The fear of going crazy is generally known as dementophobia. People who suffer from this fear are afraid of going crazy or losing touch with reality. Fear can be triggered by a family history of mental illness or periods of severe stress .
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Mental illness and stigmatization
Mental illness has long been associated with confinement, painful treatments, and public ridicule. At various points in history, those with mental illness were thought to be possessed by evil spirits, to act voluntarily, or to simply be uncontrollable.
Only in the late 20th century did the medical system and the general public begin to recognize mental illness as a treatable medical condition.
If you have older relatives who went through nursing homes in the early or mid-20th century, you may be afraid to undergo the same treatment. Although treatment protocols have changed rapidly, the stories of surviving inmates are often chilling.
You may also fear social stigma. Some mental illnesses cause tics, vocal flare-ups, and socially inappropriate behaviors.
While stigma is no longer as common as it once was, it does exist. You may fear losing friends and family or feeling embarrassed in front of strangers due to mental illness.
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Common symptoms
Those who suffer from a phobia of going crazy often exhibit the following symptoms:
- Severe depression
- Social isolation
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Feeling faint
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Excessive sweating
- Heart palpitations
- Short of breath
Factors related to anxiety
Depersonalization and derealization are subjective changes in perception .
They are extremely common during panic attacks and times of intense stress, but they can create a sense of disconnection with the body and the world in general. This feeling can lead to the feeling that you are going crazy.
Ironically, these factors can lead to a cycle of self-replication. A phobia of going crazy can lead to panic attacks, which can further increase the conviction that you are, in fact, going crazy. Therapy may be the only way to break this cycle.
Statistics show that those who have a relative with a mental illness are more likely to develop a similar illness. Knowing that you are at somewhat higher risk of developing mental illness can further increase fear.
How to get help for your fear of going crazy
The phobias are often treated with a mixture of medication and therapy. Therapists generally turn to a variety of cognitive-behavioral techniques to help sufferers challenge their beliefs about mental illness and ultimately develop healthier ways of thinking.
Psycho-education, in which you learn more about specific mental illnesses, is often helpful. Your therapist can also work with you to explore what your fear means to you.
The goal of treatment is usually to help you understand complex fear-related issues in order to minimize fearful feelings and emotions .
Hello, how are you? My name is Georgia Tarrant, and I am a clinical psychologist. In everyday life, professional obligations seem to predominate over our personal life. It's as if work takes up more and more of the time we'd love to devote to our love life, our family, or even a moment of leisure.