Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
As a type ofanxiety disorder, anthropophobia is typically treated with a form of therapy known as exposure therapy and possibly with drugs like benzodiazepines and antidepressants.
This article describes the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of anthropophobia.
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What Is Anthropophobia (Fear of People)?
With anthropophobia, people feel extreme anxiety when in the company of individuals, groups, or crowds. They often describe feeling like they are being judged or watched. Underlying the condition is a discomfort with one’s self-image and how others perceive you.
How Anthopophobia Differs From Social Anxiety Disorder
Anthropophobia and social anxiety disorder (SAD) are both anxiety disorders. In fact, at one time SAD was referred to as “social phobia.”
SAD differs in that it is a distinct disorder in the DSM-5 with its own set of diagnostic criteria. SAD occurs in specific situations, namely unfamiliar ones in which you are among people you don’t know.
By contrast, anthropophobia occurs in any situation, whether it is familiar or unfamiliar or you know the people or not. The fear persists regardless of the setting.
Symptoms of Anthropophobia
People with anthropophobia often have the following personality or emotional characteristics:
This can lead to somatic symptoms consistent with other types of anxiety disorders, including:
What Causes a Fear of People?
There is no precise cause for anthropophobia, although psychological, environmental, genetic, and biological factors are thought to contribute.
Anthropophobia can sometimes develop after a previous humiliating social experience, particularly in people with highinterpersonal sensitivity(reactiveness to verbal and non-verbal social cues).Family or cultural experiences that impart shame or fear can also cause phobias.
With that said, anthropophobia can occur in the absence of any known trauma. Genetics is thought to play a role insofar as anxiety disorders tend to run in families.
Some researchers have also found that theamygdala—a small structure in the brain that processes emotions based on memories—is hyperreactive in people with phobias. The amygdala is also involved with the “fight-or-flight” response that occurs when faced with real or perceived threats. This may account for high interpersonal sensitivity in people with anthropophobia.
There is also evidence that phobias are due to an imbalance of “feel-good” hormones likedopamineandserotonin.
The incidence of certain types of anthropophobia. such astaijin kyofushoin Japanese culture, may be higher in adult males when compared with females.Generally, though, females have a higher risk of developing phobias than males do.
Diagnosing Anthropophobia
To be diagnosed with a specific phobia like anthropophobia, you must meet certain diagnostic criteria listed as follows in the DSM-5:
In addition, other possible causes must be excluded for the diagnosis to be definitive, such as:
How Is Phobia Diagnosed?
Treatment of Anthropophobia
Phobias such as anthropophobia can be effectively treated with psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and in some cases, prescription medications.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy(a.k.a. talk therapy) is a first-line drug treatment for anthropophobia. There are two modalities commonly used:
Relaxation Techniques
Medications
If anthropophobia symptoms significantly impair your quality of life, your healthcare provider might prescribe medications. There are two classes of drugs typically used for this: benzodiazepines and SSRI antidepressants.
Benzodiazepinesare short-acting sedatives that are the first-line drugs for specific phobias. They can be taken when anxiety symptoms first arise or prior to situations that cause anxiety.
Options include:
Benzodiazepines should be used with caution as they can cause drowsiness and loss of coordination. They are also associated with drug tolerance and addiction, the risk of which increases the longer you take them.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)are a class of antidepressants sometimes used for selective phobias. They help bring down serotonin levels in the brain as phobias are thought to be linked to high serotonin.
SSRIs take time to work and often cause drowsiness, insomnia, tremors, constipation, low libido, and erectile dysfunction. On rare occasions, they can trigger agitation that worsens anxiety symptoms.
Summary
Anthropophobia is an irrational, overwhelming fear of people. It is different than feeling uncomfortable in social situations.
