Phobias are quite common, but how often do you hear of someone afraid of their genitals or those of other people? Let’s discuss Kolpophobia or Europhobia.
Kolpophobia is the irrational fear of genitals, especially the female genitalia. The origin of the word Kolpophobia can be traced to the Greek word kolpo (meaning vagina) and the word phobia (meaning fear).
Europhobia or Kolpophobia is considered a specific phobia because the objective that is feared is specific.
Kolpophobia is also a member of a family of phobias surrounding genitals. Other phobias in fear of the genital family include Phallophobia (fear of a penis), Eurotophobia (fear of female genitalia), Medorthophobia (fear of an erect penis), and Ithyphallophobia (fear of seeing, thinking about, or having an erect penis.
What Are the Causes of Kolpophobia?
It is a generally accepted assumption that phobias stem from a combination of external occurrences or events (such as traumatic events) and internal predispositions (such as heredity or genetics).
Most of the identified specific phobias can easily be traced back to a particular triggering event, mostly a traumatic experience at a young age. As for social phobias and agoraphobia, they have causes that are more complex and are not entirely known presently.
It is believed that genetics, heredity, and brain chemistry pair with life experiences to contribute to the development of phobias.
You may have heard or thought about how some men might be afraid of female genitalia basically because it is foreign to how they understand their genitals.
While there may be more men around who do feel this fear, the actual phobia is more widespread than you may ever imagine.
Sometimes, new doctors are discovered to have a fear of female genitals when they start working through a rotation in obstetrics. Nevertheless, there are times when that which is uncomfortable can quickly become a phobic response.
At present, there is no specific documentation that contains the number of doctors who battle with this.
Still, there are indications that some would-be doctors will quit medical school over this issue of genital fear.
In some countries and cultures, parents who fear the sexual purity of their daughters may resort to female genital mutilation as a way to effectively force them to stay chaste or sexually inactive until they are married.
While many issues can arise as a result of female genital mutilation, this can also result in sexual health issues that may be lifelong.
What Are the Symptoms of Kolpophobia?
Those who have this fear will be very reluctant to be in relationships with women or even near a woman.
The idea of being around so many people who have the genital feature that is feared can cause some significant panic attacks that may result in severe social anxiety.
As with any other phobia, specific or not, the symptoms of Kolpophobia greatly vary from one person to another, depending primarily on their level of fear.
The most common symptoms typically include the following.
- Extreme anxiety
- Dread panic
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sweating
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Inability to articulate words or make sentences
- Shaking and trembling
Many people who have this phobia already know that they are the minority, about those people of their gender who do not have this fear.
This realization only serves to heighten their level of anxiety as they do not view how they act or react.
The presence of their terror is normal, but they feel helpless to control their feeling and response.
How to Overcome Kolpophobia or Eurotophobia?
It can be almost seamless to gloss over the topic that surrounds your deep fear. It is much easier to think you are alone and no one else is dealing with your worries.
If you have been struggling with this fear of genitals, you should know that several professionals are ready to be of help to you.
Your doctor can talk to you about the female reproductive system and help you better understand the sex organ.
You may also have to see a therapist or psychologist who will help you see the actual use and benefits of the genitalia and probably come to terms with the fear that you may experience.
Knowledge and brain retraining is often a huge step in coming to terms with Kolpophobia or Eurotophobia.
Can I Take Medicine for Kolpophobia?
Medicine for Kolpophobia can be prescribed, but kindly note that these medicines may have side effects or withdrawal symptoms that can be severe.
It is also vital to note that there are no medicines to cure phobias, as they can only suppress the systems temporarily at best.
However, there are several treatments for phobias, such as counseling, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, and Neuro-Linguistic programming.
We hope that you found this article useful. Kindly leave a comment below.
