Chromophobia is a persistent, irrational fear of, or aversion to, colors (chromatophobia or chrematophobia) and is generally a conditioned response.
While clinical color phobias are uncommon, colors may elicit hormonal and psychological reactions.
Chromophobia is derived from two Greek words, namely Chromos and Phobos, which mean color and deep aversion or fear.
So, when we conclude that someone is a Chromatophobe, it typically means they prefer not to be around specific colors.
Some sufferers can only fear certain shades of color, such as red, for instance, and as it is suggestive of blood, abuse, or death, many are known to fear this color.
In other cases, the phobia might be the fear of all available bright colors.
Day-to-day life can be difficult for such people, as the sight and appearance of particular colors can cause anxiety or panic attacks.
People with a fear of colors also appear to experience debilitating effects, which we will review shortly.
In some situations, some people with a fear of color are also unable to hold down employment or even have steady relationships.
Going outside can become daunting for people who fear encountering the despised colors. People with such a phobia typically avoid locations such as Las Vegas, with its brightly colored lights.
Among celebrities with Chromatophobia, a common name is Billy Bob Thornton.
Here are numerous names associated with unique colors for phobias:
- Fear of blue: Cyanophobia
- Fear of orange: Chrysophobia
- Fear of black: Melanophobia
- Fear of green: Prasinophobia
- Fear of pink: Rhodophobia
- Fear of white: Leukophobia
- Fear of yellow: Xanthophobia
- Fear of brown: Kastanophobia
- Fear of purple: Porphyrophobia
Causes of Chromophobia
Chromatophobia is a common cause of post-traumatic stress disorder. A childhood occurrence may lead to lifelong emotional wounds associated with those colors or shades the phobic cannot outgrow.
Things such as child abuse, robbery, death, injuries, or aggression may all be linked to a specific color that panics or becomes nervous in the presence of the phobic.
The fear of colors stems from cultural origins as another source. Some cultures have essential meanings for particular colors that can have a negative phobic connotation.
For instance, the West treats some colors as alien, corrupting, or superficial. In most instances, intense fear or disdain for specific colors can spring from classical conditioning. Certain colors are assumed to be unpleasant by people with Chromatophobia.
For example, old and moldy cheese has a pale, sickly color linked with germs and disease. Chromatophobia may also be caused by brain chemistry, heredity, some deficiencies, and current phobias.
Symptoms of Chromophobia
Depending on the degree of anxiety, the signs and symptoms of the fear of color differ from person to person.
Common symptoms are as follows:
- Extreme panic attacks or anxiety
- Shortness of breath
- Dry mouth
- Profuse sweating
- Nausea
- Shivering, shaking, and trembling
- Irregular heartbeat
- Inability to speak or deliver coherent sentences
The phobics can also demonstrate agoraphobia or fear of leaving one’s home. Because of isolation, they may suffer from depression that stems from the inability to establish friendships.
These self-limiting habits in school and at work can impact one ‘s performance.
Treatment for Chromophobia
The easiest thing to do to resolve the fear of colors is to incorporate therapies that have been shown to help overcome several kinds of phobias, such as hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and neuro-linguistic programming.
Drugs can also be used to ease anxiety, although they appear to have side effects that can be very crippling.
- Cognitive Therapies, such as the Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) programs, have been developed to address the symptoms of Chromophobia. Such forms of therapy are sometimes referred to as ‘directive’ or ‘short’ treatments, which aim to concentrate on the ‘now’ rather than ‘past experiences.’ Much scientific evidence backs the link between cognition (thought) and behavior (emotions).
- Psychodynamic interventions, such as psychoanalysis, radically differ from cognitive methods because they consider that experiences and factors encountered in the individual’s earlier lives will cause a person to suffer in a particular way in later life, or at least “predispose” them.
Psychodynamic therapy aims to help an individual adopt the “cause and effect” doctrine to discover, understand, and overcome these causative problems.
In these forms of therapy, the bond between the therapist and the client is viewed as an essential factor in solving the issues.
