Ways to get rid of the fear of balls in children

• Causes and symptoms of pilaphobia in young children
• Causes and symptoms of pilatophobia in adolescents
• Treatment with psychoanalysis
• Independent elimination of fear in one-year-old children
• Art therapy
• Conclusion

Fear of balls occurs in teenagers and young children. In psychology, its name is pilaphobia. The most common cause of this phobia is physical trauma. A simple hit with the ball to any part of the body is enough. Most often, blows to the head are remembered.

Pilaphobia - fear of balls

Psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioral therapy will help you get rid of fear. In the first case, the patient copes with his problem independently. Therapy is needed when the phobia is pronounced and cannot be self-medicated.

Causes and symptoms of pilaphobia in young children

Ball phobia is a consequence of childhood fear. Sloppy play on the playground, deliberate bad behavior of children, and inability to play with such an object are the main reasons. In children under 5 years of age, the musculoskeletal system is still poorly developed. They cannot control its work, so sudden movements like throwing a ball do not always work out successfully.

In children under 3 years of age, the main manifestations of fear are screaming and hysterics. The sight of any round object is enough to make a child afraid. Most often they are afraid of such balls: football, basketball, balloon, fitball.

Fitball is called a large ball for gymnastics with a baby. Fitball scares children with its size. Its average diameter is 65–90 centimeters. The kid tried to play with him, but it ended unsuccessfully. Or during the game the child hit the ball. Now he is afraid of repeating such an experience.

Such fear is not always associated with a round object. It is possible that the child hit or fell for another reason, but at that moment the ball was in sight. The baby remembered this and now he associates fear with this toy.

Causes of fear of blood in adults

It is believed that hemophobia is one of the common types of fear, although people rarely consult a doctor with this problem. The main causes are said to be psychological disorders. The previously existing genetic theory of this phobia was found untenable after studying identical twins. It has been determined that the key provocateurs are environmental factors, society, various traumatic situations, but not heredity.

Variants of the disorder may be as follows:

• fear of other people's blood;
• reactions to your own blood;
• fear of the blood of animals, fish, birds;
• the type of blood as such in any creature.

Often, hemophobia is based on the experience of childhood trauma, which is why the connection “blood - fear - panic” has become established. Photo: Globallookpress

One of the reasons is considered to be various injuries that can be dangerous to health and life, fear of repeating a similar episode, a firmly entrenched attitude of “blood - fear - panic”. Therefore, any variant of manipulation with blood can cause panic attacks. Problems from childhood are possible if the mother scolded for cuts or wounds.

By the way! Various media, films that show scenes of violence, bloody wars, and disasters can spur a phobia of blood.

Causes and symptoms of pilatophobia in adolescents

In children over 12 years of age, fear of balls arises from bad experiences in physical education classes or from playing in the yard. Most often, fear appears during football and basketball. In addition to throwing the ball, you need to think through a strategic move to get around your opponent. It is at such moments that a child can receive an unexpected blow.

A teenager is often frightened not even by the ball itself, but by the reaction of his peers to his fear. He is afraid of embarrassing himself again. The ball causes hysteria and panic. A panic attack gradually develops. The child does not admit his fear. When you see a ball, the following symptoms occur:

• sweating increases;
• pulse and breathing increase;
• health worsens;
• slight trembling and dizziness appear;
• the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is disrupted;
• muscle weakness appears;
• nausea, vomiting occurs;
• pressure decreases, etc.

Hysterics may even begin. A teenager may run away from the gym during physical education or refuse to continue playing on the court. If treatment is not started, the teenager will avoid such places and playing with the ball.

Bad experience causes fear of the ball in teenagers

How to get rid of the fear of blood for adults

Although many do not consider hemophobia a serious disorder and do not consult a doctor, it can seriously worsen a person’s life. Refusing to get medical help because you are afraid of bleeding can cause serious problems.

Diagnostics

Hemophobia can be determined by its manifestations by analyzing a person’s existing complaints and feelings at the sight of blood. It is important to additionally conduct a psychiatric examination and assess the general state of health in order to exclude more severe mental problems and neurological, as well as somatic diseases.

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Modern methods of treatment

This phobia is rarely severe and usually results in fainting, anxiety, and strong emotional reactions. Therefore, the psychotherapist strives to create in a person resistance to the sight of blood and tolerance to manipulation.

