This condition is accompanied by significant nervousness, so serious that special measures have to be taken to avoid a trigger.
Psychologists use this word to describe a stressful state that causes severe psychological trauma or negative emotions.
Megalophobia, like other types of phobias, is associated with deep anxiety. Nevertheless, there are ways to cope with such a condition; it only takes time and certain moral efforts.
What is a phobia of large objects called?
Megalophobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which a person experiences fear of big things. A person with megalophobia experiences intense fear and anxiety when thinking about or near large objects: tall buildings, statues, animals, and vehicles. Megalophobes try to avoid situations or places where large objects may be located.
Fear or illness?
Is megalophobia a common fear or a painful condition? A phobia is something that causes intense irrational anxiety. In fact, many objects or situations that you may have a phobia about are unlikely to cause any real harm. Psychologically, a person suffering from a phobia experiences such strong anxiety that he may think differently.
Fear of certain situations or objects is normal .
For example, you may be afraid of heights, or perhaps a negative experience with a certain animal makes you nervous about meeting it. However, the key difference between a phobia and a rational fear is that the intense fear associated with a phobia interferes with your daily life.
Your fears may affect your daily routine, causing you to avoid certain situations. In more severe cases, a persistent desire to not leave the house appears .
Megalophobia can occur due to negative experiences with large objects. So, whenever you see them or even think about them, you may experience severe anxiety symptoms.
The difference between a phobia and fear is quite easy to establish - if a large object does not affect your safety, it is just nerves . Should you be afraid of, for example, a wall kitchen cabinet?
However, fear of large objects often arises because you may have witnessed inappropriate behavior from other family members. Then megalophobia may be hereditary, although it manifests itself differently than in your parents.
Regardless of what you are afraid of - large animals or tall sculptures - treatment for such manifestations of fear is possible.
Related concepts to fear of big things
Because there are many types of phobias, they can be difficult to diagnose . People with megalophobia typically fear several types of large objects.
There are other phobias that are characterized by a fear of something large, but then the size of the object is not the main cause for concern. For example, if you are very afraid of the ocean (large object), you have thalassophobia.
Treatment of the disease:
- Exposition. It is the main method of treating this phobia. The psychotherapist helps the patient get used to the object of fear and stop the emergence of negative emotions. During treatment, the patient looks at photographs depicting large objects and imagines meeting them. It should be firmly established in the mind of a megalophobe that statues are not capable of coming to life, massive moving objects do not purposefully pursue people, and multi-story buildings do not collapse without serious reasons.
- Computer modeling method. A person is immersed in a virtual world, where there are objects around him that frighten him. Together with the psychotherapist, the patient tries to get through this world without feeling discomfort.
- Drug treatment. It is used only if neuroses, sleep disorders, increased anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder have appeared.
- Hypnosis method. A psychotherapist helps change subconscious attitudes from negative to positive. There is a search for the cause of fear, and then the connection between the patient and the fear face to face. If you can’t remember the reasons, the specialist makes a suggestion.
- Group therapy. In such communities, the patient will see and understand that he is not alone and there are many like him.
- Trainings. New attitudes are being consolidated in the head.
Every person has many fears that you just need to accept and take advantage of them. But if you feel any problem, you need to immediately contact a specialist to improve your prognosis and quality of life.
If something resonated with you while reading the text and it seems to you that the situation and symptoms described in the article are similar to your case, and you would like to solve this problem, you can call me first at + 7 (926) 169-36 -63 to talk about your problem that you want to solve.
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Reasons for appearance and development
The main trigger for the appearance of megalophobia is the visual impact of large objects on the human psyche. Phobias may also be associated with concentrated anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or social anxiety.
People with phobias often go to extreme measures to avoid situations that involve the thing they fear. If a person with megalophobia cannot avoid being near large objects, their heart rate increases, shortness of breath and dizziness occur.
At the same time, the current level of development of therapeutic psychology does not yet allow us to reliably identify the source of megalophobia. Most often, such conditions are considered to be previous traumatic experiences. However, there are a number of different factors that can contribute to the development of megalophobia :
- Exaggerated ordinary fears concerning objects that, according to the megalophobe, can critically suppress or threaten his psyche.
- Fear of large objects - a huge sculpture of a person or animal that does not correspond to the typical size associated with such a living creature. For people with megalophobia, abnormal sizes cause a genuine feeling of fear, while other people can only be surprised at such sizes.
