Summer has arrived and with the heat we are experiencing we feel compelled to shed our layers of clothing and undress before the eyes of others, on the beach or by the pool.
However, many people are unable to live with nudity. It is the case of those who suffer disablephobia or, what is the same, fear of undressing.
We are talking about a phobic disorder that presents itself in intense fear of nudity.
This phobia can be very disablingsince it not only harms the person who suffers from it in their sexual life, but can limit it in their day to day: when going to the beach, the pool, or even to the gym.
What’s more, this phobia causes in those who suffer from it an excessive fear just to imagine or think about having to take off their clothes.
the psychologist Lucia Feito Crespofrom , explains that the causes of disabilityphobia can be various and can be related to “low body self-esteem or complexes with some part of the body that is difficult for us to show”.
In the most extreme cases, “with some distortion of one’s own body image or with”.
It can appear as a consequence of other phobias, such as sexual or social ones, or be related to other disorders, such as body dysmorphic or eating disorders.
Disablephobia: Does it appear due to the use of social networks?
Dr. Feito Crespo points out that:
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“In consultation we see that this phobia tends to be associated with some traumatic event experienced in childhood, which has left this mark on people who, for example, have been victims of sexual assault.”
It may also be related to the body image that the person has of himself.
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And it is that “the continuous exposure to perfect bodies to which we are subjected on social networks, and which on many occasions are very unreal, make people increasingly have more complexes and a worse self-esteem in relation to their body image” .
The specialist emphasizes that this “encourages people to tend to achieve that ideal of accepted beauty that leads to the development of these disorders, and hence this intense fear of showing their bodies or certain situations in which they must undress in front of others”.
This fear of undressing generates and an exaggerated concern “that these ‘patients’ show before certain characteristics of their body”.
A fairly complex phobia, which can become very disabling for the person and affect different areas of their life and that “generates more suffering in relationships and bonds.”
Nevertheless, it has a solution.
Expert advice to deal with disabilityphobia
You can’t fix a problem if it’s not recognized.
The first step, Laura Feito Crespo points out, is “to step forward and ask for help.”
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identify with the different symptoms that presents this phobia (hyperventilation, tachycardia, headache, dry mouth…).
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We must make efforts to be able to talk about it and share our feelings, thoughts and concerns with other people.
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Practice relaxation techniques or meditation can help us combat the discomfort and anxiety that this phobia generates.
Without a doubt, “the best step once it has been identified is to ask for specialized help from a professional who can help us with our problem.”
In the mildest cases, the psychologist indicates:
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“We will work on self-esteem and self-concept and we will learn relaxation techniques that will not only help us to overcome this problem but also in different areas of our lives. And in the most serious cases we have different techniques that I have mentioned previously.”
How is it treated in consultation?
The most effective psychological therapy for this disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy. “In this type of ‘treatment’, therapists have different techniques, and we always try to choose those that best suit the patient in order to offer individualized treatment.”
But, the most used are the following:
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Exposure techniques.
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Systematic desensitization.
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relaxation techniques.
“The idea is that the patient develops strategies to self-regulate his anxiety and gradually exposes himself to his feared stimulus, first with those situations that are less difficult for him, to progress to those that generate more anxiety as he develops resources. and taking security”.
On the other hand, if this irrational fear of undressing is caused by other disorders or as a consequence of traumatic events or abuse in his life, “it will require other treatments.”
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“As I have said, the most important thing is to know each case, each person and each story to be able to design the treatment that best suits the person.”