Almost every person had to at least once in their life experience fright at the sight of a mirror reflection of their own figure or other object at dusk. Sometimes overwhelming horror and exaggerated anxiety before reflection in a mirror, glass, water develops into a phobia. You should understand the features of the emergence of such fear. Is a complete cure for the disease possible?
What it is?
Fear of the mirror and its reflective properties is a rare phobia. It is called spectrophobia (from lat. Spectrum “image”, “vision” + Greek. Phobos “fear”). Its variety is esoptrophobia (from other Greek “mirror” + “fear”), in which an individual is afraid to look at himself in a mirror, glass surface or water surface. Looking at your own person in a mirror image causes a panic attack.
Spectrophobia is a very serious mental disorder. Typically, phobias arise due to fear of harm to health or life.
Unlike other fears, fright at mirrors is difficult to justify, since the images in them can do no harm. The reason for the fear is purely psychological in nature.
It is difficult for such people to be in rooms with mirrors. Trying to avoid them, a person begins to fall out of public life. A phobic sufferer turns away from shop windows, windows, stained glass windows. He tries not to look at them. Home curtains mirrors and other reflective planes with dense fabric. The patient is afraid to see something frightening, frightening, but in reality nonexistent, fake. And in these moments he feels a threat looming over him.
Spectrophobes are characterized by shyness, agitation, and nervousness. They constantly look around to make sure there are no mirrors and glass surfaces. Entering a room with several mirrors, such people cowardly leave the room.
At night, fear intensifies, as an inexplicable anxiety appears to see in the mirror something more than its reflection.
The main symptoms and their diagnosis
Symptoms of esoptrophobia are fears caused by the type of self-reflection in the mirror, glass and water surface, not only at night, but also in the daytime. Unwillingness to be photographed is often caused by the fear of their photos.
Fear of self-reflection contributes to the appearance of symptoms of a mental and physiological level.
The following symptoms are characteristic of the disease:
- all-consuming horror at the sight of his reflection in the mirror;
- fear of your own appearance in the photograph;
- isolation, avoidance of communication with people;
- irresistible desire to leave the room with a mirror;
- unexplained excitement, increased nervousness, alertness;
- obsessive thoughts;
- the appearance of fear of death;
- confusion of consciousness;
- asthma attacks;
- dry mouth
- discomfort in the chest area;
- heart palpitations;
- a feeling of trembling throughout the body;
- the appearance of cold sweat;
- hot flashes;
- fainting state;
- blanching of the skin;
- nausea;
- increased breathing.
Irresistible fear and intense anxiety in front of reflective surfaces can appear in a person for a short time and disappear as the psyche stabilizes.
If the fear of mirrors lasts for several weeks or months, you should consult a psychotherapist and undergo a diagnosis.
A qualified specialist with the help of conversation and special tests will establish an accurate diagnosis.
Causes of the disease
Inability to adequately assess the events, numerous intrinsic complexes can lead to spectrophobia. Certain causes contribute to its occurrence.
- A phobia can be rooted in childhood. The child, seeing in the mirror a terrible reflection of an object or phenomenon, was greatly frightened. The presence of a traumatic situation is postponed in the memory of the baby and leads ultimately to the disease.
- Improper parenting affects the development of the child’s self-esteem, can provoke self-rejection, rejection of one’s own reflection. The mirror is an irritant: once again a person is convinced of his inferiority.
- The negative experience of the past makes you focus on nightmares tormenting the victim. There is an inability of a person to cope with a stressful situation, recover, and a weakened psyche is not able to withstand a new load.
- Unwillingness to accept an existing birth defect brings suffering when looking at oneself from the side.
- A traumatic situation that resulted in a very disturbing recent physical disability (unexpectedly bald head, weight gain, a nose broken in a fight, a broken lip, a scar or a burn on the face). A person is not always ready to accept his new image. First, he tries to ignore the mirrors, and then there is a fear of reflected objects.
- Mystical fear affects suspicious persons. From ancient times, the mirror was associated with a portal to another world. It was believed that through it the souls of the dead, ghosts, monsters, werewolves and other unclean forces could penetrate into housing.
- Fear of accidentally breaking a mirror due to various superstitions. There are many folk signs associated with this subject.
