Many people consider dogs to be faithful, kind, friendly and unconditional pets, among other qualities. However, some individuals associate them with aggressive and evil animals. The alarming news about dog bites and deaths in the media has also influenced seeing them as a danger. However, it must be taken into account that these cases constitute a very small percentage and, in many cases, have to do with the breeding and lifestyle of the dogs.
It is understandable that we have a certain fear of dogs if we have experienced an unpleasant situation with them in the past, but it does not have to be an obstacle in our daily functioning. When this fear is intense, persistent and prevents us from living our lives normally, then it could be cynophobia. In this Psychology-Online article you will find information about Cynophobia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment.
What is cynophobia
Cynophobia, better known as dog phobia, is characterized by a excessive and irrational fear of dogs. In other words, cynophobia corresponds to certain thoughts, emotions and behaviors linked to the persistence of a state of tension produced by fear of dogs. Taking these qualities into account, it is possible to include this condition within the group of specific phobias of the DSM-V.
To make an adequate diagnosis of this pathology, a series of diagnostic criteria must be met:
- Fear or anxiety about a specific situation or object.
- Avoidance of the situation or object.
- Fear and/or anxiety disproportionate to the real danger posed by the object and/or the specific situation.
- Duration of six months or more.
- Significant deterioration of social, work and family relationships due to fear or anxiety.
- The alterations cannot be explained by the presence of another mental disorder or the intake of medications.
Causes of cynophobia
Determining the possible origins of this condition offers the advantage of developing appropriate strategies that allow a remission of the intensity caused by cynophobia. In this section, we will display the most frequent causes of this anxiety disorder:
Environmental factors
As a general rule, unpleasant experiences affect personality. In this sense, dog phobia may be related to having been the victim of a traumatic situation in which a dog was present. When the person cannot overcome the sensations produced by what they experienced in the past, intense fear persists over time.
On the other hand, the imitation of behaviors It is also part of the origin of this painting. If a family member has been diagnosed with cynophobia, it is possible that he has taken as a reference the behavioral patterns that he has contemplated his entire life.
Genetic factors
The gene transmission marks different ways of facing situations. Likewise, there are various areas of the cerebral cortex that are linked to the processing of stimuli coming from outside. For this reason, neural connections can be more frequent and intense because they awaken fear responses to the world.
In this case, dogs would be part of those feared stimuli. If, in addition, a parent has this disorder, there are great possibilities that their child will adopt the same mechanisms.
Symptoms of cynophobia
How do I know if I have cynophobia? In order to detect this problem more accurately, it is very important to know the behavioral and emotional manifestations of people who suffer from cynophobia.
Next, we will point out the main symptoms of this disorder:
- Intense fear of dogs.
- Constant avoidance of situations linked to dogs.
- Catastrophic thoughts about death.
- .
- Low self-esteem.
- Distress.
- Hyperintense anxiety.
- Palpitations.
- Excessive sweating.
- Palpitations.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Shortness of breath.
The isolated presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are afraid of dogs. To determine this, it is essential that the diagnosis be carried out by a mental health professional who evaluates the clinical characteristics of each person.
Cynophobia treatment
How can I stop being afraid of dogs? Despite the obstacles that cynophobia causes in the development of daily life, there are effective approaches to confront and overcome it. Next, we will show you how cynophobia is cured.
Psychological therapy
This approach aims to resolve conflicts by working on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that give rise to symptoms. On the one hand, long-term therapies focus on seeking Strategies to cope with scary situations and/or anxiety in a more enjoyable way. The best known brief therapy is .
On the other hand, long-term therapies try to find the origin of the symptoms from the memory of traumatic childhood situations. Finding the origin of the fear will allow the patient to adopt other ways of facing situations where he has to be with dogs.
Pharmacological medication
In cases of considerable severity that prevent the development of daily activities, one of the symptoms to treat cynophobia is to resort to the use of medications that reduce the intensity of symptoms. Specifically, anxiolytics are psychotropic drugs that inhibit some neuronal receptors associated with the emotion of fear.
However, it must always be kept in mind that the supply of psychotropic drugs should be done by a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cynophobia (fear of dogs): what it is, causes, symptoms and treatmentwe recommend that you enter our category.
References
- American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Panamericana Medical Publishing.
Bibliography
- Diaz Berciano, C., García Jiménez, MV (2000). Treatment of a case of dog phobia through counterconditioning. Psychothema Magazine, 12 (2), 187-191.
- Olivares-Olivares, P., Soler Fernández, N., Sánchez Regadera, M. (2017). Evaluation and treatment of a case of cynophobia. Behavior Analysis and Modification Magazine, 43 (167-168), 1-18.