The cynophobia [from the greek “c hiùon” ( dog ) and ” phobos ” (fear)], is afraid of dogs . The subject is seized by a reaction of strong anxiety, excessive and irrational, when he is near the animal. Sometimes even in front of a photo or just thinking. It is a very widespread phobia ; the most frequent fear concerns the possibility of being bitten or attacked.
In the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM-5, APA-2013) it is classified within anxiety disorders and, more precisely, among specific phobias .
Characteristics of the fear of dogs
Phobia is an extreme, irrational and disproportionate fear of something that does not pose a real threat. Sufferers are overwhelmed with terror at the idea of taking an action that leaves most people indifferent.
Subjects are fully aware of the irrationality of their fear but cannot control it.
People who do not suffer from phobic disorders , such as cynophobia , find phobias very difficult to understand. The more the phobic object is common and familiar, for example the dog, the more the phobic encounters misunderstanding and lack of solidarity in the people around him. Ordinary people cannot understand how one can be terrified of a soft and playful little dog or a loving puppy. People often think that those who fear dogs are exaggerating or pretending that they should be brave.
It is difficult to understand the panic and problems caused by phobias. Often the attitude is: “don’t be stupid, he’s a very good dog ..”. The lack of understanding on the part of others often leads the phobic person to feel ashamed and to feel ridiculous. Suffering in silence, he will try to hide his panic for as long as possible, also making excuses of all kinds in order not to confess the real reason for the malaise.
Possible causes of dog fears
The causes of cynophobia are not always easily identifiable. Often this disorder can manifest itself in people who have been the victim of a direct attack or who simply witnessed such an event as spectators.
More technically, the phobia is the result of learning and this can happen in three ways:
- by classical conditioning, ie a traumatic experience (or perceived as such) directly experienced by the subject;
- through vicarious conditioning, or observational learning, which consists in having witnessed an attack on another person or having observed phobic reactions in significant others (eg parents);
- by social transmission: that is, having received information or instructions relating to the danger of dogs, including through films.
As with all phobias, even in fear of dogs , the maintenance mechanism is linked to operant conditioning. That is, the decrease in fear resulting from avoiding the situation.
In reality, avoiding the scary (the dog) will only reduce anxiety in the short term. In the long run the disorder will be maintained and even strengthened, as in a vicious circle.
You feel bad and you only want one thing: escape! The tendency to avoid all situations or conditions that may be associated with fear, although it reduces the effects of the phobia on the spot, actually constitutes a trap. Every avoidance, in fact, confirms the danger of the avoided situation and prepares the following avoidance and the discomfort thus becomes more and more limiting.
Symptoms of cynophobia
The subject with fear of dogs experiences , in the presence of one or more dogs, the following physical sensations:
- general malaise
- tachycardia
- difficulty in breathing and a feeling of suffocation
- sweating
- tremors
- nausea
- dizziness
From a psychological point of view he experiences:
- anxiety
- feeling of helplessness and loss of control
- fear of dying
- sometimes a real panic attack
Symptoms usually cease when the person is not in contact with the animal.
Who to contact to deal with cynophobia
When the phobia of dogs causes obvious discomfort in the subject and affects his quality of life, it is essential to contact a specialist in the sector. A psychologist-psychotherapist can help him understand, manage and deal with the disorder. The therapeutic approach that has the greatest scientific evidence of result is the cognitive-behavioral one .
The cure for the fear of dogs
The treatment of cynophobia is relatively simple and of short duration, if you rely on competent and expert figures on the subject.
It is recommended to follow a cognitive-behavioral therapy , which is considered the most effective in the scientific literature, as for all phobias.
From a cognitive point of view, irrational thoughts are worked on through cognitive restructuring techniques . For the behavioral aspect, on the other hand, we intervene on the symptoms and on the coping methods with the aim of obtaining a positive change, up to the solution of the discomfort.
After a period of evaluation of the case, specific exposure techniques (in imagination or in vivo ) or systematic desensitization to the feared situations will be used. In this way the person is able to gradually approach the stimuli that previously triggered fear in him and, with habit, they cease to generate anxiety.
To make the treatment of cynophobia more effective , various relaxation or mindfulness meditation techniques can also be taught . Sometimes, it can also be useful to combine therapy with psychotropic drugs , set up and supervised by a doctor-psychiatrist.
