Touch from strangers, intentional or accidental, can make many people feel uncomfortable. However, if the fear is too strong, even when touched by loved ones or friends, and if this causes excessive anxiety, then this may be a manifestation of haptophobia - fear of being touched.
Haptophobia is different from hypersensitivity to touch, which is called allodynia. A person suffering from allodynia also fears touch, but in such patients, touch causes physical pain, not fear.
Sometimes friendship is born from a look, a gesture, a touch that transcends differences and overcomes fears. It is enough to extend a hand to a person, and his face is forever imprinted in memory. Mark Levy. First night
Causes
The spread of the fear of hugs has been facilitated by the global migration of people from villages to cities. The townspeople lead an isolated lifestyle psychologically. Everyone around the city is strangers. Potentially dangerous. And people are increasingly becoming afraid of being touched.
Haptophobia can be caused by sexual violence. A person becomes asexual, hostility appears, personal space increases. And I don’t want to let others into it.
Often haptophobia is a consequence of another disorder:
- obsessive-compulsive disorder;
- anxiety disorder;
- mysophobia;
- diseases of a physiological nature: mental retardation, dementia, autism;
- catatonic manifestations of schizophrenia;
- Agaraphobia;
- paranoid mental disorder.
Haptophobia occurs in boys during adolescence. This is due to uncontrolled erection. It occurs when accidentally touching, shaking hands, or hugging. This could be an adult woman, a classmate, a sister. Physically this is natural and normal. But it brings a lot of worries. Because of this, teenagers try to avoid physical contact with others so as not to get into an awkward situation. The phobia may go away on its own or persist.
Tactilophobia is considered to be a synonym for haptophobia. It is worth noting that there is a slight difference between these concepts. Tactile phobes experience a fear of the touch of strangers.
The reasons for the occurrence of such a phobia
All the reasons why touch phobia develops are divided into two groups - internal and external. Fear often appears against the background of several factors, but one of them is always dominant .
The most common external causes of haptophobia :
- nervous tension;
- autism;
- hormonal imbalances with consequences in the form of decreased libido;
- chronic diseases of the nervous system;
- hereditary predisposition.
Among the internal reasons are character traits . People who are most prone to haptophobia are reserved, reserved people, introverts, who keep to themselves and who like to spend time alone. Such adults and children perceive any intrusion into their personal space extremely painfully and aggressively.
We recommend that you read: What causes the fear of harming yourself?
Also, the reasons for the development of haptophobia can be racist beliefs , and in women - hostility towards men against the backdrop of sexual violence.
How does it manifest itself?
Haptophobia is directly related to a person’s personal boundaries and violations of his personal space . A person who is afraid of being touched reacts very strongly when someone gets too close to them and accidentally touches them. If for ordinary people this can only cause discomfort, then for a haptophobe it can cause an attack of an unmotivated panic attack.
The main signs of fear of touch:
- severe dizziness;
- drop or increase in blood pressure;
- nausea, vomiting;
- trembling in the arms or legs;
- increased sweating;
- increased heart rate.
People suffering from haptophobia try to avoid traveling on public transport and visiting crowded places, and cover their body and arms with thick and closed clothing. In case of accidental tactile contact, the haptophobe shudders sharply, becomes frightened, can become aggressive, trembles and may develop an attack of suffocation.
Symptoms
Haptophobia manifests itself as anxiety during possible contact with others. A person, thinking that he will have to shake hands with strangers, experiences fear and tries to avoid contact at all costs.
Initially, a person who is afraid of touch reacts this way only to strangers. Touching loved ones does not cause a negative reaction. As the disease progresses, the person increasingly strives to isolate himself. He forbids anyone from entering his room and stops contacting others. The result is complete isolation. A person can no longer tolerate living together, even with loved ones. Breaks all social contacts.
Types of haptophobia
Depending on the severity, there are three forms of haptophobia, each of which has its own specific characteristics :
- Mild - hostility is quite tolerable, most often it arises exclusively in relation to strangers. It responds well to treatment.
- Medium – the unpleasant feeling extends to loved ones.
- Severe – advanced stage, at which any touch to another person causes panic fear.
A severe form of haptophobia makes social life impossible , in which case urgent psychotherapeutic help is required.
What problems can a phobia be confused with?
In some cases, haptophobia can be confused with other problems that have similar symptoms.
Among them we can highlight:
- schizophrenia;
- paranoia;
- agoraphobia;
- avoidance disorders;
- psychoses;
- asexuality.
But haptophobia can be confused not only with a variety of psychological problems , but also with the specific character of a person - for example, a narrow personal space.
How to recognize a haptophobe
For a person with a fear of touch, physical contact is like an electric shock. He subconsciously feels threatened. Therefore, if you extend your hand, the person will not return the handshake. He may turn around and leave if he sees someone coming to say hello.
Such people rarely go out and avoid public transport, cinemas, and shops. They try to keep their distance when talking to someone. Some people wear gloves to avoid touching their body.
A person suffering from haptophobia will immediately wash his hand and wipe it with a napkin if he has touched someone. This is not disgust - this is a mental disorder. He needs to clear the surface from the touch of a stranger. And such a person can be strangers to everyone except his own wife and children, or just everyone.
