What is the fear of loneliness and how to get rid of it?

Fear of loneliness can cause severe mental disordercreating a threat to human life. This type of phobia is among the most common causes of suicides.

What is the fear of loneliness? In the practice of psychologists and psychiatrists, a phobic state, accompanied by a fear of loneliness, is denoted by the term "Autophobia".

Mental disorder can develop on the background various factors, which include not only experiences experienced in adulthood, but also in childhood.

Autophobia - what is it?

Autophobia is fear of loneliness.

Irrational fear in such a mental disorder may be accompanied not only by abnormalities related to the psycho-emotional state, but also by a certain combination of autonomic and somatic symptoms.

Negative experiences gradually increase and can become obsessive thoughtsas well as provoke neurotic abnormalities of varying severity.

Special features autophobia:

phobia can occur regardless of gender and age of the person;
women are in a particular risk group of this phobic state (women are distinguished by a heightened sensitivity of the psyche);
Autophobia is one of the most dangerous phobias.

Causes of loneliness. How to find your other half? Psychology:

What are the manifestations characterized?

Fear of loneliness can manifest itself in different forms.

The first signs of a phobia are the excessive concern that a loved one change, go away or grow cold in feelings.

When such thoughts occur, there is not only a feeling of anxiety, but also the symptoms of a panic attack.

Gradually, mental disorder will progressand turn into a serious deviation, which can be eliminated only with the help of psychologists or psychiatrists.

Autophobia may appear as the following states:

Attempts to keep close to a man who behaves immorally because of the fear of loneliness.
Excessively low self-esteem (decision-making requires the help of other people).
Panic attacks in the absence of a specific person nearby.
Regular fears of lack of marriage and love relationships.

Types of phobias

Autophobia can develop in mild, moderate and severe. Different stages of the phobic state are symptomatic and the degree of damage to the human psyche.

In the first case, there is a constant feeling of boredom while being alone. At a moderate stage, anxiety becomes more pronounced.

Heavy form includes most of the characteristic symptoms of a phobia.

Autophobia may be accompanied following fears:

fear of not getting married;
fear of betrayal of the second half;
fear of loneliness after divorce or separation;
fear of sleeping alone;
fear of the death of loved ones.

Where does the fear of loneliness come from and how to get rid of it? Psychologist comments:

Why do people fear loneliness?

In most cases, the causes of autophobia are children's fears. Stressful situations, associated with the fear of loneliness, experienced by a child, can be a provoking factor that will lead to the development of phobia in adulthood.

The fear of being left alone or alone at the death of a loved one or parting with your loved ones is sharpening.

Possible causes Autophobia can be the following factors:

attention deficit disorder, provoked by the indifferent attitude of parents towards the child;
nervous exhaustion and regular overstrain of the body;
lack of family in adulthood (problems in personal life);
tensions with parents (in childhood and adolescence);
traumatic situations experienced in childhood and associated with being left alone;
excessive gullibility (as a distinctive trait of character);
lack of psychological support from friends, relatives or parents;
excessive concerns about breaking up with the second half;
the consequences of deceptions and betrayal of people to whom there was excessive trust;
the result of a violation of adaptation in society;
excessive self-criticism (as a character trait).

In women, autophobia is in most cases provoked low self-esteem (critical attitude to appearance, mental abilities, etc.). In men, the fear of loneliness arises against the background of fear that behind them no one will care.

The consequence of a phobic state is the tendency to quickly become attached to unfamiliar people.

Symptoms and signs

Being alone with himself, autophobes experience significant psychological discomfort.

It is difficult for such people to focus on working moments, creativity or everyday activities.

Autophobe thoughts are connected only with negative experiencesassociated with the fear of being alone. A person begins to think that no one needs him, that he will never find the other half, and the spouse will definitely leave him.

The following may indicate the development of autophobia the symptoms:

the irrational fear that misfortune will happen to close people;
excessive imposing of their presence on other people (numerous calls, messages, the desire to be close in any situation);
the presence of unstable self-esteem (opinion about his own person is constantly changing);
anxiety or panic when alone (in an apartment, at work, etc.);
constant attempts to avoid tasks whose fulfillment implies independent fulfillment;
the need for constant confirmation of self-worth for a person;
the presence of pathological dependence on the opinions of other people;
the desire to constantly be in society (the number of people does not matter).

Female loneliness - causes and ways to overcome:

What are the difficulties in life creates?

Autophobia refers to the number of dangerous phobic states that can significantly reduce the quality of human life and cause suicidal thoughts.

Autophobes are illegible in partners and try to marry or marry unfamiliar people.

Marriages in most cases are unhappy and quickly fall apart.

The source of the conflicts are the constant demands of attention to one’s person, excessive annoyance and obsessive thoughts of betrayal or betrayal of the second half.

The progression of autophobia can cause the following of the consequences:

abuse of bad habits;
difficulties in self-realization;
the development of persistent neurotic disorders;
the occurrence of pathological jealousy;
tendency to prolonged depressive conditions;
difficulties in family relationships and family formation;
joining phobias of other species.

How to fight?

The course of treatment of autophobia depends on individual clinical picture human health. Basic therapy is based on the use of special psychotherapeutic techniques and the use of medications to normalize the psycho-emotional background of autophobia.

If there are complications, hospitalization may be necessary (for example, with suicidal thoughts).

Additional techniques allow fix the result therapy and eliminate the recurrence of phobias.

Therapy for autophobia includes the following techniques:

Drug therapy (a course of intake of psycho-stimulating drugs, antidepressants, tranquilizers, hypnotic drugs and medicines with a sedative effect).
Inpatient treatment with procedures aimed at correcting the psycho-emotional state of autophobia (relaxing procedures, classes with psychologists and psychotherapists).
Basic psychotherapeutic help (individual or group classes with psychologists and psychotherapists).
Art Therapy (The methodology is aimed at the phased development of internal human fears).
Hypnotherapy (used when difficulties arise in identifying the causes of phobias).

Psychologist tips

Psychologists do not recommend combating autophobia on their own. This phobic condition can provoke many complicationsassociated with serious neurotic disorders.

The effectiveness of independent exercises is achieved only in the initial stages of the development of a phobia. If obsessive conditions occur, panic attacks or suicidal thoughtsthen without the help of psychologists to fix the problem will not work.

What to do, if:

It is terrible to be alone at home (it is necessary to understand that being alone at home is the norm, this does not mean that people have refused or cannot communicate with you, in order to divert attention, you can engage in creative work, watch your favorite movie or read a book).
I'm afraid to sleep alone (Fear of loneliness can be associated with additional phobias, for example, fear of darkness or nightmares, if such conditions occur, you should consult with your doctor, in most cases, the correction is carried out with special preparations).
I'm afraid of being alone and not getting married (this condition is one of the most common causes of autophobia complications; it is necessary to deal with the problem with an integrated approach; first of all, you need to increase your own self-esteem and engage in auto-training; if there is no result, psychotherapeutic procedures may be required).
I'm afraid to be alone after breaking up after a divorce (psychological trauma caused by divorce and separation from your loved ones is the most difficult to self-correct, the best option is to contact a psychologist, you can try to make new acquaintances, attend various events and try to spend less time alone).

Signs of autophobia in no case can not be ignored. This type of phobia is life threatening.

Lack of timely treatment may cause development persistent mental disordersthat can provoke irreversible neurosis.

How calmly to treat your loneliness, you can learn from the video: