Hamartophobia (fear Of Sinning): Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
In this article we will talk about a phobia that is very little known in the clinic, and not very prevalent, although very curious: hamartophobia It is the phobia of sinning or making mistakes considered “unforgivable” for the person.
Let’s see how it manifests itself, the causes that can cause it and some therapeutic options for its treatment.
Hamartophobia is a fairly unknown type of phobia: the phobia of sin It is a specific phobia, since the object or situation that produces the phobia can be determined (in this case, the action of sinning or making “unforgivable” mistakes).
Thus, as such, it is defined as a persistent, abnormal and unjustified fear to commit sins.
Hamartophobia as a specific phobia could be included in the group of phobias of “other” stimuli, within the DSM classification.
People who suffer from hamartophobia fear making unforgivable mistakes or sinning. The fear of sin often arises from the fact that the so-called “divine laws” are written in human language, and are therefore subject to a constant need for interpretation.
This leads us to think about hermeneutics, the art or theory of interpreting texts, especially sacred writings and philosophical and artistic texts. This tradition as a whole is supported by the lack of concrete and objective evidence that God or the gods actually have a plan for human beings, or of that the divinities have thought about the world from moral and just reasons
According to the early teachings of Christianity, there are seven deadly sins considered “vices” and transmitted to educate their followers about them. Christian morality Thus, hamartogobia could perfectly include the fear of committing one or more of these seven sins.
Let’s see what they are and what they consist of:
1. Lust
It is the excessive presence of sexual thoughts, as well as possessive thoughts related to other people, whether they are close or not.
2. Gluttony
These are destructive behaviors based on abuse, craving and gluttony. it implies consume excessive food or drink and can include selfishness that affects interpersonal relationships.
3. Greed
This is the height of selfishness; consists of the desire to obtaining wealth, generally material, in order to keep it without sharing anything with the rest. Greed can also involve spending all wealth at any time without considering anyone.
4. Laziness
This sin reflects a person’s inability to accomplish or accept something. It is based on a lack of maturity, and usually harms other people.
5. Anger
It is related to anger and hatred towards other people; is about an aggressive and dangerous feeling, which can cause irreversible damage such as homicide or murder. It also includes discrimination and sexual abuse.
6. Envy
Envy involves feeling the continuous desire to possess that which another has in his possession Sometimes this envy, if it intensifies, can end up leading to an obsessive disorder.
7. Pride
The seventh deadly sin is based on that uncontrollable desire to always try to be or appear better than others It implies believing oneself superior on a physical and/or intellectual level, overvaluing oneself in an “excessive” or dysfunctional way.
The symptoms of hamartophobia correspond to the symptoms of a specific phobia (defined in the DSM-5), that is, it is a phobia of a specific stimulus or situation (in this case, the fear of sinning). These symptoms are the following:
Causes
The causes of hamartophobia can be diverse. This may appear as a consequence of a rigid religious or moral education or by feelings of guilt associated with “impure” acts according to the type of religion, such as sexual relations outside of marriage, lying, feeling envy, laziness, pride, anger, etc.
On the other hand, hamartophobia can also arise from classical or operant conditioning (by associating the behavior of sinning with aversive consequences, such as social rejection), or from the appearance of traumatic experiences (direct conditioning).
Other possible causes of hamartophobia are observation (vicarious conditioning) (for example seeing someone sinning with very negative consequences, or feeling tremendously guilty, etc.). Also can originate from information conditioning processes (hearing cases of serious “sins” in other people, for example).
Treatment
The psychological treatment of hamartophobia should focus on treating a specific phobia; as therapeutic options we find the live exhibition (in this case, to situations that can lead to “sin”, for example to lie, hit, steal, etc.). It involves exposing the patient to the situation without engaging in avoidance behaviors. It can be accompanied by relaxation or cognitive-behavioral techniques (for example self-instructions).
On the other hand, the exhibition can also be applied in imagination or through virtual reality.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be used through cognitive restructuring, with the aim of eliminating the cognitive distortions associated with the phobia, as well as dysfunctional beliefs and the meaning attributed to the fact of sinning; That is, review with the patient “what sinning implies (for him)”, “what is considered a sin and what is not”, etc.
Once cognitive distortions are identified, exercises can be used to replace these beliefs with more realistic alternative thoughts.
At a pharmacological level, anxiolytics can be used (to reduce anxiety) and/or antidepressants to treat the symptoms associated with hamartophobia (depression, discomfort, somatic symptoms, etc.), although always in consultation and under the instructions of a specialist (in this case, a psychiatrist or specialized doctor ).
