Zoophobia - The Fear of Animals

Introduction

As we possess strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, a few of us have an unusual fear of certain objects, themes, or situations. The person who is phobic over specific gets driven by even thinking or conversing about it. Unfortunately, about eight percent of us thrive with a phobia; overall, three to fifteen percent of world people encounter a specific phobia. Zoophobia is the most common among the specific phobias. So, it is a condition to know and look after.

What Is Zoophobia?

Zoophobia is generally known as fear of animals, which can be directed toward one, two, or multiple specified animals. It is an anxiety disorder in which an individual encounters an intense irrational fear and anxiety about animals. The one experiences a dread over visualizing, thinking, or talking about. Women are more likely to develop zoophobia than men.

What Causes Zoophobia?

There is no such absolute cause for fear of animals. Nevertheless, certain risk factors are attributable to the development of zoophobia. Those risk attributes put on the line are as demonstrated.

• As genetics plays a vital role in these conditions, a family history of zoophobia is essential.

• It is also evident that the fear of animals can be acquired by learning a behavior. For instance, if a child sees his/her parent or peer fearing the dogs, the child will do the same.

• Traumatic or adversarial past events with a specified animal would develop fear.

• Individuals encountering fear and anxiety might have determined specific phobias.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Zoophobia?

Extreme fear of animals is the predominant sign of zoophobia, though. Therefore, when animals are at close range or not, the person’s physical and behavioral symptoms are looked at. So, in these people, the intense fear seems to be vanishing and endangered than the live threat itself. Nevertheless, the person tends to fear and thus circumvents thinking, hearing, or imagining animals regarding seeing them in person or through pictures.

Physical Signs:

• Increased heart rate.

• Chest tightness.

• Excessive sweating.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Tremor, an involuntary shaking movement.

• Dyspnea, shortness of breath.

• Dizziness.

• Fainting.

• Dry mouth.

• Confusion and disorientation.

• Avoidance.

The little ones who fear animals or birds would express dread in the succeeding conduct:

• Yelling or crying out loud.

• Throw temper tantrums.

• Stick firmly to the parents or caregivers.

• Stiffen up.

• Become speechless.

How Can Zoophobia Be Diagnosed?

The medical care professionals will look after the physical signs and family history. In addition, he will enumerate the phobia concerning other fear and mental health conditions. Subsequently, doctors will culminate the diagnosis of the disorder only if the panic is interfering with daily life and meets the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-fifth edition. The criteria views of DSM-5 for specific phobias incorporate the following:

• There prevails marked or absolute fear over a specific object or situation.

• The object considered phobic produces an abrupt fear or anxiety.

• Feelings of fear are disproportionate to the phobia object.

• The person exhibits avoidance or endurance over phobic-provoking circumstances.

• These fear, anxiety, and the state of eschewing cause distress leading to an impairment in various aspects of functioning.

• The fear is persistent, enduring for at least six months.

• Associated fear, anxiety, and avoidance are not correlated or better determined by other cognitive health conditions.

Eventually, medical care professionals advise various tests intended to diagnose zoophobia comprehensively. Several tests for identifying the fear of restricted zoophobia include as below.

• Spider Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ).

• Dog Phobia Questionnaire (DPQ).

• Snake Anxiety Questionnaire (SNAQ).

What Are the Treatment Options for Zoophobia?

Therapies work wonders. Therapeutic intervention operates and amends the thinking patterns toward fear and the fear itself. The management of zoophobia incorporates one or a combination of these therapies.

Exposure Therapy:

As the name implies, the person is exposed gradually to the specific object, driving into fear and anxiety. It is the first yet effective intervention against zoophobia and other specific phobias. The exposure is held with an initial scenario and, with time, takes the person to the most fear-provoking scene. For example, the child fearing the dog is primarily given the tasks of imagining, seeing through pictures, listening, and talking about the dogs. In the final phases, the child is taken to the dog and allowed to nurture it.

Virtual Reality Exposure:

Research has been ensuing in the field of virtual reality exposure. It works well in the cases of the unavailability of specific animals.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a common psychological intervention or talk therapy that relies on the principle that distorted thoughts would modify one’s conduct. The therapy works on recognizing and changing thought patterns and functions well when combined with exposure therapy. Here, the therapists will let you know the fearful thoughts regarding the animal and help you amend them with a healthy conversation.

Animal-Assisted Therapy:

The therapists utilize the animals to alleviate the intense fear in a safe environment.

Medications:

Pharmacological drugs are advised in the short-term, not for specific phobias but for anxiety and cognitive concerns. The medicines that seem compelling include the following.

• Beta-blockers such as Atenolol, Metoprolol, Acebutolol, and Bisoprolol for elevated blood pressure and heart rate.

• Antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Citalopram, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Dapoxetine, and Sertraline.

• At times, benzodiazepines are advised.

What Are the Specific Animal Phobias?

Zoophobia, in general, is the subject of both mammalian and non-mammalian species. The phobias over specific creatures are listed below.

• Cynophobia - Fear of dogs.

• Ailurophobia - Fear of cats.

• Equinophobia - Fear of horses.

• Entomophobia - Fear of insects.

• Musophobia - Fear of mice.

• Spheksophobia - Fear of wasps.

• Helminthophobia - Fear of worms.

• Melissophobia - Fear of bees.

• Ophidiophobia - Fear of snakes.

• Ornithophobia - Fear of birds.

• Ichthyophobia - Fear of fish

• Lepidopterophobia - Fear of butterflies and moths.

• Ostraconophobia - Fear of shellfish.

• Herpetophobia - Fear of reptiles.

• Ranidaphobia - Fear of frogs.

• Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders.

Conclusion

Zoophobia is one of the most successfully treatable conditions as long as it is detected and paid for. In addition to therapies, one can efficiently cope with the fear through appropriate diet, physical performance, exercise, leisure activities, and meditation. For example, a deep breath would skip the intensity of anxiety.