Have you ever been embarrassed or even afraid to dress in front of someone, even though that person may be your parent, sibling, close relative, or spouse? If yes, then you may have experienced a type of phobia called dishabiliophobia.
Dihabiliophobia can be defined simply as the fear of undressing in front of someone. It is made up of two Latin words and one Greek word: dis (Latin), which means separate or removal; habil (Latin), which means clothing; and phobia (Greek), which means fear.
Often, dishabiliophobia is considered to be a social phobia. The American Psychological Association (APA) doesn’t recognize this phobia. According to the APA, there are only about 100 phobias, and dishabiliophobia is not part of them.
Although APA doesn’t recognize this fear, however, it is still a potent phobia. It is not some minor fear that should be tossed aside, as it can be so intense that it disrupts the patient’s daily activities.
A person who has dishabiliophobia will experience extreme anxiety levels when asked to undress in front of someone.
Sometimes, even the mere thought of undressing in the presence of another person (including those they are in a relationship with) can cause the patient to have panic attacks.
This fear has been seen to cause different abysmal problems in several cases, especially for those in a relationship. For some people, while undressing and another person steps into the room, they may begin to experience anxiety symptoms.
This fear can cause problems in other relationships that are not romantic. For example, in team sports, where teams must change together, and everyone is expected to undress in front of other people, a person who has dishabiliophobia will not be able to cope with such an environment.
Many people have suffered from this type of phobia, and it shouldn’t be surprising that more than 30% of women have had this phobia. According to research, women are two times more likely to suffer from this than men.
Having to deal with this phobia and trying to overcome it all alone can prove to be very challenging for the patient.
Sometimes, it may be impossible to overcome, thereby allowing the patient to give up and start living with their phobic tendencies.
However, there is good news. This phobia can be overcome. To overcome a particular disease, it is essential to understand its causes, triggers, and all there is to the disease.
This article will help you understand this phobia better.
Causes of Dishabiliophobia
There are no laid-out causes of dishabiliophobia; however, two factors can be said to contribute significantly to the development of this irrational fear. They are;
Genetics
It can be said that a child takes genetic traits from their parents. As such, if any parent has suffered from mental illnesses and anxiety disorders, then the child has a higher chance of developing an anxiety disorder, including dishabiliophobia.
Also, suppose the child has any family history of mental illnesses and anxiety disorders (meaning that the parent didn’t directly suffer from it. However, a sibling, aunt, uncle, or any family member may have had it). In that case, the child can develop this condition.
It is important to note that this condition is mostly developed in childhood, so parents are often encouraged to observe their children’s behaviors.
Environmental Factors
Although a child may have the gene for developing an anxiety disorder or a mental illness, when there is no trigger (environmental factors), that gene will not be expressive.
However, when a child witnesses or faces a particular trauma, it can trigger and express these genes, causing the development of dishabiliophobia.
Although the exact causes of dishabiliophobia are unknown, most doctors agree that genetic and environmental factors have played a massive role in developing this anxiety disorder.
Hence, looking at these two parameters, it is easy to determine whether a person will develop dishabiliophobia.
Symptoms of Dishabiliophobia
Just like other anxiety disorders and phobias, dishabiliophobia often presents with severe anxiety attacks.
In other words, a person who has dishabiliophobia will discover that once they are confronted with their fears (undressing in front of someone), they will experience increased anxiety levels.
In some people, their anxiety levels can be so high that it becomes a full-blown panic attack.
For some, depending on how high the panic attacks they experience are, they may have to be hospitalized. However, hospitalization is often dependent on the severity of the disorder as well as other factors.
A person with dishabiliophobia will tend to show traits of avoidance. Just like other phobias, people who experience dishabiliophobia will find out that they try to avoid their triggers at all costs.
It is not unusual for a person with dishabiliophobia to avoid places where their fear will be triggered. Also, they may try to become disengaged with anything related to their fears actively.
It is important to note that phobias shouldn’t be taken lightly because they can, to a large extent, limit a person’s daily activities and, in some extreme cases, cause a person to develop depression.
In some cases, a person with dishabiliophobia (with extreme levels) doesn’t need to be exposed to their fear before they become anxious; even the mere thought of undressing in front of a person is enough to trigger an anxiety attack.
People are different, and it is essential to understand that not everyone will experience the same symptoms. Also, these symptoms vary based on the severity of the phobia.
However, generally speaking, a person with dishabiliophobia will suffer from at least one of the following symptoms.
Physical symptoms
A person who has dishabiliophobia will experience anxiety attacks, resulting in full-blown panic attacks if care isn’t taken. These panic attacks are often distressing and fearful for the patient.
These panic attacks usually happen without prior notice, warnings, or signs. A person who suffers from panic attacks will experience at least one of these physical symptoms:
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Chills and hot flushes
- Severe difficulties in breathing(sometimes, shortness of breath)
- Choking sensations
- Rapid heartbeats characterize Tachycardia.
- Chest tightness and pains(angina)
- Butterfly sensations in the stomach
- Nausea
- Dizziness and headaches
- Feeling faint
- Numbness
- Sensations of pins and needles
- Dry mouth
- The urgent need to frequently visit the toilet
- Disorientation and confusion
- Ringing in the ears
- Hyperventilating when confronted with your trigger
- Rapid pulse rates
- Rise in temperature
- Tightness in the chest
A person who has dishabiliophobia will experience at least one or a combination of these symptoms.
