Dermatopathophobia (fear Of Skin Diseases): What It Is, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Dermatopathophobia consists of a phobia linked to the irrational and exacerbated fear of suffering from skin injuries or diseases. This clinical picture is considered an anxiety disorder based on the characteristics it presents as a pathology.

According to the DSM-V, dermatopathophobia can be included in the group of specific phobias based on the traits that can be seen. In this sense, there are a series of diagnostic criteria that allow dermatopathophobia or fear of skin diseases to be defined so that an appropriate diagnosis can be established:

• Fear and/or intense anxiety about a specific object or situation (in this case, it would be skin diseases and injuries).
• The specific object and/or situation almost always produces fear or anxiety.
• Avoidance of the specific object and/or situation.
• The fear or anxiety is disproportionate to the real danger posed by the situation or object.
• Duration of six months or more.
• Deterioration of work, family and social relationships due to fear or anxiety.
• The symptoms are not explained by the presence of another mental disorder.

This anxiety disorder presents a series of manifestations that appear both physically and in terms of the emotions and behaviors of a person who suffers from dermatopathophobia. The importance of knowing these data lies in the fact that the problem can be treated in time.

The symptoms of dermatopathophobia or fear of skin diseases are the following:

• excessive fear to suffer from any type of skin disease.
• Avoidance of contact with elements that may alter the skin (needles, watches, among others).
• Repeated visits to the doctor to check the condition of the skin.
• Fear of exposure to solar radiation.
• Muscle tension.
• Excessive sweating.
• Dizziness.
• Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
• Nausea.
• Headache.

It is worth mentioning that the presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily imply that we are dealing with dermatopathophobia. The diagnosis must be carried out by a health professional who evaluates the clinical conditions of each patient.

Beyond the symptoms involved in the disorder, it is essential to know the possible origins of this anxiety disorder in order to develop appropriate strategies for the problem. In the following items, we will develop the main associated causes:

Environmental factors

In general, unpleasant experiences experienced in the past act as triggers for this problem. It could have happened that the person has suffered skin diseases in which he has suffered the complex consequences that they entail.

Likewise, it is possible that some of the members of the family environment have suffered from dermatopathophobia. Thus, the imitation of behaviors It plays an important role in a person’s behavior patterns.

Genetic factors

Although it is not completely proven, it is possible that one of the parents has certain genetic alterations that account for the prevalence of panic responses to certain events and that this has caused the emergence of this fear of skin diseases.

Despite the difficulties that the problem entails, fortunately there are treatments currently available that enable a good prognosis when diagnosed with dermatopathophobia. Next, we will talk about the main treatments:

Psychological therapy

Therapy consists of a space that invites reflection about various life situations that cause problems for the person. On the one hand, there are short-term therapies that work on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that cause the symptoms of dermatopathophobia.

The objective of this approach is to put together strategies that allow you to face situations of stress and/or anxiety in a more pleasant way. Here we can highlight cognitive behavioral therapy as the most important approach.

On the other hand, long-term therapies They try to locate the origin of fears from the memory of traumatic childhood situations. In this way, the person can develop alternatives that allow complex situations to be navigated. The most well-known and effective extensive therapy is psychoanalysis.

Psychiatric medication

In cases that represent considerable severity, the provision of anxiolytic medications produces a decrease in the intensity of the symptoms involved in dermatopathophobia or fear of skin diseases. However, psychiatric medication should only be taken under the supervision of a professional of mental health.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dermatopathophobia (fear of skin diseases): what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment we recommend that you enter our Clinical Psychology category.