- The influence of the media, which publishes news or legends about objects of gigantic size. For example, since the early days of sailing ships, giant squids have always been part of mythological lore.
It was reported that such monsters were the main cause of death for sailors. Meanwhile, it is likely that, due to the lack of modern navigation systems, many of the ships of antiquity simply ran aground or crashed against rocks.
This also includes science fiction films that feature giant “killer” animals such as “Jaws” or “Anaconda.”
Causes of fear:
The main reason for the manifestation of fear is childhood fear provoked by a large object.
- Fantasy and the psyche of the child's body. A child can assign fantastic, often frightening, characteristics to objects that are huge for him. And since he does not know how to separate fiction and reality, he sees danger in all large objects;
- Childhood memories. The baby could have been left alone in a dark room and was afraid of a large object. Fear will pass, but the memory of it can haunt a person all his life;
- Negative experience. There have been traumatic situations with large objects in the past. An accident involving a huge truck, a plane crash, the destruction of a multi-story building and other events that occur before a person’s eyes can cause attacks of obsessive fear. If a loved one died during tragic events, then fear is almost inevitable;
- Impressionability. Having watched enough TV shows, news, films with tragic endings and disasters, in which huge objects are often the cause of various horrors, it leaves its mark on the psyche and forms fear;
- Hereditary predisposition. One of the relatives had such fear that it was passed on to the baby.
Who is predisposed?
Like other phobias, megalophobia can affect anyone at any age .
The described condition develops more often and more rapidly in children and is consolidated in the minds of adolescents and young people (in women - more often than in men). Researchers don't know the exact number of people who suffer from megalophobia, which is likely because many people with such fears and anxieties simply don't seek treatment.
Attention ! Specific phobias are a common mental illness that affects 7 to 10% of the population.
Symptoms
In addition to feelings of persistent fear, megalophobia can cause the following symptoms::
- Painful chills or trembling in the body.
- Increased heart rate.
- Mild chest pain.
- Sweating.
- Dizziness.
- Gastrointestinal disorder accompanied by nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
- Difficult or intermittent breathing.
- Cry.
- Susceptibility to panic states.
In all cases, a person susceptible to megalophobia strives in any way to quickly get out of an uncomfortable situation - leave or move away from the object, close his eyes, turn away, etc.
Dangers in various areas, including underwater
Severe fear and anxiety in people who are susceptible to megalophobia can cause:
- Tall buildings such as skyscrapers (especially when combined with narrow streets or sidewalks).
- Large statues and monuments.
- Large or extensive natural features: mountains, volcanoes, lakes and oceans.
- Large ships and other means of water transport, such as ferries.
- Large industrial facilities - pipes, cooling towers, large mining equipment.
- Large spaces enclosed by tall structures, such as a field inside a stadium.
- Large animals such as elephants or whales.
- Tall trees.
The characteristics of the influence of such objects are different for different people: for some, a single object can cause a feeling of panic, while for others, a group of nearby objects with approximately the same dimensions can cause a feeling of panic.
Separately, it should be noted the danger of megalophobia in divers . When diving into the depths of water, a different value of the refractive index of light gives a person the illusion of the increased size of the inhabitants of the deep sea, as well as their excessive proximity. The result is panic, an ultra-fast rise of the diver to the surface, accompanied by a sharp change in pressure. This causes the release of air bubbles that can instantly clog the diver's blood vessels.
So ordinary megalophobia can cause death or, at best, a serious illness.
Reference ! With a long course of the disease, a person may stop going outside. Having locked himself at home, a person will be left alone with an all-consuming fear, which will gradually drive him crazy.
Manifestation of megalophobia
The manifestation of an anxiety disorder can vary somewhat . In some cases, particularly strong negative emotions are caused by moving objects. To those with a developed imagination, inanimate mechanisms seem alive and capable of harm. The awareness that the object is controllable does not help cope with fear.
Also, magelophobes may think that a monument or statue will come to life and begin persecution. When approaching an object of fear, a person has a persistent desire to run away or hide. But at the same time, being at home, people feel an irresistible need to look at photographs depicting frightening objects.
This anxiety disorder is often accompanied by nightmares. It may seem to a megalophobe that a plane flying at low altitude will inevitably fall, and a train will inevitably derail.
