Phobias are basically fears of an object or a phenomenon; Kosmikophobia is the fear of Cosmic phenomena.
Sufferers of this condition usually experience a high level of anxiety just from the thought of cosmic phenomena.
Their anxiety could be so severe that they go into a panic attack, which might lead to being hospitalized.
Though this might always be the case with all people living with Kosmikophobia, it is still possible.
They are usually expected to experience increased heart rate, high blood pressure, trembling, excessive sweating, and other symptoms.
These symptoms are not common to Kosmikophobia but to almost all forms of phobias. Panic attacks are not always the case for those who have Kosmikophobia; it is still likely to occur due to the severity of the phobic condition.
People who have Kosmikophobia always find themselves avoiding that which brings about their fears.
For example, they might avoid looking at the night sky because they fear seeing a cosmic phenomenon.
Someone with this condition will actively avoid their fears in an attempt to help them reduce their chances of experiencing any immediate anxiety.
But this usually worsens their situation rather than fixing it, cause in doing so; they are justifying their fear to themselves by avoiding it.
Causes of Kosmikophobia
Though there are no definite causes for the various forms of phobias out there, including Kosmikophobia, there are still some causes that experts believe could lead to the formation of Kosmikophobia in the early stages of people.
An Environmental and genetic factor is said to play a significant role in the lives of people who have Kosmikophobia.
For example, if someone was born into a family where a mental disorder is prominent, then said individual could have the same genetic traits as his siblings or parents.
All that’s left for them is to go through a traumatic experience. The experience would trigger or start the formation of Kosmikophobia due to their genetic makeup.
Symptoms of Kosmikophobia
Like all other phobias, people have Kosmikophobia and can experience anxiety, and this anxiety can rise to a level where a panic attack could be imminent.
Depending on the severity of their panic attack, they might need to be hospitalized, though this usually varies for different people, and various factors also determine it.
Furthermore, people who have Kosmikophobia go through a lot of effort to make sure they don’t come in contact with their fears in any way.
Below are some other symptoms of Kosmikophobia
- Racing heart
- Falling out of touch with reality
- Feeling dizzy, choky, lightheadedness, etc
- Cold or hot flushes
- The thought of death or dying
- Chest pain
- High level of anxiety when thinking of precipice
- Constantly avoiding precipice
- Being unable to cope with their fear of precipices
- Muscle tension, shakiness, and excessive sweatiness
- Might even experience panic attacks
Treatment for Kosmikophobia
Treatments for Kosmikophobia might include some Therapy like Cognitive-behavioural (CBT) or Exposure therapy.
Below is a list of treatments that might have helped those who are suffering from Kosmikophobia
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy is a pervasive way of treating various forms of phobia. Exposure therapy works well for most patients suffering from phobias, including Kosmikophobia.
Its procedure is quite adequate, as people who have Kosmikophobia are gradually made to put themselves in various positions where they find themselves in situations where they have to face their fears and learn to cope with their fears while in that state.
Their treatment might start with simple things like getting used to the words heaven and sky and looking up into the air.
If the phobic develops confidence and surpasses this stage, he might progress to a more advanced form of treatment.
In treating Kosmikophobia, the Doctor might start the procedure by showing pictures of planets, space, milky-ways, moon, night skies, and so on to the patient; after some time, the patients might be introduced to various videos.
The Doctor would use this as it is said to be one of the best ways of treating Kosmikophobia.
This method is proposed to help disordered patients or Kosmikophobia patients get over their fear of cosmic phenomena.
Theoretically, the more exposed a patient is to the object of his dismay, the more he overcomes that fear and the less bothered he is by it.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
This is an option that focuses on changing the negative thoughts that people who have Kosmikophobia have to healthier ones to help improve their lifestyle.
Phobias can cause visible activation and changes in neural pathways of the brain.
Through research in 2013, studies have found that CBT has a significant impact on people who have specific phobias, such as Kosmikophobia.
Medication for Kosmikophobia
There aren’t that many drugs out there that cure the phobia. No medication is specifically designed to cure Kosmikophobia or any other kind of phobia.
However, some could manage the phobia in the short term.
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers are a medication that helps with physical symptoms of anxiety. Increased heart rate and dizziness, among others, are some physical symptoms Beta-blockers treat.
They are used before a situation that might trigger the physical symptoms.
Benzodiazepines
These are some forms of sedative that help to decrease anxiety symptoms in patients. These medications could be very addictive; this is one of its downsize, so it is usually used occasionally and as prescribed by the doctor.
D-cycloserine (DCS)
This is a drug that is said to help exposure therapy work better. A result of a 2017 review that supports this claim.
Exercise for Kosmikophobia
Exercises are seen as one of the best ways of treating mental disorders, which include Kosmikophobia; cardiovascular exercises are one of the most effective practices that are said to relieve stress.
Aerobic exercise is also known to help people; it efficiently releases endorphins, which are good chemicals in the brain.
Since stress had been seen as a significant course of anxiety, the doctor has advised that regular exercise would yield a good result for Kosmikophobia.
Support Groups
There are various offline and online support groups. This is a form of treatment where people are suffering from all kinds of phobias and anxiety or stress-related problems to find a solution to their worries.
Sharing one’s experience with others helps to know that they are not alone and might be able to overcome their fears.
