Ephebiphobia (phobia Of Teenagers): Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
Adolescence is one of the most important life stages, a process of transformation and maturation at both a biological and cognitive level that takes us from childhood to adulthood. It is a difficult stage for those who live it, full of new experiences and the search for their own identity.
But in general it is not only difficult for the adolescent, but also for the adults around him: the behavior and way of thinking of adolescents, the change of roles and a possible but habitual rebellion towards authority mean that there are frequently small conflicts.
Although it can be a complex stage for most people, it ends up passing without invalidating anyone’s daily life. However, some people feel genuine dread, at an irrational level, when exposed to contact with adolescents. This is what happens in ephebiphobia a condition we are going to talk about below.
It is called ephebiphobia or ephebophobia specific phobia of adolescents and young people This is a true although unusual phobia, which would be considered a specific type although it has a strong connection with social phobia. Although technically ephebiphobia should refer to adolescents, since its conception it has referred not only to that age but also to young people up to 35 years of age.
As a specific phobia, it involves the emergence of powerful panic in the face of a specific stimulus or situation, in this case adolescents.
Said fear appears in an irrational and exaggerated way in relation to the possible risk posed by the presence of what is feared, and the mere idea of ​​exposing oneself to it generates such a level of anxiety that an anxiety crisis can occur, appearing physical symptoms such as tachycardia, hyperventilation, tremors, hyperhidrosis and even the belief that one is dying, losing control of one’s body or even one’s sanity. Furthermore, this fear and anxiety are so strong that they lead the person to make active efforts to avoid as much as possible the stimulus they fear or situations or stimuli that may have been associated with it.
It is also worth mentioning that in addition to fear itself, at a social level sometimes The tendency to think badly about youth and adolescence is also called ephebiphobia or ephebophobia and their way of acting today, or of hating, despising, undervaluing and feeling rejection by youth without any cause, also in a way that is often irrational and biased by stereotypes and prejudices (in a similar way, for example, to what happens with homophobia or transphobia).
Thus, not only does it have an effect at the individual level for those who suffer from it, but it can also lead to the development of discriminatory and even belligerent attitudes towards people in this vital stage.
Symptoms
Ephebiphobia is without a doubt a type of phobia that greatly affects the person who suffers from it, and not only the person but can have implications at a social and community level
And someone who has a phobia or hatred of young people and adolescents will tend to avoid them and everything that is associated with them. Thus, crowds and situations where there is an influx of youth will tend to be avoided, such as areas with institutes, educational institutions or leisure venues such as nightclubs.
They can also reach avoid personal relationships not only with adolescents and young people but with people who associate with people of these ages , such as families with teenage children. To an extreme degree, and especially if the reaction is panic, it is possible to become isolated and have difficulty even going outside, although this is much less frequent.
As we have said, there is also a social impact, although in this aspect the reaction of hatred, contempt and depreciation towards this sector of the population is fundamentally relevant: the achievements, contributions and ideas proposed by young people can be ignored and discarded regardless of their merits, and may involve a reaction of rejection and Discrimination against young people at a social, professional and even academic level
They may be given fewer opportunities and left out of relevant decisions regardless of their ability. The fact that this discrimination is perceived by the young people themselves also means that they have less interest in participating at a social level, something that in the long run and with an increasingly aging population can even be dangerous for the community.
Possible causes of fear in adolescents
The causes of ephebiphobia are not completely known although it is considered that there is not a single cause but rather a cluster of factors that can influence its appearance.
To begin with, the phobia can appear due to conditioning: it is possible that the person with ephebiphobia has suffered some aversive experience carried out or associated with adolescence or youth. Thus, among the different causes we could find, for example, suffering from bullying during school. adolescence or suffering from some type of abuse by a minor or young person.
Another of the great possible causes of this phobia is found in the acquisition of vicarious or learned conditioning at a sociocultural level. Negative stereotypes of youth have often been internalized, both by the family environment and at the social level: young people are considered uncontrolled, not very responsible and far-sighted, violent and prone to risk and lack of respect and excess.
These prejudices become generalized and extend to all youth, causing aversive reactions to their presence. Furthermore, the media also participate in this fact, frequently and until relatively recently perpetuating stereotypes and the belief that young people are inexperienced beings, interested only in themselves or as something that should have an opportunity in the future but not now. (sometimes for commercial interest).
Likewise, behind ephebophilia fear and rejection of social change and generational change may be behind it to lose the position and role held until now in pursuit of the new generations.
Treatment of this phobia
Treating ephebiphobia is possible, as with the rest of phobias. For a start, Exposure therapy is one of the most effective in the treatment of this type of problem : the person must gradually expose themselves to contact with what they fear, so that little by little the anxiety decreases and they can move towards situations that generate a higher level of anxiety.
When it comes to stereotypes, exposure can also help reduce them: mere exposure to groups about which there are prejudices can often make us able to bond with them and learn that preconceptions do not apply in all cases. .
Relaxation techniques are also very useful to reduce anxiety and basic discomfort.
Another aspect that must be worked on, and in fact in great depth, is the cognitive aspect. Understanding what generates discomfort, fear or displeasure, why it generates it and what meaning it has for the subject can help to work on it, in such a way that it can contribute to modify beliefs and ways of approaching reality in such a way that they become more adaptive and realistic. Psychoeducation and participation in joint activities with the feared population may also be useful, as well as work with members of the environment who may be young people or adolescents and whose relationship with the subject may be deteriorated (for example, children or nephews). .
