptophobia is needed. If you are afraid of touching, this will certainly help determine the trip in public transport. For a haptophobe, approaching other passengers already causes fear and a lot of negative emotions, because in such cases the risk of touching is very high.

With a direct touch, the discomfort is maximized up to physical pain - Outwardly, some have a clear panic attack, and some look restrained, but are experiencing serious nervous shocks.

Haptophobes are aware that their phobia is not socially approved, so they try to hide their negative emotions in every way and restrain the external manifestations of their phobia as much as possible: for someone this is more successful, for someone less. Sometimes a haptophobe can be easily identified by facial expressions and sharp gestures. They accompany an unexpected touch.

Symptoms of haptophobia are as follows:

• uncontrolled trembling, goosebumps all over the body directly when touched or with a large crowd of people;
• heart palpitations and increased blood pressure - another symptom of haptophobia associated with an increase in adrenaline from intense fear;
• excessive sweating is observed in some patients;
• sometimes touch can be accompanied by cramps, burns, or pain.

Haptophobia very quickly leads to social isolation, physical, mental and moral degradation of the individual, therefore treating phobia is best in the early stages.

A phobia can manifest itself in various forms and have different stages. In the worst and most popular case, the fear of touch extends to all people. This is a casual passerby on the street, and a relative, and a colleague, and a loved one. In this case, obsessive fear has very serious consequences for the social life of the patient: a phobia prompts a person to gradually protect themselves from everyone around and completely lock themselves in. This, of course, is harmful for further mental health, and for personal development and socialization.

Often haptophobia only affects strangers. This form can be considered easier because it allows the patient not to break contacts with loved ones. Nevertheless, in everyday life even such a phobia causes a lot of inconvenience. Healthy people don’t even notice how many random touches surrounds us every day: the need to transfer money to the cashier in a store or ride a full bus for a haptophobe will become a real stress. Constant stresses, in turn, are unhealthy and can even provoke somatic illnesses.

The most rare form of haptophobia is the fear of touching specific categories of people. For example, it can be a fear depending on gender, age or nationality.

For any phobia, psychologists and psychiatrists distinguish 3 stages.

• First includes slight discomfort and fear when touched, tolerant dislike - This is the easiest stage, which some cope on their own. However, if phobia is not prevented in the early stages, it often progresses very quickly.
• Attempts to move away from people, avoid contacts and communication, less often leave home - These are alarming bells, indicating that the phobia is serious. When touched directly, the patient experiences extreme stress, which negatively affects the general well-being during the day. In such cases, you can not do without the help of a specialist.
• Finally, in an advanced stage, phobia leads to complete social isolation. The patient refuses to leave the house and contact with the outside world, anxiety and stress can have physiological manifestations.Everyone develops a phobia differently, so it’s impossible to determine exactly at what point this stage will come — it’s better to start fighting haptophobia as early as possible.

Now in modern psychology and psychotherapy treatment of any phobias is possible. Nevertheless, it is impossible to give a single recipe on how to cure haptophobia - this is a very broad term, and the specialist must understand the specific causes of the patient, which led to the fear of touching. Consider the most common methods that are used to fight this phobia.

The time of therapy is determined by the doctor - sometimes it can be quite a long time, but with the right treatment and a positive mood of the patient, the prognosis will be favorable. Very popular in the fight against such phobias, threatening social isolation, is group therapy. First of all, a haptophobe will be able to realize that he is not alone with his problem. In a comfortable setting, patients will be able to chat and help each other overcome fear. This method is highly effective for a wide variety of patients.

But also with patients individual sessionsaimed at combating fear and training personal qualities. Speaking of problems, their awareness, as well as the search for causes are important when working with a psychotherapist. It is important not only that the doctor correctly diagnose, but also that the patient understands the problem and sincerely wants to solve it. Sometimes sessions can take place in the form of a free dialogue, and sometimes in a playful way - there are a lot of psychological techniques that allow you to gently fight phobia.

Hypnosis is another effective treatment. It is used with patients at different stages. During a hypnotic session, the doctor acts on the subconscious and helps to lay the necessary settings.

Sometimes, to treat complex cases of haptophobia, the doctor prescribes special drugs. Among them:

• antidepressants to normalize the psychological and emotional state;
• hormonal drugs needed for hormonal disruptions;
• sedatives to calm and prevent panic attacks;
• benzodiazepines, which inhibit nerve excitation;
• antipsychotics with a calming effect.

The above drugs should be taken only with the advice of a doctor and under his strict control.

You can overcome haptophobia with due effort on your own - the main thing is to have a great desire, to realize the problem and enlist the support of loved ones. Psychologists recommend several ways.

• Breathing exercises - This is a great practice to calm the nerves. Allocate 15 minutes a day and try to breathe deeply and correctly. In case of unwanted touch, try to remain calm and breathe deeply - do not allow yourself to panic.
• Eat a healthy diet. Our psychology is largely dependent on biochemical processes in the body. If the cells receive all the necessary nutrients, they will soon return to normal, and you can better control yourself.
• Do meditation and yoga. - This is another great way to relax and feel your body.
• Sports can also help. - during intense training, we burn excess adrenaline and produce the hormone of joy endorphin.
• Try to reason logically - in the touch of people there is nothing to worry about. Try to convince yourself of this: do not fend off the problem, let people touch you and try to take it neutrally.

Of course, everyone wants to avoid this and try not to get haptophobic. The nature of this diagnosis is extremely ambiguous, although many advise to lead an active social life to prevent the appearance of phobia. If you already have a phobia, even in the very initial stages, you can prevent attacks. With time a calm attitude to touch will become a habit.

Try to breathe deeply, relax your muscles, if you feel that there will be an attack soon. Convince yourself that the people around you are not enemies and do not have the goal of harming - after all, this is so. Ask a loved one to carefully restore tactile contact with you, hug more often, do massage - over time, when it becomes comfortable, the touches of others will also be perceived less acutely.