Psychological Symptoms
Just like a panic attack can have immeasurable effects on the physical aspect of the patient, it can also cause mental and psychological symptoms.
When exposed to their triggers, a person who has dishabiliophobia will experience one, all, or a combination of these symptoms:
- Fear of always losing control
- Fear of fainting (syncope)
- Fear of dying
- Feeling of dread
- Fear of falling ill
- Fear of harming one’s self
- Withdrawal from the company of others
- Feelings of guilt and self-blame
- Feelings of hopelessness and sadness
- Always feeling disconnected
- Feelings of confusion
- Having difficulties in concentration
- Anger and uncontrollable outburst (in children, consistent crying may be noticed)
- Mood swings and Irritability
- Fear and anxiety
Although the signs listed above are almost always experienced by people who suffer from phobias, the trigger determines what kinds of phobia the person is suffering from.
In other words, a person who has dishabiliophobia will only experience these symptoms when confronted with having to undress in the presence of another person.
Treatment
Just like other phobias, dishabiliophobia doesn’t have any specific treatment plan attached to it. However, several treatments have been seen to help resolve phobias over time, and as such, they can be used to treat patients who have dishabiliophobia.
These treatments include;
Therapy
Therapy always involves discussing your fears with a specialist or a psychiatrist. Treatment aims to help you understand why you act and think the way you do and to help you understand your feelings.
There are many types of therapy; however, there are two forms that have proven to be effective in treating phobias. They include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a treatment that helps deal with a person’s thoughts.
Your psychologist will help you understand why you think and behave the way you do, especially when confronted with your fears.
A person who has dishabiliophobia in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can expect to understand why they act the way they do, why they are afraid of their fears, and so on.
When the patient understands why they act the way they do, it can help him/her take pragmatic approaches to helping themselves when they think about undressing in front of another person.
Exposure Therapy
This is another standard treatment that psychologists use to treat patients who have specific phobias, including dishabiliophobia.
As the name implies, exposure therapy refers to the gradual processes by which the patient is exposed to their fear(in this case, undressing in front of someone.)
Over a given period, the patient is gradually exposed to his fear. First, your therapist might ask you to undress a little before them.
Although it may be considered unethical to do it in the presence of your therapist, they might have to consider using this approach to help desensitize the patient.
According to research, psychologists have discovered that the more you expose a person to their fears, the more the person gets used to it and the less frightening the phobia is to the patient.
The use of Medications
In some extreme cases, certain medications may be prescribed to help the patient deal with some of the effects of anxiety and panic attacks. It is important to note that these drugs don’t cure phobia.
However, there are specific side effects that come alongside phobias, such as depression and mental illnesses. It is important to note that no drugs should be used without a doctor’s prescription.
Generally, therapists prescribe three types of drugs to help overcome the side effects of dishabiliophobia. They include:
- Antidepressants
- Tranquilisers
- Beta-blockers
These drugs help deal with the side effects and help the patient have a better outlook.
Self-help
These refer to methods that you can carry out to help yourself overcome your fears. Based on this, five strategies have been seen to help patients deal with their fears. They include;
Try to Face Your Fear Head-on
The first part of overcoming any fear is admitting that you have that phobia and being ready to face it head-on.
You must realize that many people have passed or are experiencing the same kind of phobia you are experiencing, and as such, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
Always understand that you are not alone in this war. For you to be able to face this phobia head-on, you must practice.
Practice makes perfect, they say, and as such, you must practice undressing in front of your close relative, family member, or spouse. Doing this consistently helps you understand that your fears are only strong due to how much you let them control you.
Don’t rush the process. You can adapt to your fears gradually and walk your way up. Remember, practice and repetition are the first steps to overcoming your phobia.
Never Let Your Failures, Panic, and Setbacks Deter You From Progressing
Realize that it is okay to fail even at the initial stages. No one expects you to be a master because if you have been, then you wouldn’t need the help. Everyone has had a bad day every once in a while.
The important thing is never to allow it to stop you from progressing in your treatment. It is vital that on those days that you fail, it may seem like you aren’t making any progress; however, this outlook is deceptive.
Whenever this occurs to you, sit back and assess how far you have gone in your fight against your dishabiliophobia. If you are honest with yourself, you will realize you have made real progress.
It is okay to fail today, but not to allow that failure to impede your progress.
Keep Looking at the Big Picture
The big picture is winning your fight against dishabiliophobia. It would help if you realized that whatever keeps your fear in place already has a stronghold over your mind. There are many chances you are mission out on by being held under the chains of your fear.
You must decide not to live with regrets.
Realize That Your Fear is a Call for Action
Most people who have dishabiliophobia often think that their anxiety is a limitation. Rather than thinking about It this way, it is essential to note that your fear can spring you up to claim the kind of life you have always wanted.
Your fear of undressing in the presence of people is not a death sentence, and it is important to realize that you can resolve it with consistent determination and help.
Rewire Your Brain
Although it is easier said than done, rewiring your mind is one of the surest ways to overcome your fears and help you develop the courage to do so.
Therapy is one of the most effective methods used by psychiatrists to help rewire your brain.
Although most patients complain that having a one-on-one counseling session with a seasoned therapist is expensive, there are other affordable alternatives, such as hypnotherapy.
