Dementophobia
Dementophobia is the specific and irrational fear of becoming insane[1] to the point where the person can no longer enjoy a normal life.[2] Agateophobia has an identical meaning.[3] The word is derived from the Greek words Dementos (insanity) and Phobos (fear).[4] Individuals with Dementophobia experience extreme anxiety when they think about the possibility of going insane. Dementophobia can be extremely debilitating, as the fear of becoming insane prevents the person from leaving their house or keeping their job. Symptoms of Dementophobia include being socially withdrawn and suffering with severe depression.[4]
Causes
A family history of the disease, childhood trauma and periods of severe stress are risk factors for developing the disorder. It is believed that the negative portrayal of mental health disorders in the mass media may have a role in development of the disorder.[4]
Symptoms
As with any phobia, Dementophobia can produce a variety of mental and physical symptoms, which vary from person to person. Common symptoms include severe depression and social withdrawal. Sufferers encounter panic attacks when thinking about the possibility of going insane, showing symptoms including severe anxiety, headaches, feeling faint, dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, heart palpitations and breathlessness.[4][2] They may also fear being institutionalised or ridiculed by others and may experience psychosis, losing touch with reality.
The dementophobic may fear that having a panic attack in public may be a sign of insanity or that everyone will judge them to be insane. This reinforces the phobia and makes everyday tasks impossible to carry out.[2]
References
- ↑ Burduck, Michael (1992). Grim Phantasms: Fear in Poe's Short Fiction. p. 39.
- 1 2 3 "Understanding Dementophobia". Health Guide Info. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
- ↑ Robertson, John (2003). An Excess of Phobias and Manias. p. 15.
- 1 2 3 4 "Fear of Insanity Phobia – Dementophobia". www.fearof.net. Retrieved 2016-02-12.