An irrational fear of any and all animals is called zoophobia. It has derived from the Greek words "zoo" which means animals and "phobia" which means to be afraid of. Zoophobia is very broad and may include various phobias like ophidiophobia(fear of snakes), scoliodentosaurophobia (fear of lizards) and cynophobia( fear of dogs). The animal that a person has fear of could be a giant dangerous predator or even a small cuddly animal.
Ophidiophobia or snake phobia is a very common phobia. It is estimated that nearly a third of all adults living on the planet have a very intense fear of snakes. While it is common to want to avoid snakes, few people will have an extremely irrational fear of snakes and will have violent physical and psychological responses when encountering the animals. Sometimes all it takes is an image of a snake to trigger these responses.
Symptoms of Zoophobia
Zoophobia can affect an individual irrespective of their age and gender. The major symptoms that are indicative of zoophobia are:
- Frequent thoughts that include scenarios of getting attacked by the animal
- Understanding that the fear is irrational
- Avoidance of any place with the animals, like zoos or pet shops.
- Constant and intense fear in the presence of the animal. Photos can also trigger this response.
- Anxiety along with panic attacks with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, excessive perspiration, fainting, breathing problems, and a racy heart.
Reasons why an individual might develop a fear of animals
Evolutionary factors and traumatic experiences are considered to be the two most common causes of any kind of zoophobia.
Human evolution over the years is a major contributing factor. Humans would avoid snakes as a natural defense mechanism as some animals are dangerous and poisonous, the bite of a few animals like snakes would be fatal to a human. While being a little afraid of dangerous animals is not irrational, having an intense and paralyzing fear of animals is indicative of the person have zoophobia.
Traumatic experiences involving animals are another major cause of zoophobia. If an individual has been attacked or hurt by animals or seen someone getting hurt by animals, they might develop an intense fear for that animal and will start avoiding them. While this affects adults too, a traumatic experience is more severe in children.
Treatment for zoophobia
While a little fear of animals is inconsequential, an extreme fear of animals is a medical condition. If the fear starts affecting your home and work life, you must consult a doctor to get over the fear. The doctor will give you a treatment plan that will help you cope up.
The most common treatments for zoophobia are cognitive behavior therapy, exposure therapy with relaxation techniques and medicines. Both cognitive behavior and exposure therapy are psychotherapies that can help you get over the fear. However, if the fear is too severe, you might be prescribed to take anti-anxiety and antidepressants.
Fear of animals is common and is not necessarily a phobia. That said, if you have a very intense fear of all animals or even just a few and that starts affecting your life, it is best that you consult a doctor.
