France is a country in Northwest Europe. Like any other country, the French have their own lifestyle, language, and culture. Many people, both indigenes and non-indigenes, find French culture interesting.
However, others strongly dislike the French countryside, which can be so severe that some people develop Francophobia.
Francophobia is the irrational fear or extreme aversion for France, the French people, the French language, French culture, the French government, or political bodies that have French as their official language.
Just like other phobias, Francophobia is a psychological problem that can cause distress and anxiety. This can disrupt and limit a person’s normal life activities.
People with phobia generally avoid the object of fear, but the person does not need to come in contact with it before he or she experiences the symptoms of the phobia.
Sometimes, the brain reacts even when the object of fear is absent.
Symptoms of Francophobia
Individuals with Francophobia often experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be frightening and distressing for the person. These symptoms occur suddenly without any notice or warnings.
Some of the symptoms a person with Francophobia may exhibit can include;
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Hot flushes or chills
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- A choking sensation
- Rapid heartbeat
- Tightness or pain in the chest
- A sensation of butterflies in the stomach
- Nausea
- Headaches and dizziness
- Fainting spells
- Dry mouth
- A need to go to the toilet
- Ringing in your ears
- Hyperventilation
- Disorientation or confusion
- Chest pain or tightness and difficulty breathing
- Increased blood pressure
The Psychological Symptoms also include:
- Fear of losing control
- Fear of fainting
- Feelings of dread
- Fear of dying
- Fear of harm or illness
- Guilt, shame, self-blame
- Withdrawing from others
- Feeling sad or hopeless
- Feeling disconnected
- Confusion, difficulty concentrating
- Anger, irritability, mood swings
- Anxiety and fear
In some rare cases, there may be people experiencing intertwined phobias, also called complex phobias.
These can often affect a person’s day-to-day life and mental health so much that they become incapable of leading a healthy personal and social life, hence causing a chain reaction of symptoms mentioned above.
Treatment of Francophobia
Many people who have Francophobia do not always feel the need to seek help because they think that they can avoid the object of their fear.
This gives them a feeling of control over the problem. But sometimes, avoiding the object of fear might not be possible or enough.
Therefore, it is important to seek professional help when possible. This way, you have a better grasp of what is happening. You can take the necessary steps to overcome your fears with that understanding.
While some phobias are manageable, no particular or singular treatment is available for all of them.
It highly depends on the sufferer and the degree of severity of the Francophobia. There are occasions when a combination of treatments might be more effective.
People with Francophobia are advised not to self-medicate. Instead, they should consult with a medical practitioner or therapist beforehand.
Therapy for Francophobia
Therapy or counseling can be very effective in treating Francophobia. Therapy involves talking to a trained and proficient professional about one’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
There are different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to;
- Help you identify unhelpful thinking and acting patterns and find ways to change them.
- It helps you work out complicated feelings or find ways to live with them.
- It helps you gain sense and know yourself better.
- Give you a safe time and place to communicate with someone who won’t judge you.
Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to identify and help you cope with specific challenges. It is based on how and what we think influences our behavior.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you recognize unhelpful or negative thinking patterns to see your challenging situations more clearly and respond to them more helpfully and effectively.
Experiencing anxiety and distress can distort reality. Cognitive-behavioral therapy usually helps you identify if they accurately depict reality and if they are not. More so, CBT helps you employ effective strategies to overcome these fears.
Medication
Medication should never be taken without a doctor’s supervision or prescription. In general, self-medication is not recommended for overcoming phobias.
Therapies have proven to be very effective in fighting fears, including Francophobia.
Furthermore, some types of medication are prescribed as short-term solutions to the side effects of phobias with symptoms such as depression or anxiety.
There are three general types of medication recommended for treating fears.
- Antidepressants
- Tranquillizers
- Beta-blockers
Self-help With Francophobia
Knowing how to help yourself is important in controlling your fear of France or anything associated with France.
It also helps in controlling other phobias and symptoms before they get more severe. Always seek medical care and advice early.
