Are you afraid of physical contact? Do you not want others to touch you and do you suffer every time it happens? Perhaps you suffer from haphephobia, the phobia of being touched or having physical contact. Find out.
Everyone can feel uncomfortable when a stranger touches them without their consent. But, haphephobia It involves a fear of physical contact from family, friends or anyone around you. This condition can affect many aspects, especially in the social sphere.
Hafephobia involves fear of touch or fear of physical contact Although this phobia is rare, this is a very devastating fear because of everything it implies on a social level. In many cases this phobia of being touched occurs in front of all people, but it can also be only in relation to individuals of another gender.
This fear of physical contact It is not usually related to other conditions that are associated with anxiety, such as social phobias or fear of intimacy. Although people with haphephobia can develop very close ties to others, this condition can be very distressing to those who suffer from it since they are unable to show physical affection.
Symptoms of haphephobia
The symptoms of haphephobia They may vary from one case to another. Some people with this fear are able, over time, to overcome their reactions to this fear of physical contact with those they love most. Mainly, the symptoms of haphephobia are usually the following.
Fear of physical contact: The main symptom experienced by person with hafephobia It is the immediate fear or anxiety when you are touched, or at the thought that someone may touch you.
Panic attacks: People with hafephobia They may experience panic attacks when they experience this phobia of physical contact. When this happens, fear causes the sufferer to feel their heart rate increase, as well as sweating, hot flashes, tingling, and chills.
Avoid situations: To avoid suffering from haphephobia, people who suffer from it may avoid situations where there is a risk that someone could touch them. For this reason, this fear can sometimes be confused with phobia of people or a fear of relating to others.
Know what an irrational fear is: People who suffer from hafephobia They are usually aware that they have a disease. In this way, individuals who suffer from this phobia of being touched usually feel afraid that this will be discovered by others, since it is a rare condition.
Anxiety and depression: Due to everything that this entails phobia of physical contact, people often end up developing other mental pathologies such as anxiety or depression. The reason for this is that they avoid many social situations as well as other opportunities due to this fear. All of this makes them experience many barriers to having a full life.
The need for physical contact is an innate human condition, for this reason, hafephobia or the inability to enjoy the caresses of others can be a very difficult pathology for the person who suffers from it. If you think you are facing a case of haphephobia, it is important to consult with a professional psychologist.
Causes of fear of physical contact or hafephobia
Currently, the exact causes behind of haphephobia, but there are some factors that can influence this fear to develop. In the same way as with other phobias, there are some conditions that can explain this irrational fear.
Family background: Fears can be learned through observation of parents, in this way, if someone in the family has a fear of people or a phobia of contact this can increase the chances of children developing this condition.
Traumatic experiences: Traumas such as having suffered sexual assault or a negative experience with something related to touch can influence its development. haphephobia
Have other effects: In some cases haphephobia It can develop due to other fears that may be related. Among the most common, there are the following.
Fear of germs (mysophobia): a person may avoid being touched for fear of contagion or dirt.
Fear of crowds (oclophobia): A person with ochlophobia may feel anxious about being in an environment with a crowd.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): A person with OCD may fear certain situations outside of their control, such as being touched by other people.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Fear of physical contact may originate around a previous traumatic experience that involved being touched, such as witnessing or experiencing sexual assault or abuse.
The moment you suspect that you may suffer from haphephobia, it is important to try to seek treatment with a psychology professional to be able to face this fear. In addition to this, you can follow the following tips.
Take care of your mind and body: A good way to deal with any mental illness and its symptoms is to try to maintain constant care both physically and psychologically. This means exercising, eating healthy, and starting to take more relevance to our interior. These changes can be very helpful and will reduce the symptoms of this fear.
Avoid reinforcing this fear: Avoiding facing this phobia makes this fear reinforced and this worsens haphephobia. Therefore, it is important to try to expose yourself to fear in a planned way in order to gradually overcome this fear. fear of physical contact
count it: Having a support network in these cases can be relieving for the person who suffers from haphephobia In this way, you will be able to face this fear with the help of your closest people, something that can help you overcome it in many situations.
Human contact is what unites us most. For this reason, someone who suffers from this phobia of physical contact There are many risks of feeling isolated from others. No one can live avoiding caresses, hugs and kisses to their most loved ones.