- Occasionally, phobia occurs due to a person’s sexual disorder.
Treatment methods
At the first pronounced signs of spectrophobia or esoptrophobia, you need to seek help from a qualified specialist who will prescribe a comprehensive treatment.
Medications are aimed at normalizing sleep and eliminating panic attacks. The psychotherapist, depending on the indications and individual characteristics of the body, assigns appropriate sedatives, harmless sleeping pills of a new generation, tranquilizers and antidepressants.
Self-medication with drugs can cause irreparable harm to the body.
Taking medications is carried out only as directed and under the supervision of a qualified specialist.
There are effective techniques aimed at eliminating spectrophobia.
- Psychoanalytic psychotherapy used for trauma to the psyche in childhood, the acquisition of the disease at an early age. Frequent visits to a therapist and long-term treatment brings excellent results. This is the most effective method of therapy, but it requires a lot of effort from the patient.
- Cognitive Behavioral Approach aimed at reviewing their own "I" with the acquired defect. On the way to overcoming fear, the patient is helped to transcode his negative attitudes into a positive attitude.
- When the patient disgusts his own body Against the background of sexual dysfunctions of the body, a joint work of a psychologist and a sexopathologist is required.
- Group exercises help to sort out problems., ease the patient’s condition and consolidate the positive results of the fight against fear of reflective surfaces. Together, it is easier to form a psychological and behavioral attitude to eliminate phobias.
The specialist may suggest to undergo hypnosis sessions. A phobic sufferer is introduced into a trance state for a while. The complete shutdown of consciousness and activation of the subconscious makes it possible to replace frightening thoughts about mirror reflection, especially at night, with positive feelings and emotions.
The hypnologist corrects the psyche, directing it in the necessary direction. At the end of the hypnosis course, fears dissipate, the phobia is supplanted by positive thoughts:
- an adequate reaction to the appearance of mirrors at dusk appears;
- there is an adequate assessment of the real degree of threat;
- reflecting objects in mirrors are perceived as normal;
- mental state is gradually restored;
- the fear of a reflection of terrible entities and mysterious phenomena in the mirror disappears.
Hypnotherapy is effective in the treatment of spectrophobia. Each patient requires a personal approach.
The task of the hypnologist is to help the patient. Otherwise, his condition may develop into clinical depression. The formation of new phobias cannot be allowed. Then you need additional treatment.
With overwhelming fear, psychologists recommend replacing large mirrors with small neat little mirrors. In order to avoid complications of the disease and the formation of other side phobias in the event of severe anxiety, it is best to avoid frequent gaze into reflective surfaces. You must always remember the complete harmlessness and safety of mirror reflection. It does no harm to the body.
You need to get used to your reflection gradually. It is desirable to note the positive in their appearance and pronounce compliments aloud. No need to focus on finding flaws. Negative thoughts should be eradicated, and oneself in a positive mood.
At the moment you glance in the mirror you need to force yourself to smile broadly. Do not allow a frown and unpleasant grimaces.
Great benefit comes from hard work on oneself. Autotraining includes the repetition of positive motivating phrases that allow you to change your own view of yourself. In the treatment, relaxation helps well.Herbal tea, relaxing music and a bath with sea salt contribute to anxiety. With calm music, restless thoughts and unpleasant associations need to be transformed into pleasant memories. It is advisable to imagine the azure sky, the emerald sea wave, golden sand, beautiful plants.
You can overcome fear at the sight of your reflection at night yourself. Mandatory breathing exercises and control over your own emotions.
Initially, a phobic sufferer should answer a number of questions:
- When did I become afraid of the mirror and the reflection in it?
- What can happen if I always focus my eyes on mirror reflection?
- Why am I anxious and how to eliminate it?
- Why am I scared of my own imagination?
- What will happen to me if I dare to look at my reflection in the mirror at night?
- Can I overcome fear on my own?
Before going to bed, you need to visualize your dream, remember the pleasant moments of life. To eliminate the fear of your own photo, you need to order a photo session from a highly qualified specialist who can please the client with high-quality beautiful pictures. During the treatment, psychologists advise avoiding reading fiction, watching horror films, learning to clearly distinguish between a real and a fictional world.
About why people are afraid of mirrors, see further.