Anthropophobia causes anxiety symptoms, such as increased heart rate, sweating, chest pain, and dizziness. Treatment usually includes psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and possibly medications such as benzodiazepines and SSRIs.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhardwaj T, Shekhawat L, Viju PD.Anthropophobia (Taijin Kyofusho) beyond the boundaries of a culture-bound syndrome: a case series from India.Indian J Psychol Med.2022 Nov;44(6):615–617. doi:10.1177/02537176211053223Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison - impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.National Institutes of Health.Social anxiety disorder: more than just shyness.National Institute of Mental Health.Any anxiety disorder.Loken EK, Hettema JM, Aggen SH, Kendler KS.The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias.Psychol Med. 2014;44:2375–2384. doi:10.1017/S0033291713003012Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias.Learning Memory. 2017;24(9):462–471. doi:10.1101/lm.044115.116National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.Version 1. F1000Res.2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Parmentier FBR, Garcia-Toro M, Garcia-Campayo J, Yanex AM, Andres P, Gili M.Mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population: the mediating roles of worry, rumination, reappraisal and suppression.Front Psychol.2019;10:506. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00506Zoroufchi BH, Doustmohammadi H, Mokhtari T, Abdollahpour A.Benzodiazepines related sexual dysfunctions: A critical review on pharmacology and mechanism of action.Rev Int Androl. 2021;19(1):62-68. doi:10.1016/j.androl.2019.08.003U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) information.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhardwaj T, Shekhawat L, Viju PD.Anthropophobia (Taijin Kyofusho) beyond the boundaries of a culture-bound syndrome: a case series from India.Indian J Psychol Med.2022 Nov;44(6):615–617. doi:10.1177/02537176211053223Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison - impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.National Institutes of Health.Social anxiety disorder: more than just shyness.National Institute of Mental Health.Any anxiety disorder.Loken EK, Hettema JM, Aggen SH, Kendler KS.The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias.Psychol Med. 2014;44:2375–2384. doi:10.1017/S0033291713003012Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias.Learning Memory. 2017;24(9):462–471. doi:10.1101/lm.044115.116National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.Version 1. F1000Res.2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Parmentier FBR, Garcia-Toro M, Garcia-Campayo J, Yanex AM, Andres P, Gili M.Mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population: the mediating roles of worry, rumination, reappraisal and suppression.Front Psychol.2019;10:506. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00506Zoroufchi BH, Doustmohammadi H, Mokhtari T, Abdollahpour A.Benzodiazepines related sexual dysfunctions: A critical review on pharmacology and mechanism of action.Rev Int Androl. 2021;19(1):62-68. doi:10.1016/j.androl.2019.08.003U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) information.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bhardwaj T, Shekhawat L, Viju PD.Anthropophobia (Taijin Kyofusho) beyond the boundaries of a culture-bound syndrome: a case series from India.Indian J Psychol Med.2022 Nov;44(6):615–617. doi:10.1177/02537176211053223Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison - impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.National Institutes of Health.Social anxiety disorder: more than just shyness.National Institute of Mental Health.Any anxiety disorder.Loken EK, Hettema JM, Aggen SH, Kendler KS.The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias.Psychol Med. 2014;44:2375–2384. doi:10.1017/S0033291713003012Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias.Learning Memory. 2017;24(9):462–471. doi:10.1101/lm.044115.116National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.Version 1. F1000Res.2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Parmentier FBR, Garcia-Toro M, Garcia-Campayo J, Yanex AM, Andres P, Gili M.Mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population: the mediating roles of worry, rumination, reappraisal and suppression.Front Psychol.2019;10:506. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00506Zoroufchi BH, Doustmohammadi H, Mokhtari T, Abdollahpour A.Benzodiazepines related sexual dysfunctions: A critical review on pharmacology and mechanism of action.Rev Int Androl. 2021;19(1):62-68. doi:10.1016/j.androl.2019.08.003U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) information.
Bhardwaj T, Shekhawat L, Viju PD.Anthropophobia (Taijin Kyofusho) beyond the boundaries of a culture-bound syndrome: a case series from India.Indian J Psychol Med.2022 Nov;44(6):615–617. doi:10.1177/02537176211053223
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison - impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
National Institutes of Health.Social anxiety disorder: more than just shyness.
National Institute of Mental Health.Any anxiety disorder.
Loken EK, Hettema JM, Aggen SH, Kendler KS.The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias.Psychol Med. 2014;44:2375–2384. doi:10.1017/S0033291713003012
Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias.Learning Memory. 2017;24(9):462–471. doi:10.1101/lm.044115.116
National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.
Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.Version 1. F1000Res.2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1
Parmentier FBR, Garcia-Toro M, Garcia-Campayo J, Yanex AM, Andres P, Gili M.Mindfulness and symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population: the mediating roles of worry, rumination, reappraisal and suppression.Front Psychol.2019;10:506. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00506
Zoroufchi BH, Doustmohammadi H, Mokhtari T, Abdollahpour A.Benzodiazepines related sexual dysfunctions: A critical review on pharmacology and mechanism of action.Rev Int Androl. 2021;19(1):62-68. doi:10.1016/j.androl.2019.08.003
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) information.
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