Carnophobia (phobia Of Meat): Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
Carnophobia is characterized by a persistent and intense fear of meat It is not necessarily accompanied by a political decision to abandon the consumption of this food, although it may be related to this.
We will see below what carnophobia is, what the difference is between a phobia and an aversion, and finally what remedies exist to treat its symptoms.
As its name suggests, carnophobia is the persistent and intense fear of meat. As a phobia, the persistent fear of meat must occur in an irrational or excessive manner, that is, it is a disproportionate fear of a stimulus that generally does not pose a danger for those who perceive it.
In other words, to be considered a phobia, this fear of meat must not manifest itself solely as a decided rejection of the consumption of foods of animal origin, as could occur in the case of veganism or vegetarianism.
Nor is it a question of an underdeveloped taste for meat or a preference for a specific type of this food. It is rather a fear that is activated by any stimulus that approaches the flesh, triggering a disproportionate anxiety response
Now, if this fear does not manifest itself in a persistent, intense and disproportionate way, without significantly affecting the person’s quality of life, it may not be a phobia, but rather an aversion.
Phobia or aversion to meat?
The main difference between a phobia and an aversion is the intensity of the fear experienced, and the way in which it presents itself. An aversion can be defined as a strong repulsion to touch, try or listen to things to which most people are indifferent or find pleasant (Bados, 2005).
Unlike a phobia, aversions produce discomfort, but not fear or anxiety; They occur when faced with stimuli other than specific phobias and do not cause obsessions or rituals.
Aversions can cause a series of momentary physiological reactions such as the following: chills or hair standing on end, paleness, cold, wave breathing , and sometimes nausea. For example, aversions to the touch of hairy surfaces such as wool or feathers are common; to hear squeaky sounds; or to smell and taste fatty foods, foods of certain textures, or muscle tissues of animal origin (meat).
In general, aversions do not negatively and significantly affect a person’s quality of life, since they do not prevent them from carrying out daily activities, and they are not manifested by clinically observable anxiety. However, they can represent significant discomfort when faced with the stimulus that causes the aversion.
Thus, if exposure to meat causes discomfort and mild or momentary physiological reactions, then it is an aversion. On the contrary, if exposure to meat causes clinically significant discomfort (an anxiety that interferes with daily activities), and occurs persistently, generating voluntary and involuntary avoidance of meat, then it may be carnophobia.
Possible causes
As with other phobias, a persistent fear of meat may be caused by real or perceived harm associated with the consumption of that food Some specific examples of experiences that can cause this fear are the following:
The above may be the reason for having developed both a phobia and an aversion to meat, and the latter may have generated a political position on the consumption or industrialization of this food, although not necessarily.
Any real or perceived fear, which is experienced persistently and disproportionately, can be treated through a series of clinical strategies. For example, the live exposure technique , cognitive restructuring, systematic desensitization or relaxation strategies, among others. All of them have the objective of reducing anxiety experiences associated with the stimulus that causes them; which ultimately means that the person develops a positive contact with the stimulus.
However, if the rejection of meat is derived from a personal choice, which does not interfere with your daily life even if it implies an experience of aversion, The treatment should not be aimed at the consumption of this food but the search for alternatives and substitutes.
