Fear of men is known as androphobia. To counteract the opposite term “gynophobia,” which refers to a fear of women, the phrase developed among the feminist and lesbian-feminist movements.
A term that emerged from the feminist and lesbian-feminist movements is misandry, which is characterized as a hate of men. Misandry’s opposite is misogyny, which is the hatred of women. Androphobia can affect both men and women.
Among the signs of androphobia are:
- A sudden, strong apprehension, worry, or panic when you see or think of guys
- An understanding that your unreasonable or excessive dread of men cannot be controlled
- Anxiousness that becomes worse as a man approaches you physically
- Actively avoiding guys or circumstances where you could run into them, or feeling extremely anxious or afraid when you do.
- Difficulty going about your everyday activities because you’re terrified of men’s bodily responses to your anxieties, such sweating, a quick heartbeat, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing.
- Nausea, lightheadedness, or fainting when near guys or while thinking about men
Children that are androphobic may cry, cling to their female parents, have tantrums, or avoid men altogether.
Because androphobia is an overwhelming and unreasonable dread of something—in this example, men—that ordinarily doesn’t constitute an actual threat but nevertheless manages to create anxiety and avoidance behaviors, it is classified as a specific phobia. Including other particular phobias, androphobia is a persistent condition that can impair your ability to engage in daily activities like job, study, and social interactions.
It is unclear what causes androphobia exactly. However, according to specialists, some possibilities include:
- Historical wrongdoings involving men, including rape, assault, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or sexual harassment
- Your environment, which might include taught behavior, as well as your genetics
- Alterations in how your brain functions
Androphobia is more likely to affect some persons than others. Those Risk groups include:
- Youngsters (by age 10, most childhood phobias, including androphobia, manifest themselves)
- Family members with fears or anxieties (this may be the result of inherited or learned behavior)
- An emotional, restrained, or unfavorable disposition or personality
- A bad encounter with men in the past
- Hearing from a friend, family member, or even a stranger about a bad encounter with men
Androphobia can start as a minor annoyance, but it can become a major obstacle to everyday life. If the following describe the anxiety that your androphobia is causing you:
- Significantly harming your performance at work or in school
- Compromising your social interactions or social skills
- Causing interference with your daily routines
You can get a mental healthcare referral from your doctor.
Any suspected cases of androphobia in youngsters must be addressed immediately. Children occasionally grow out of their phobias. However, androphobia significantly reduces a child’s ability to make a positive contribution to society. It is necessary to offer medical treatment to calm their fears.
When you request a screening for androphobia, your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms as well as your medical, mental, and social background. In order to rule out any physical conditions that could be the source of your worry, your doctor will also do a physical examination. Your doctor will refer you to a mental healthcare professional for more specialized therapy if they have reason to believe that you suffer from androphobia or another anxiety problem.
The vast majority of people with androphobia can improve with therapy. The main therapy for androphobia is talk therapy, also referred to as psychotherapy. The two types of psychotherapy that are most frequently used to treat androphobia are exposure therapy and behavioral therapy. On occasion, a therapy plan will include medication.
Exposure Therapy
The goal of exposure treatment is to alter how you react to guys. Things that you identify with men will gradually and regularly come into your life. Finally, you will come into contact with a real man or men. These progressive exposures ought to assist you in managing your fear of men’s thoughts, sentiments, and physical sensations over time. For instance, your therapist might have you initially view images of males before making you listen to their voicemails. Your therapist will then ask you to watch videos of males before having you approach a real-life man gently.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
You will learn new perspectives on and methods for coping with your fear of males through cognitive behavioral therapy, which incorporates exposure along with other therapeutic strategies. You’ll learn these skills from your therapist:
- Look at your fear from a different angle
- Take care of the physical symptoms of your dread.
- Deal with your fear’s effects on your life emotionally.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts and feelings, CBT sessions can help you develop a sense of confidence or mastery over them.
Medications
Androphobia is typically successfully treated with psychotherapy. However, there are situations when it is beneficial to take drugs that can lessen anxiety or panic episodes related to androphobia. To aid in your recovery, these drugs should be used at the start of treatment.
When your nervousness stops you from acting seldom and temporarily, such as when you need to go to the emergency department or seek medical attention from a guy, this is another permissible application.
Your quality of life may be negatively impacted by androphobia. Social isolation, mood disorders, substance misuse, and suicidal thoughts or attempts are examples of potential risks.
It’s critical for you to get support if you need it, especially if you have kids who are affected by your phobia or could be. You can lessen your anxiety with treatment and have a full life.
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