The fear of being alone called “autophobia” causes real discomfort. It is booming because of social networks and the resulting hyperconnection.
Autophobia means the extreme fear of loneliness. The person affected puts mechanisms in place to be constantly surrounded by people. This phobia leads toanxiety, fatigue or even suicidal thoughts… She can translate abandonment injury or trauma. How do you know if you are autophobic? How to overcome autophobia?
Definition: what is autophobia?
Autophobia is one of the phobias. From the Greek auto (oneself) and phobos (fear), autophobia refers to the deep fear of oneself and being alone. “This phobia has experienced unprecedented growth in recent yearsin particular because of social networksx and the resulting hyperconnection” indicates Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist-psychoanalyst. The person suffering from autophobia will everything to be accompanied in order to counter his anguish of loneliness.
What are the symptoms of an autophobic person?
The symptoms of autophobia are very similar to those of depression : loss of motivation, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and great fatigue. Physical symptoms can also occur when the person is alone:
- Nausea
- Palpitations
- Excessive sweating
- Panic attack
- Fainting
“Subjects suffering from autophobia will therefore do everything they can to not finding themselves alone on a daily basis, even going so far as to surround themselves with people who do not really suit themjust wishing to fill the void and the anguish what does loneliness mean to them“adds the psychotherapist-psychanalyst. The autophobe constantly seeks the approval of others for fear of being rejected or ignored.
Why do we become autophobic?
“Most autophobes suffer from a abandonment syndrome developed in childhood or after the loss of a parent. Still others developed this phobia much later following a divorce or a brutal event And traumatic“ emphasizes Rodolphe Oppenheimer. Many autophobes lack self-confidence and feel rejected. A phenomenon ofpermanent self-devaluation. These people think they are not enough on their own. “The isolation caused by the different lockdowns and the Covid-19 pandemic has also increased this phenomenon tenfold, with the explosion of telework And extreme isolation that we have all experienced during this period” remarks the expert.
In order to establish an accurate diagnosis, it is essential to consult a psychotherapist. This will observe the behavior and signs autophobia. “The autophobic subject is unable to be alonehe is convinced that he is in danger when no one is around him. This type of phobia also involves a fear of oneself” develops our interlocutor. He behaves in a way that is unnatural or unnatural to be around people, going so far as to associate with people who do not correspond to him. “He can go so far as to practice the emotional blackmail so as not to be alone. In the most extreme cases, there are suicidal urges“ continues Rodolphe Oppenheimer.
The help of a psychotherapist is essential. He will be able to propose adequate solutions via strategies allowing the patient to overcome his phobia. There are several methods to overcome autophobia. “Even if the phobia may seem disabling and insurmountable, the CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies) can be very effective. CBT will change the patient’s way of thinking and then the gradually push to confront his fears until he feels stronger than his phobia. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy is also an excellent method for overcoming autophobia. So-called long therapies psychoanalytic can be undertaken if the problem persists. Note that teleconsultation can be chosen to facilitate the patient’s experience on the road to recovery.” recommends our expert.
thanks to Rodolphe Oppenheimerpsychotherapist-psychoanalyst, expert in the treatment of anxiety attacks, panic attacks, agoraphobia, phobias and depressions.