If there is a haptophobe among your friends, you should not be offended by his actions. The person has no intention of offending anyone, he has a mental disorder, he needs help. Isolation in the case of haptophobia only makes the problem worse. Therefore, he needs communication, support from family and friends.
A typical behavior for a person with a fear of being touched is to wear closed clothing. Even on hot summer days, preference is given to trousers, long skirts, and long-sleeve sweaters. This is a subconscious desire to protect yourself from possible touches. This makes the haptophobe feel more comfortable.
Is it possible to cope with fear on your own?
To get rid of the fear of touch on your own, you need to try to overcome it. This can be done in a variety of ways - taking acting classes, dancing classes or signing up for group sports.
It is advisable to visit crowded places more often - cafes, discos, shopping and entertainment centers, and travel to work by public transport. When an attack of panic is approaching, breathing techniques are used - such exercises help to relax.
In what cases is specialist help needed?
If the phobia is seriously advanced, it is extremely difficult to get rid of it on your own . In such cases, it is impossible to do without the help of a specialist. As haptophobia progresses, a person tries to isolate himself from society as much as possible, which makes professional activity and personal life impossible for him.
Diagnostics
If a person notices symptoms of haptophobia, he will have to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. It is impossible to diagnose yourself, just as it is impossible to get a haircut, cut out an appendix, or heal a tooth on your own. Entrust your health to a professional - a person who has studied psychology for many years. This could be a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, neurologist.
Fear of touch is diagnosed using special questionnaires and tests for various disorders. Remember: most often, haptophobia is not an independent illness. This is a “component” for another, more serious mental disorder.
One way or another, you shouldn’t be afraid of such symptoms. Psychology is actively developing, and all ailments are treatable.
Factors leading to the development of the disease
The development of the phobias described above often occurs in childhood, when some unpleasant event occurs to the child. Often the cause of fear of human touch is a child's encounter with pedophilia, rape or sexual abuse by an older family member.
Children begin to fear contact with strangers due to beatings in the family or being bitten by another child. Many parents, trying to protect their child from contact with a stranger on the street, begin to scare their children with the fact that the strangers around the child can infect him with some kind of disease, kidnap him or kill him. Children grow up in fear, which turns into unsociability as a person grows up.
A child may develop fear and reluctance to touch other members of society after observing alcoholics, drug addicts and other people who have sunk to the bottom.
Doctors name another reason for the development of the disease. A person may not like the touch of others due to hormonal disorders that occur with lesions of the thyroid gland, sudden changes in the level of testosterone and estrogen in the body. In such patients, a deviation in sexual behavior is recorded, which is called asexuality.
The disease can be limited only by the fear of touching persons of the opposite sex. Such patients are withdrawn and try to avoid almost any contact.
In women, this condition is often associated with a fear of sexual harassment and violence, which the fairer sex is subjected to more often than men.
Treatment
Psychotherapy uses several different treatment models, alternating them for greater effectiveness:
- group therapy;
- cognitive behavioral therapy;
- drug therapy;
- hypnosis;
- psychoanalysis.
Medicines are prescribed to eliminate the physiological manifestations of the disease. The doctor will prescribe them based on the general picture of the disease.
Never prescribe medications for yourself!
Other methods aim to change negative associations associated with touch. Your doctor will help you understand that touching is safe and pleasant. Tactile contacts are necessary for every person for normal psychological health.
Psychologists advise hugging 3 to 8 people a day. This will help you get rid of depression, relieve stress, and improve your mood. Having haptophobia in a person alters this process. A person first needs to get rid of false fears and distorted reflexes associated with touch. For a haptophobe, such a number of hugs per day will most likely cause a panic attack. At the same time, the internal, subconscious need for hugs still remains, but it is not possible to satisfy it.
What can you do yourself?
If you are unable to contact a psychotherapist, you can use the helpline. Psychologists answer calls. Every city has a psychological support service. They will listen and give advice.
How to get rid of haptophobia
A psychotherapeutic conversation is used for diagnosis. During the conversation, the psychologist collects anamnesis, studies the client’s childhood history, and looks for possible psychological trauma and causes of the phobia. During diagnosis, it is important to differentiate phobia from other disorders and fears. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor selects treatment.
Self-deliverance
To get rid of fear, you need to face it. Try taking a dance or acting class. It is necessary to visit crowded places more often, such as shopping centers or concerts. Pre-master self-regulation techniques, such as breathing exercises, and use them when fear occurs. You can tell your loved ones about your problem and ask for help in dealing with the phobia.
Psychotherapy
Fear of touch is a violation of social interaction. For treatment, psychotherapy, group classes and medication are used (if the phobia has a complicated course or has developed against the background of another disorder, as well as against the background of hormonal imbalance). In addition, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, hypnosis, and psychoanalysis can be used.
In individual or group sessions, patients talk about their fears and emotions, their vision of the causes and course of the phobia. The psychologist asks leading questions and, if necessary, conducts additional testing. Gradually the patient is brought closer to frightening situations.