If you need to bring a hemophobe to his senses, for example, when drawing blood, it is useful to tilt his head towards his knees, increasing the pressure and improving his well-being.

There are special exercises that help overcome panic fear; a psychotherapist can suggest them.

Alexander MeshcheryakovPsychiatrist of the highest category

If hemophobia leads to severe fears, due to which the patient does not leave the house and refuses to use equipment, then professional help is needed.

Treatment with psychoanalysis

The psychotherapist asks the child to think about what exactly frightens him about the ball: its size, color scheme, functions, weight. It happens that the patient is afraid of receiving physical injury or spoiling his appearance (getting a bruise, abrasion) due to the impact of this object. Then you should think about the probability of the event that the child is afraid of.

The doctor helps the teenager develop his own safety precautions. You can cover yourself from the ball with a large object: a backpack, a bag. Hand protection helps. The main task is to prevent the occurrence of an alarming event.

After the technique has been developed, the patient should try out his technique. It is worth remembering that it will only help overcome the phobia of the ball in the gym or other enclosed space. Adjustments should be made along the way. After 2–3 months, the need for safety precautions will disappear.

The child will understand that there is no need to be afraid of the ball. You just have to learn how to play with it correctly. You need to practice your throwing and hitting skills. Then the child will be confident in himself and will be able to resist the object of fear.

The therapist will ask the child to analyze the ball that frightens him.

Anxiety in teenagers

In adolescence, ball phobia in most cases begins in physical training classes. At this age it is very important not to be humiliated and rejected. Some children try to show their superiority over weak peers. The ball comes to their aid. A teenager with poor physical fitness cannot resist the blow of a ball flying with a terrifying appearance of a “meteor” right in his face. The result is a broken nose, a concussion and a panicky fear of the ball for the rest of my life.

Independent elimination of fear in one-year-old children

The first correct decision is to remove the irritant from the child’s field of vision for some time (1–3 months). Show your child the ball in a neutral form: pictures, cartoons. Visit the playground with your baby. He will see that most children play with such a toy. He will remember their reaction - laughter, fun, joy. The baby will understand that playing with this object is not scary and will show interest in it.

Other ways to eliminate fear:

1. Throw a crumpled piece of paper at the ball. The child will see that there is no reaction from the object of fear and will stop being afraid.
2. Buy a small bright ball with a diameter of up to 15 cm. Start playing together with your baby. Throw the ball lightly to him. Later, find a copy of the soccer ball, only in a smaller size. Then you can connect a large fitball to the games. The main thing is to make the child laugh and entertain in the process. He will remember that such games are fun, funny, amusing and not painful.
3. Together with your child, paint the ball with funny faces. If the girl is afraid, draw flowers, fairies, animals on the ball. The main thing is that they evoke only pleasant emotions in the child.

If your baby is afraid of the fitball, you should remove the fitball for a while. Later, try jumping on it yourself, while being in the child’s field of vision.

During the process, you need to smile, show that the toy does not cause fear in your mother, but only joy and pleasure. Then take the baby in your arms and touch the surface of the fitball with his feet. You can roll him around and try to sit him on top.

Joint games with fitball will help. It is necessary for the mother and baby to sit down and lightly jump and swing on the fitball. At this moment it is important to amuse the child. It is necessary that there is free access to the toy. It happens that after such actions the baby becomes interested in the toy.

The child should be shown how other children play with the ball.

Symptoms of Pilaphobia

The presence of a phobia can be diagnosed by a number of symptoms that occur during a stressful situation with a ball:

• trembling in the body;
• trembling in hands;
• rapid pulse;
• holding your breath;
• glassy look;
• muscle stiffness;
• increased sweating;
• nausea;
• dizziness;
• hysterics.

Once a person is confronted with their fear, they may find it difficult to speak, they literally retreat into a corner and cannot do anything.

Such a problem must be dealt with, otherwise the injury will remain for life.

Fear manifests itself emotionally in children

Art therapy

The procedure includes:

• drawing;
• music;
• literature;
• needlework;
• singing;
• dancing.

It is important to choose something that brings pleasure to your baby and will help him calm down. To begin with, the doctor asks the child to draw a ball. It is important to pay attention to the color palette. It is necessary to analyze all the strokes, lines, and ornaments.

