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Panphobia
A phobia is a (usually irrational) sense of fear about an object, person, place or situation that may cause anxiety attacks or an overwhelming state of terror. These phobias are usually incredibly specific and detailed to only a few identifiable situations. Panphobia, on the other hand, is a literal fear of everything. It may also include a non-specific fear of the idea of fear, which will bring on common anxiety and panic attacks. There is no single, proven cure of Panphobia and sufferers will usually have to learn to cope with the symptoms for their entire life. Seeking out professional medical therapy, often combined with prescription medication, has shown progress in helping people deal with Panphobia and better manage stressful situations.
Symptoms of Panphobia
Panphobia can greatly interfere with a person’s personal life and begin to negatively effect their physical and mental health. The majority of the symptoms associated with Panphobia are commonly seen throughout all anxiety disorders but are much more severe and commonly induced since their phobia envelops everything around them.
Symptoms include:
- Racing heartbeat
- Overwhelming sense of fear, panic or dread
- Excessive sweating
- Dry mouth or inability to speak
Over an extended length of time, a panphobic person’s symptoms can greatly increase and usually leads to a deeply depressed state and show signs of no motivation to do almost any physical or social activity.
Causes of Panphobia
This rare phobia is known to most commonly arise after a traumatic personal event. Since the phobia can be described as an overwhelming fear of a nondescript evil, the “root” of the problem usually does not lie in any single place or object, but rather the specific event. In some rare cases, the phobia may be passed on genetically and affect randomly. A change in brain chemistry may also be a cause of Panphobia, which some medications may be able to temporarily treat or suppress. The medication is usually used in combination with professional therapy techniques in order to re-train a person’s brain into reducing anxiety levels and seeking out the root of the fear.
Living with an irrational fear of everything around you will eventually limit your lifestyle, control your life and your social outlets. While there is no cure to treat Panphobia, visiting with a professional psychologist will help you sort out your fears and help you create coping strategies to manage your anxiety and prevent you from panicking. Ask a friend or loved one to aid you in this process and seek out the best methods to get you back to living a healthier, happier lifestyle.
View Resources
- For a list of articles, medical definitions and encyclopedia entries on the topic of panphobia.
- Interested in learning more about panphobia? Information, including treatment methods.
- If you are looking for a longer list of symptoms related to panphobia as well as a list of possible causes and ways to treat anxiety attacks.
- A description of popular treatment methods used for handling phobias.
