Selaphobia (A guide)

This article will give a brief idea of Selaphobia. Then it will focus on the symptoms and causes of Selaphobia.

Then it will highlight Selaphobia treatments both psychotherapies and medications.

SELAPHOBIA:

Selaphobia refers to the fear of light flashes.

This fear creates anxiety and even panic attacks with a mere thought of a camera or light flashes.

People suffering from this find difficulty in being in front of the camera. This leads to unwanted physical symptoms.

They try hard to avoid social gatherings and parties where there are possibilities of having a camera on them or they have to face light flashes.

Although they try all these methods and they think that they are controlling their anxiety but that’s not the case.

It is affecting more than it’s supposed to heal.

They make themselves disappear from the social occasion so that they would remain safe, but in fact, they invite stress, loneliness, and depression as well.

SYMPTOMS OF SELAPHOBIA:

The main symptom of Selaphobia which can be derived from the word, phobia itself is intense anxiety and it depends on several factors like genetics, environmental factors and the severity of the condition.

Lack of self-esteem and lack of self-confidence have also been seen in these patients, some Selaphobia patients isolate themselves from people because they think that is the main cause and this way they can heal themselves.

They even worry to go out in the night in order to avoid any light flash. 

Some more common symptoms are-

• Anxiety or Panic attacks with a mere thought of light flashes
• Breathlessness 
• Feelings of helplessness
• Sweating and Muscle Tension
• Avoidance to light flashes

CAUSES OF SELAPHOBIA:

There is no certain cause that has been found so far for Selaphobia, though, there are several factors that contribute to this condition.

One factor would be genetics, as a person who has a family history of anxiety disorders or phobias are more likely to develop Selaphobia.

Another factor would be the environment in which the person had bad experiences while growing up.

Both factors are likely to play important roles in developing Selaphobia.

Someone developing a fear of light flashes can be because of childhood fear which might have been experienced by the individual. 

It can also be developed due to already suffering from a disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), like obsession with the light flashes that a person eventually develops Selaphobia.

SELAPHOBIA TREATMENTS:

There is no particular treatment that has been designed especially for Selaphobia.

But some treatments which have been proved to be helpful in anxiety and phobias have been considered to be helpful with Selaphobia as well and those are-

Psychotherapies:

• Talk Therapy-

Talk Therapy can be beneficial for someone suffering from an irrational fear of light flashes as it can help the patient to let out all the fears he has in a constructive way and it eventually helps in developing new and more constructive thinking pattern

• Exposure Therapy:

It is one of the most common and effective therapy with patients suffering from anxiety and phobias.

It works by having the therapist slowly expose the patient to which he fears in an attempt to desensitize him about it.

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Selaphobia:

It is an 8-week evidence-based program that offers mindfulness training to help people suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, etc.

Mindfulness meditation can significantly help people suffering from Selaphobia, how it will help one in distracting himself from their fear by refocusing their attention on something else, like breathing.

This is the most basic and easiest way one can meditate and be in the present.

• CBT:

It is another common form of treatment that is used to help people suffering from GAD and OCD.

And it may also be effective in helping to treat conditions like Selaphobia, it works by having the therapist help the patient to think why it is that they think, feel and behave, the way they do.

Psychiatric Medications:

• Anti-anxiety medications:

These medications are very helpful in preventing panic attacks and anxiety issues. It is very helpful when the condition is very severe.

Some common anti-anxiety medications are Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, etc.

These medications should be taken only in the supervision of a medical professional.

• Antidepressants:

These medications aren’t only for people who suffer from depression as they can also help people suffering from anxiety disorders such as Selaphobia.

Some common antidepressants are Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, etc. These types of drugs are taken on a daily basis and can be helpful in preventing panic attacks and daily anxiety issues.

But always consider consulting a psychiatrist first before starting or stopping any medications.

CONCLUSION:
This blog gave a brief idea of Selaphobia. Then it focused on the symptoms and causes of Selaphobia. Then it highlighted Selaphobia treatments both psychotherapies and medications.

Please feel free to comment below or leave a suggestion, we would appreciate it.

CITATIONS:

Psychtimes.com