Fear Of Female Genitalia: Characteristics, Symptoms, Treatment

Fear of female genitalia  or Eurotophobia is aversion to female genitalia. A term whose meaning is synonymous is kolpophobia; however, the scope of kolpophobia can sometimes be broader, allowing the inclusion of all sexual organs. Although Europhobia does not have a classic interlingual compound, kolpophobia has a Greek etymological derivation with the prefix kolpo which means a fold that generally refers to the vulva.

Eurotophobia is a hyponym for genitophobia. On the other hand, the term vaginaphobia is used to denote fear of female genitalia in the context of sexual orientation. The male counterpart that corresponds analogously to this condition is called phallophobia.

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Characteristics

• Eurotophobia is sometimes a consequence of aversion to perceived by-products of female genitalia, such as discharge or mucus, which can manifest itself in both men and women and is sometimes triggered by a stressful event .
• According to the Romanian online magazine Ele, the appropriation of this condition by women can cause various symptoms, including depression and self-harm, and it has its origin in a very prudish and puritanical upbringing.
• Other explanations postulate the transmission of urban legends such as the vagina dentata or Freudian concepts such as castration anxiety .
• Eurotophobes may also have developed their condition after being molested by an adult female.

Peculiarities

• Although an average individual may have an aversion to certain parts of the body, the hallmark of Europhobia is that it overcomes the reluctance displayed by most people and is a trait that can adversely affect both men and women.
• The condition is sometimes related to erotophobia and can affect an individual’s confidence in social and professional interactions.
• The condition can emanate both from a direct antipathy and from a woman’s vicarious perception of what others, such as her spouse, might think of her vulva.

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Anxiety,
• Inhibition,
• Distractions,
• Anaphrodisia and inability to build a romantic relationship

People with such inclinations may express an exacerbated desire to substitute euphemisms for audible mentions of the vulva.

• The degree of the condition varies from person to person, with some feeling repulsed, others reacting only once evoked, avoiding thinking about female sexual organs, or having a sense of deep fear.
• Some specialists have also reported on Europhobia in the lexicon section of their publications.
• Rather than being an anomaly, some historical works point to cultures in which Europhobic behavior was in vogue, such as those in which couples avoided copulating in lighted areas to ensure that the vulva remained out of sight.
• Fear or embarrassment when talking about the vagina manifests itself in some women with health problems, which can prevent diagnosing or addressing certain medical conditions.

Treatment

• Psychologists recommend a careful study of the patient; since not everyone can take medication to treat fear of female genitalia.
• They assure that drugs do not cure phobias , in many cases they only calm the symptoms, but they do not treat it in depth.
• However, there are treatments for phobias, including counseling, hypnotherapy , psychotherapy, and neurolinguistic programming.