In the Urals, a pack of dogs killed a seven-year-old girl on a playground; last week, shepherd dogs attacked a pensioner; the woman died on the spot. AiF.ru learned from dog training instructor and competition judge Sergei Saltykov, is it possible to escape from animals, what absolutely cannot be done in their presence, and whether these animals have weak points.
Article on the topic One bite. How to protect yourself from animal aggression and what to do if you are injured
What is the name of the phobia?
Cynophobia means a pathological fear of dogs, which is a mental disorder. The name itself consists of two ancient Greek words: κυν - dog and φόβος - fear. Oddly enough, at first glance, this disorder is not considered a type of zoophobia. This is connected precisely with what we talked about at the beginning - a dog is not just an animal, it is a domesticated animal, a family member for many and simply, to some extent, an object of social interaction. Therefore, cynophobia refers to social phobias, which in ICD-10 are listed under code F40.1.
Often, a kinophobe demonstrates social dysfunction, and even antisocial behavior.
Among other things, the disorder cannot be attributed to zoophobia due to the fact that specific phobias (such as zoophobia) exclude the fear of getting sick, which is characteristic of neuroses, and involve a reaction only to the object of fear. And some people’s fear of dogs is based precisely on the fear of contracting rabies. This variety is called rabiephobia. There is also the term adaktophobia, which means precisely the fear of being bitten.
Be careful with older dogs
Unfortunately, there are many more adult dogs in the world than puppies, and they are mostly terrifying to humans. If you manage to make friends with a puppy, you can try approaching an adult dog.
First, look for someone you know who owns a small, well-mannered dog. Meet and try to get as close to the animal as possible.
You should not rush, if not today, then next time you will be able to approach the dog, and maybe even pet it or feed it delicacies. And this will be your next victory over your phobia.
Additional diagnostic information
A phobia of dogs can only be a symptom of another mental disorder. In this case, it is important to carefully take an anamnesis, because fear of dogs manifests itself in schizophrenia, depression, neurosis, and hypochondria. And besides, experts distinguish between true cinemaphobia and pseudo-kinophobia. Behind the second there are often hidden sadistic inclinations, which a person displays under the guise of “fear of dogs.”
In addition, the causes of pseudocynophobia may be an inferiority complex. It would seem, what does this have to do with it? However, research by specialists confirms that people on an unconscious level feel inferior due to their inability to show the moral qualities characteristic of dogs, such as devotion, fidelity, selfless love, courage, are at risk.
People can become dog hunters precisely for these reasons, while on a conscious level, experiencing fear of stray dogs. People with pseudocynophobia often come into conflict with animal owners and behave extremely aggressively.
In order to clearly separate psychopathic individuals, patients with schizophrenia or another disorder from kinophobes, it is worth knowing what specifically characterizes the disorder.
- Dogs should be the patient's only fear. If he is characterized by anxiety attacks not only in situations related to dogs, then cynophobia is not diagnosed.
- Physical and mental symptoms of panic fear are primary. If these are only the consequences of OCD or schizophrenic delusions, then we are not talking about any kind of cinemaphobia.
- The patient demonstrates avoidance behavior. Aggressive behavior towards the object of fear indicates pseudophobia.
Treatment
Complex treatment may be required for advanced forms, accompanied by frequent and intense attacks of fear. Then drug therapy, carried out in conjunction with psychotherapy, will be required.
This is interesting
- Statistical data. Cynophobia is a fairly common disorder - WHO data says that 1.5-3.5% of the population has this phobia. It manifests itself mainly in people under 30 years of age. And only 10% of those who apply require treatment.
- Pseudophobia. It can be observed in sadists, who in this way can try to justify their inherent knacker inclinations. Islamic prejudice against dogs should also not be classified as cynophobia;
- Disorders in the dogs themselves. Yes, they are inherent in them too. Thus, these include noise phobias, separation syndrome and neurosis.
Although cynophobia is a fairly common disease, the help of specialists in its treatment is not required very often. The main thing is to understand when panic is irrational, and when it is better to really avoid meeting an animal.
Causes of fear
Quite often, the reasons for the formation of phobias are some kind of personal negative experience. In the case of cynophobia, this can also occur, however, it is not considered the main reason. Based on research, the majority of kinophobes have never been subjected to aggression from dogs , and a sufficient number of those who have been bitten by dogs subsequently, if they show wariness towards dogs, then only objectively aggressive and large ones. What mainly influences the occurrence of a phobia? These are genetic, personal and social factors.
In previous articles we have already mentioned that anxiety-phobic disorders are quite often genetically determined. Cinemaphobia will be no exception. And the combination of hereditary predisposition with the appropriate upbringing of parents gives a logical result. This is especially true for the overprotective behavior of a mother who is herself afraid of dogs.
