Fear Of Crowds (Ochlophobia): Causes, Symptoms, Treatments

Fear of crowds or ochlophobia. Names like Ochlophobia and Demophobia know the fear of crowds or Enochlophobia. Specialists assure that people who suffer from this disorder do not go to places where a group of people gathers to avoid the negative feelings they produce. Enolophobia is closely related to agoraphobia (the fear and desire to avoid situations where one believes one may be subjected to incapacitation, humiliation, etc.).

Causes of ochlophobia

• Enolophobia is a common social phobia that affects many people today. Women tend to be more affected than men.
• Studies have determined that each patient is a particular case, and everything varies according to the thoughts related to this type of fear.
• It is important to emphasize that according to each pattern that is generally unique to each person, in many cases, thoughts and memories are the leading cause of the development of horse phobia.

Although many specialists have agreed that there is only one cause, another group of researchers differs from this information, indicating that the fears often come from genetic inheritance.

• An individual suffering from excessive fear of crowds finds the masses of people to be too noisy.
• As a result, they fear not hearing what one is supposed to hear.
• The individual feels that his personal space may be violated by the crowd and does everything possible to avoid crowds or free himself from them.

You may also be interested in reading: Fear Of Rain: Causes, Symptoms, Overcoming.

Enoclophobia symptoms

Demophobes (as people with ochlophobia are known) have various internal representations of their fear. Naturally, the symptoms that occur are different in each patient. These symptoms and signs are generally characterized as physical, mental, or emotional and may include:

• Slight anxiety can turn into a panic attack when you think about seeing large crowds.
• The homophobic individual is likely to go to great lengths to avoid crowds and flee from them.
• Inability to function normally; it cannot distinguish between reality and unreality.
• The feeling of not being able to breathe or of being drowned.
• Upset stomach, nausea, gastrointestinal upset, etc.
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure are other physical symptoms of this phobia.
• Shaking and shaking or excessive sweating is also likely in the phobia.

Many homophobic individuals are sure to be trampled on or crushed by crowds.

• They also fear catching germs or viruses from close contact with sick people around them.
• The fear of getting lost, the insecurity of being around strangers, and feeling small and insignificant in crowds are some of the thoughts on Enochlophobics’ minds.

Treatment for fear of crowds

Self-help is the best form of treatment for this phobia. Experts recommend the following practices to overcome the fear of crowds:

• Breathe deeply and focus on the breath.
• Desensitize gradually: start with smaller events and slowly increase the comfort level to attend more significant events.
• Have a close friend or family member support. This can help relieve anxiety.
• Experts also recommend focusing on one person at the meeting or party to keep anxiety at bay. Talking to this person and concentrating your mind on them can help the phobic keep the mind occupied and prevent negative thoughts.
• Apart from these self-help remedies, one can also seek professional help, counseling, talk therapy, group therapy, hypnotherapy, behavior therapy, or medications to treat their fear of crowd phobia.