Diagnostics
Megalophobia is diagnosed based on a person's medical history, experiences, and symptoms.
To establish the disease, the patient must experience persistent fear and anxiety of large objects for at least six months. During the diagnosis, the psychiatrist excludes any other physical or mental illnesses that may cause similar symptoms. The main diagnostic criteria are :
- A strong and unreasonable fear of an object or subject, moreover, constant and disproportionate to the usual level of anxiety.
- Anticipatory anxiety is when a person suffering from a phobia tends to obsess over or fear future situations or experiences that will be associated with a certain object or situation.
- Avoidance: Many people with megalophobia try to stay as far away from the feared object or situation as possible.
- Problems with daily activities, fear of limiting normal life, which leads to noticeable discomfort.
There is no effective test for megalophobia. Therefore, the attending physician must ask the patient questions about his life, symptoms and experiences related to fear of large objects. Typically, people suffering from megalophobia are fully aware of their worries and describe them adequately.
For example, in some cases you may be afraid of some large objects but not others. A mental health counselor can help you connect your anxiety symptoms to what you're afraid of, so you can work together to overcome them. For diagnostics, images of typical large objects - buildings, monuments, vehicles - are also used.
Self-help:
- Awareness of your problem is the first step towards elimination.
- Try to walk with someone past huge objects in the park or on excursions. First, walk past a large object without looking at it. Then try to linger near it. And then, having gradually learned to cope with your feelings, try to look at the object that is disturbing you.
- Repeat the approach training daily.
Is it possible to overcome it yourself and how to do it?
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of megalophobia, it is important to talk to your doctor about it. If the diagnosis has already been made, then in order to cope with the symptoms and feel better, it is recommended :
- Sleep well, exercise.
- Practice mindful activities such as mediation.
- Use relaxation techniques: deep breathing and yoga.
- Reach out to family and friends for support.
You can join a support group for people suffering from similar symptoms.
Talking about your mental health is considered uncomfortable. However, it is just as important as the physical one, so it may be helpful to ask your doctor the following questions :
- What treatment do you recommend?
- Should I see a therapist, psychologist, or other specialists?
- Do you have any recommendations to look into?
- How long will the treatment take?
It is useful to approach large objects from time to time, convincing yourself that they do not pose any danger.
Methods of treatment and prevention
Megalophobia is treated with psychotherapy: exposure therapy and/or cognitive behavioral therapy. Sometimes people are prescribed medications that temporarily relieve symptoms of fear and anxiety.
Exposure therapy
The essence of the method is to gradually encourage the patient to independently enter situations that cause him anxiety, and try to remain in this situation until he can cope with it on his own.
If you are participating in exposure therapy, a therapist or psychologist may begin the treatment session by talking about large objects.
The doctor then gradually moves on to showing images of such objects. Next, you may be asked to look at a large object and approach it.
The process of exposure therapy is slow and gradual, and the course of therapy is tailored to suit your needs.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
With this form of psychological treatment, the patient is asked questions, answering which is asked to look at the situation from the other side . As a result, a person learns to respond more adequately to a problem and cope with his stress and anxiety.
Important ! There are no specific medications for treatment, but in some cases, patients are prescribed medications to relieve symptoms of fear and anxiety when they undergo psychological therapy.
Forecast, prospects, consequences
A fairly small percentage of people suffering from the symptoms described seek treatment because they avoid approaching the object or situation, consider the problem insignificant, or feel a sense of shame. Lack of help and ignoring symptoms can not only prevent you from enjoying life (travel, visit public places), but also create problems at work, communicating with friends and family.
The main way to prevent the development and exacerbation of megalophobia is considered to be careful attention to your health and timely contact with a specialist to diagnose the pathology.
Tallest statues in the world
Megalophobia not only seriously complicates life, but also deprives a person of the opportunity to admire world-famous sights.
The sculptural structures of the eastern peoples are distinguished by their incredible size and grandeur. For example, in Myanmar, a 116-meter tall figure of a standing Buddha was erected. At the time of its opening (February 21, 2008), the statue was the tallest sculpture in the world.
No less impressive is the Chinese “Buddha of the Spring Temple”. The height of the religious figure is 128 meters. The Amitabha Buddha statue (Ushiku Daibuzu), located in Japan, is the tallest bronze statue in the world. The figure was erected in 1995, the height of the Buddha is 100 meters.