First of all, following behavior is activated, and the child simply copies what the mother does. And secondly, if a child does not feel fear of a yard dog and fearlessly interacts with him, the parent’s intimidation can form a phobia: “Don’t pet him, he’s flea-infested!” If it bites, you will need 40 injections in the stomach for rabies!”
These completely exaggerated precautionary methods are stored in the child’s memory and at a certain moment can “shoot” into a phobia. A provoking factor can be a difficult period in life, chronic stress, hormonal imbalance, taking any medications and much more.
Symptoms of fear
A person tries with all his might to avoid situations in which he experiences stress. Therefore, with cynophobia, people tend to cross to the other side of the road if they see an “obstacle” ahead in the form of a street dog, or a dog walking with its owner, but without a leash. The more pronounced the phobia, the more irrational the situation of manifestation.
Some are afraid of small and friendly breeds, others are afraid even of puppies, in extreme cases the patient is terrified by just barking or the image of a dog in a picture or video.
Autonomic symptoms in a stressful situation for a kinophobe are standard:
- tachycardia;
- trembling in the body;
- pallor;
- pressure changes;
- active sweating;
- urge to urinate;
- chest pain;
- dry mouth;
- breathing problems.
In advanced cases of phobia, panic attacks are possible. Sometimes symptoms can appear not only when standing in front of a dog, or in “dangerous” proximity, but also when thinking about a possible meeting or attack by an animal.
Distinctive features of a kinophobe
Fear of people and society - what is this phobia called and what is it
A person can be called a film-phobe if certain manifestations become a distinctive character trait. You can distinguish him from other people by his inherent wariness, nervousness, panic, and inappropriate behavior. Moreover, the reaction not only to a dog, but also to any danger is as follows: attacks of suffocation, heart rhythm disturbances, pallor, trembling of body parts. Patients complain of headache, vomiting, loss of consciousness. Severe cases of the disorder require specialist help.
Kinophobe can be easily identified by behavioral and emotional reactions
Important! Such manifestations in children require special attention. At the first signs of inappropriate behavior, not only when meeting real animals, but also paraphernalia associated with them, action must be taken. You can’t scold someone for cowardice; you shouldn’t have a pet in the house if you notice symptoms of cynophobia in your child.
How to get rid of the fear of dogs
Cynophobia usually manifests itself in childhood and adolescence and can drag on for many years. As we have already said, dog phobia is a mental disorder, so it must be treated without triggering or provoking negative consequences.
Cure has a high probability, however, in severe cases it can take up to one year. Psychotherapy is used to combat dog fear.
The best results in eliminating the symptoms of phobias are most often demonstrated by cognitive-behavioral methods; they are aimed at changing the “wrong” thoughts in the patient’s head and reinforcing the desired behavior. However, other psychotherapeutic techniques are also used, such as hypnosis, for example.
To get rid of severe forms of phobia, pharmacotherapy is used in combination with psychological help. Various types of antidepressants (monoamine oxidase or serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and benzodiazepine tranquilizers may be prescribed. Treatment is carried out only under the supervision of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist, because such medications have side effects.
If we talk about the initial stages of a phobia, then you can overcome fear on your own. In this age of anxiety, managing stress is becoming more and more difficult. Up to 3% of the population suffers from cynophobia, but only 10% of them need medical help. Others will be able to get rid of fear by reviewing their lifestyle and consulting with a psychologist.
Many people become so immersed in an uncomfortable state that they stop even noticing it and only realize it when their body malfunctions. This can be expressed in neuroses, psychosomatics, and phobias.
In order to avoid this, watch your diet, sleep, work and rest. Spend more time outdoors, communicate with people, engage in physical activity and don’t forget to please yourself. Constant mental stress negatively affects all areas of life.
A child has a fear of dogs, what to do?
In childhood, a child tends to be afraid of a lot of things, which does not cause fear at all in an adult. This also applies to dogs, however, one should not discount the fact that even the friendliest dog can scare a small child with its size, barking, and activity.
Many children's phobias go away within a month, but if you see that the problem has dragged on and the baby is experiencing severe fear where it is completely unjustified, you should pay attention to this.
Firstly, no child’s fear should be discounted. There is no need to provoke the child, force him to pet the dog and convince him that there is nothing wrong. On the part of the children, this is perceived as a betrayal: “I’m already scared, but instead of supporting me, mom or dad shame me.”
Secondly, if the parents themselves cannot cope with the baby’s problem, you can turn to a child psychologist for help. A specialist can overcome a child’s fears with the help of fairy tale therapy or art therapy.
Thirdly, you can offer your child to get a puppy; of course, this is worth doing if he is afraid of dogs, but does not panic at the sight of them. If this idea is accepted normally, then we can assume that the problem is solved. The puppy will grow up in front of your child, along with him, and even if he grows up to be a huge St. Bernard or a diver, he will no longer cause any fear.