It happens that the picture, in addition to the subject of fear, depicts other objects, most often people. Based on this, the psychotherapist suggests that the fear is caused by the bad influence of the older child. Have the patient describe and display the dimensions of the object.

Another method is to act out a theatrical performance with your child. In the process, the baby will be able to accurately reflect his emotions, worries, and experiences when he sees the ball. Let him try to be the object of fear himself. This way the doctor will understand what exactly the patient is afraid of. Maybe it's not the ball, but another object.

The advantage of the technique is the absence of a negative impact on the small patient. The child will not understand that this is treatment. For him, art therapy is a way to have fun.

Dance and theater are an excellent method of art therapy

Concept and symptoms of aquaphobia

Aquaphobia is understood as a serious mental illness, the characteristic feature of which is a lack of self-control at the sight of water. Patients experience fear when swimming, absorbing liquid, or being near large artificial or natural bodies of water.

Signs of aquaphobia are divided into two groups: vegetative and psychological.

Mental disorders include:

• anxiety while drinking;
• strong reluctance to leave the room during rain;
• irritation when water molecules come into contact with the skin or hair;
• fear of plunging into a bath or pond;
• panic attacks when near deep bodies of water.

Physiological signs include:

• a sharp increase in pressure;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache;
• attacks of suffocation;
• increased sweating;
• convulsions.

Features of disease treatment

Current treatment methods are based on Pavlov's theory of behaviorism . According to the scientist, a phobia is a reflexive conditioning to fear from a specific irritating stimulus. Consequently, the only effective way is a well-organized gradual impact of the stimulus on the nervous system. This will provoke a reasonable extinction of the reflex conditioning.

The greatest effect is obtained from the gradual “bringing closer” of the patient to one of the objects of his fear. A combination with cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation is necessary. In scientific works, the technique is called systematic desensitization. Any “rapprochement” with the object of the phobia is possible only after a comprehensive psychological diagnosis of the patient. The elimination of disturbing thoughts about the subject of a phobia is facilitated by the “thought stopping” method, common in behavioral psychotherapy.

Proper treatment of the disease leads to inhibition of the symptoms of the disease or to a complete cure. It is necessary to receive supportive treatment and rehabilitation annually, as there is always a risk of relapse due to psychological trauma or shock.

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Reasons for developing a fear of water

Rain is a necessary phenomenon. It acts as a source of fresh water, required for the growth of crops. Moderate rainfall sometimes even evokes a feeling of freedom and romantic feelings. But precipitation is often accompanied by stormy conditions. Sudden darkness, the accumulation of huge clouds blocking sunlight, flashes of thunderstorms and lightning can cause harm to human life and property.

Heavy rains and landslides destroy buildings and can cause major power outages . Large amounts of precipitation can lead to the massive spread of bacteria and the development of viral diseases. Frequent cases of acid precipitation leading to severe burns are highlighted in the press.

People with an unstable psyche or during a difficult life situation may succumb to the influence of an anxious state. But in most cases, phobias arise in childhood, at the time of traumatic situations or unpleasant sensations caused by the subsequent object of the phobia.

A test based on the Zang Self-Rating Anxiety Scale is used to diagnose phobic disorder.

Interpretation of the term and main symptoms

According to Edward's Explanatory Dictionary in the 2009 edition, ombrophobia is a pathological condition manifested in the form of an obsessive fear of getting caught in the rain. The term "ombrophobia" comes from the fusion of the Greek words: rain and fear, disgust. Mental disorder manifests itself in both children and adults, regardless of gender. In some cases, the phobia is combined with similar fears: fear of lightning, thunder, flooding, fog or drowning.

Fear of rain is expressed in the following symptoms:

• crying and screaming in young children;
• constantly glancing at the sky in order to track the approach of clouds and possible precipitation;
• categorical refusals to leave the premises during rain;
• rapid heartbeat;
• constant monitoring of weather forecasts;
• convulsions;
• panic attacks and severe anxiety;
• inappropriate questions when viewing images of rain. For example, will we not drown (die)?

Less commonly, symptoms include incoherent reasoning, thoughts of death, and numbness in the extremities. Patients with ombrophobia are prone to depression and social isolation.