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Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Cynophobia, the phobia (excessive fear) of dogs, is a type of anxiety disorder.Cynophobia is more than being afraid of dogs or not wanting to be around them. This type of fear interferes with your daily activities. Cynophobia often develops at a young age and is sometimes (but not always) the result of a traumatic encounter with a dog.
This article discusses cynophobia and its symptoms, diagnosis, causes, and treatment options.
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What Is the Fear of Dogs?
Many people are afraid of dogs, or at least uncomfortable around canines, and take steps to avoid them. However, cynophobia is more than simply being afraid of dogs. Cynophobia is a persistent, irrational fear of dogs that causes severe anxiety symptoms.
People with cynophobia may go out of their way to stay away from dogs, even avoiding going for walks or visiting people they know who have a dog.
What Are Symptoms of Cynophobia?
You don’t have to be in the presence of a dog to experience the symptoms of cynophobia. In fact, just thinking about dogs can trigger an anxiety attack. Symptoms can include:
Adults with cynophobia may recognize that their fear of dogs is excessive or unrealistic, but they are unable to control the symptoms it causes. Children may be less likely to separate rational versus irrational fears.
Risk Factors for Developing a Fear of Dogs
The biggest risk factor for developing cynophobia is having an encounter with a dog that triggers an extreme emotional response. Usually, but not always, the scary encounter that triggers cynophobia happens in childhood.
Some people may be more likely to develop cynophobia than others, including people with:
Cynophobia can be a learned behavior, too. If you grow up with a caretaker who fears dogs, or in a culture that fears dogs, you may be more inclined to develop the phobia yourself.
Cynophobia can develop if a dog has attacked you or someone you know. Cynophobia can arise from being:
An imbalance in certain chemicals in the brain, calledneurotransmitters, can also lead to anxiety disorders, including phobias.Two neurotransmitters that can contribute to anxiety are dopamine and serotonin.
Not all phobias have a cause. Some people may be inherently afraid of dogs without experiencing a traumatic event.
How Phobia Is Diagnosed
Treatment for Cynophobia
Several types of treatment are available for cynophobia, including exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and medication.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapyis a technique that entails exposing a person to the stimulus they fear in a safe, carefully-controlled environment until the fear goes away.
Exposure therapy for cynophobia can take two forms:
While it is widely considered the “gold standard” for treating cynophobia, exposure therapy is somewhat controversial.
The main argument against exposure therapy is that it evokes distress in people who may be unwilling to engage in the therapy in the first place. Whether or not children are capable of properly consenting to exposure therapy is also debated.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapyis a type of psychotherapy. The main focus of cognitive behavioral therapy is to identify faulty thought patterns and learn how to change your behaviors.For example, your therapist can help you face your irrational fear of dogs and teach you ways to cope with your anxiety disorder symptoms.
Relaxation and Mindfulness Techniques
Breathing ExerciseLie down or sit in a comfortable position.Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.Breathe in slowly through your nose. Fill your belly with air. Try not to allow your chest to rise.Purse your lips as if blowing out candles, and slowly breathe out.Repeat for several breaths.
Breathing Exercise
Lie down or sit in a comfortable position.Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.Breathe in slowly through your nose. Fill your belly with air. Try not to allow your chest to rise.Purse your lips as if blowing out candles, and slowly breathe out.Repeat for several breaths.
How to Reduce Stress: Techniques and More
Medications
The most common medication type used for phobias is benzodiazepines, such as Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam).These medications are short-acting and work best when used right before confronting your phobia.
Other types of medications can be used to treat anxiety disorders, including specific phobias. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affect levels of serotonin in your brain to decrease symptoms of anxiety. Common SSRIs include Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Celexa (citalopram).
Summary
Cynophobia is more than just being afraid of dogs. This irrational, persistent fear can keep you from enjoying everyday life—you even might avoid visiting places because there’s a chance a dog might be in the vicinity. A mental health professional such as a psychiatrist can diagnose you and get you started on a treatment regimen. Psychotherapy, mindfulness, and medications can be useful and effective treatments to help you overcome a phobia.
How Is Phobia Treated?
10 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.
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