Homiclofobia (fear of fog): symptoms, causes and treatment
Homiclofobia, or nebulafobia, is the persistent and intense fear of fog . It is a type of specific phobia that may be related to media transmission in situations of danger, where fog occurs recurrently. It can also be caused by previous and unpleasant experiences related to this phenomenon of nature.
Next we will see what homiclofobia is, what are some of its main characteristics as well as its possible causes and treatment.
- Maybe you're interested: "Types of phobias: exploring the disorders of fear"
Homiclofobia: persistent fear of fog
Homiclofobia, also known as nebulafobia, is the persistent and intense fear of fog. Being a fear caused by exposure to a stimulus of nature, homiclofobia can be considered a phobia of a specific type to the natural environment .
As with other phobias of a specific type, homiclofobia is characterized by a certain fear and easily distinguishable from others. In this sense, unlike a social phobia, the specific phobia does not usually extend to many stimuli beyond the main trigger, in this case the fog.
However, B (2005) tells us that the development of a phobia specific to a given stimulus increases the chances of developing another phobia to a very similar stimulus. Likewise, increases the likelihood of having fears of varied stimuli , although they are not necessarily phobic.
Finally, homiclofobia can be part of a larger clinical picture, for example, of a social phobia or a picture of generalized anxiety. That is, it can manifest itself as one of the elements that surround a wide spectrum of experiences of stress to different stimuli, an issue that is important to take into account for its definition.
Before explaining some of its possible causes, we begin by briefly describing the natural phenomenon of fog.
What is the fog?
Broadly speaking, the fog is the result of snow that forms at low altitude, close to ground level. In the same way, the fog can be generated as a result of steam emanating from the ground , by an accumulation of water at a higher temperature than that of the surrounding air.
Thus, fog is not in itself a potentially harmful or risky element for any organism. However, depending on what circumstances are experienced, the fog can be a stimulus that triggers alarm or even excessive fear.
symptom
As with all phobias, this fear is experienced in a persistent and irrational way , meaning that it is not explained by the cultural codes of the environment in which one lives.
The exaggerated experience of fear translates into a momentary picture of anxiety, with its corresponding physiological response: dizziness, hyperventilation, cardiac agitation, excessive sweating, among others. In a case of more acute anxiety experience, homiclofobia can also cause a panic attack.
- Maybe you're interested: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"
Possible causes
As with other types of specific phobias, homiclofobia is a phenomenon with multiple causes. In the specific case of persistent fear of fog, one of the triggers may be prolonged exposure to media or movies where situations of risk occur frequently in darkness, and likewise in fog. This can generate some imaginaries that finally favor the association between fog and imminent danger.
On the other hand, phobias can be provoked or intensified by real (unimagined) exposure, previous or present, to dangerous situations where the stimulus is involved.
For example, fog is a natural phenomenon that occurs in many places of frequent transit. In good part of the roads that connect the big cities , the fog is one of the most present elements.
Depending on the time of year, the height and the specific area where it is produced, the density of the fog may be higher or lower, and It can significantly affect the driver's vision. For the same, and despite being harmless by itself, the fog one of the natural phenomena most related to traffic accidents. A previous experience of this type may be related to the development of this phobia.
Treatment
The general treatment of phobias can resort to different strategies. One of them is to favor the creation of new associations on the stimulus that is perceived as harmful. Another is approach progressively to this, by means of brief approaches that increase with the passage of time . It is also possible to reinforce the emotional coping schemes to situations that generate stress.
In the specific case of homiclofobia, it is important to delimit if it comes from a real or imaginary experience of imminent danger related to fog. In case it is an experience that has actually occurred, another strategy is to avoid exposing oneself to fog in solitude, either by car or on foot, as well as looking for some alternatives to that exposure.
On the contrary, if it is an imaginary danger, it is important to explore other elements that are related to situations where there is fog and to find out if it is a more complex or extensive fear.
Bibliographic references:
- Fear of Stuff (2016). Fear of Fog Flex Mag. Recovered September 4, 2018. Available at //www.fearofstuff.com/nature/fear-of-fog/
- Homichlophobia (2007). Common-Phobias.com. Retrieved August 4, 2018. Available at //common-phobias.com/Homichlo/phobia.htm
- Bados, A. (2005). Specific phobias Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona. Retrieved September 4, 2018. Available at //diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/360/1/113.pdf.