The following video talks about the fear of dogs, the reasons for its occurrence, and methods and techniques for treating phobia in adults and children.
Getting rid of cynophobia
Fear of dogs is a serious phobia, and if it is not treated promptly, it will accompany you throughout your life. There are several ways to get rid of this panic fear, both independently and with the help of a specialist.
How to get rid of cynophobia yourself
At the initial stage, fear of dogs can be overcome without the help of psychologists. To do this, you need to recognize the presence of a phobia and want to get rid of it.
During treatment, you need to think about diet, normalizing sleep patterns, as well as psychological exercises. In the presence of a phobia, the nervous system suffers, which leads to sleep disturbances. Therefore, it is necessary to begin restoring the nervous system, and the following rules will help with this:
- Carbohydrate diet. It is necessary to add foods that contain carbohydrates to your diet, but avoid junk food. Carbohydrates have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
- Normalize sleep. You need to train yourself to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
- Avoiding stress. Stress awaits us everywhere, especially at work, so don’t overwork yourself.
- Finding your favorite activity. It is recommended to find a hobby and devote time to it every day.
Psychological techniques
The easiest way to overcome the fear of a dog is to imagine yourself as its owner or actually become one.
You can start treating cynophobia by viewing pictures. Put a photo in front of you and look at it every day.
When the images stop causing panic, you can move on to communicating with real dogs.
How to behave when you see an aggressive dog
A person suffering from a phobia cannot completely isolate himself from these animals, because they are found everywhere. He must be ready to face his fear. If you find an aggressive dog in front of you, you must follow these recommendations:
- Sight. You should never look a dog in the eyes, because for him this will be a signal to attack.
- Calm movement. You should not wave your arms or make other sudden movements; you need to behave calmly to show your friendly attitude.
- Facial expressions. A wide smile can also be seen as a signal to attack, similar to showing fangs.
- Switching attention. A good way to protect yourself from an attack without harming the animal is to distract it (throw something that can be chewed).
- Meeting with a pack of dogs. Packs of dogs often roam around the city and are difficult to avoid, so it is worth remembering the main rule of behavior in such a situation: under no circumstances should you run.
- Extreme measures. If the dog is very aggressive and is already determined to attack you, then you should try to neutralize it, to do this you need to hit it on the nose.
An encounter with a dog cannot be avoided, so you should prepare for it
Help from a psychotherapist
If the phobia progresses, then it makes sense to contact a specialist who will offer treatment. Psychotherapists can help overcome cynophobia using the following methods:
- Working with an image of an object of fear. Psychiatrists invite the patient to look at photographs and voice the sensations they experience.
- “Transformation” technique. Experts suggest that when meeting a dog, imagine yourself as some object that will not arouse its interest, so it will not attack it.
- Bringing positive examples. Psychologists influence the positive perception of the object of fear by giving examples of friendly actions of dogs (the film “Hachiko”, where the dog acts as a faithful friend).
- Contact with the puppy. Experts recommend getting a puppy.
A puppy is a harmless creature that will help overcome the fear of an adult dog
Drug treatment
Before you start taking medications, you need to diagnose the presence of cynophobia. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants to relieve panic attacks. Beta blockers are prescribed for a short period because these drugs are addictive. They help relieve anxiety at the sight of a dog. To prescribe medications, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination.
Getting rid of cynophobia on your own can be successful only at the initial stage, but if the phobia progresses, then you need to seek the help of a specialist. A psychologist can find out the cause of dog fear and help get rid of it.
Can a dog sense human fear?
And finally, let’s talk about an interesting question that worries many film-phobes. Relatively recent experiments by dog handlers have debunked old myths that adrenaline released at the moment of fright contributes to a dog attack. It is not true. Of course, the dog has an impeccable sense of smell and cannot help but feel, however, this does not trigger the mechanism of aggression.
Nevertheless, everyone is familiar with how a dog can react to a person’s fright. As a result of the experiment, it turned out that aggression in an animal is activated only based on the external manifestations of a person - facial expressions, gestures, movements, actions.
Thus, we can say that if you yourself do not give away your fear by your behavior, the hormone released in sweat will not give you away in any way.
How a dog understands that it is afraid, and the research conducted on this issue, is described in this video.
conclusions
Cinemaphobia is a fairly common problem, and psychotherapists successfully work with it. The fear of dogs is pathological, because despite the fact that this is an animal, it is a predator and “we don’t know what’s in their head” - this phobia belongs to the category of social ones.
The dog is a participant in the social life of people, appears as the hero of countless classic books, participates in military operations, serves in the police and helps in rehabilitation. This is an intelligent, social animal. What's in a dog's head? There is hardly anything more terrible than what a person is capable of, and it is by no means easier to get into his head.
