Malaxophobia (fear of love games): what is it?

One of the characteristics of specific phobias is that they can appear in any area of ​​a person's life, so sexuality is not exempt from them either. Seduction dynamics and intimate games can be very invigorating if they are known to be carried out.

However, the ambiguity that is usually characteristic of some of these situations, together with negative experiences and a lack of social skills, it may be the perfect breeding ground for the appearance of certain anxiety disorders such as malaxophobia.

• Related article: "Types of Phobias: Exploring Fear Disorders"

What is malaxophobia?

Malaxophobia consists of a specific anxiety disorder in which the person experiences a deep fear of behaviors related to seduction or love games.

While it is true that some people feel uncomfortable in this type of situation or dynamic of an intimate nature, so that the feeling of anguish can be categorized as a phobia, the fear that is experienced must be completely irrational, exaggerated and constant over time and situations.

Therefore, in cases of malaxophobia the person feels completely incapable of carrying out any behavior, as well as submerging is any type of situation that implies having to face behaviors whose purpose is to initiate or maintain an intimate or sentimental relationship with another person.

Fortunately for the people who suffer from it, however, the symptoms of this mental disorder can decrease their intensity remarkably and even remit completely thanks to psychological interventions specifically created for this type of anxiety disorder.

• You may be interested in: "Assertiveness to seduce: 9 tricks to improve your communication"

What symptoms appear?

Since malaxophobia is part of the disorders known as specific phobias, shares a large number of symptoms with them. The clinical picture typical of this anxious disorder usually appears in those situations in which the person who suffers from it must face or carry out activities or behaviors related to love play and seduction.

When this occurs, the person experiences a large number of symptoms typical of a response of anxiety excessive. Although these indications of the presence of a phobia can vary both in quantity and intensity among the people who suffer from it, as a rule In general, and for fear to be considered phobic, a series of physical, cognitive and physical symptoms must appear. behavioral

1. physical symptoms

The physical symptoms can appear at the same moment in which the person must face the feared situation or, on the contrary, in response to an anticipatory fear. That is, before the situation occurs or just thinking that at some point it can happen.

These physical symptoms consist of a series of completely uncontrollable alterations and physical changes that the person experiences in response to the appearance of the phobic stimulus. The origin of these organic alterations is due to hyperactivity of the central nervous system and can manifest itself in the following ways:

• Increased heart rate.
• Increased respiratory rate.
• Sensation of suffocation or shortness of breath.
• Muscle tension.
• headaches.
• Gastric alterations.
• Increased sweating levels.
• Feeling dizzy or dizzy.
• Nausea and/or vomiting.
• Fainting or loss of consciousness.
• Feeling of unreality or depersonalization.

2. cognitive symptoms

The experimentation of physical or organic symptoms is conditioned by a series of cognitive symptoms that appear in advance and consist of a series of irrational ideas and beliefs about the situation feared. In the case of malaxophobia, these ideas are related to intimate love games and behaviors related to seduction.

These thoughts are usually related to an excessive fear of feeling humiliated, rejected or embarrassed by the other person. Among the cognitive symptoms of this phobia are:

• distorted beliefs about the supposed dangers of seduction and love games.
• intrusive ideas and uncontrollable related to these situations.
• obsessive speculations about the possible consequences of these acts.
• Intrusive images and catastrophic nature.
• Fear of losing control and not being able to manage the situation satisfactorily.

3. behavioral symptoms

As a consequence of the symptoms described above, the person also experiences a series of symptoms or behavioral patterns that appear in response to the appearance of the feared situation.

The objective of this behavioral symptomatology is to avoid said situation or flee from it in the event that it has not been possible to avoid it. In this way, the experimentation of feelings of anxiety and anguish will also be avoided.

These behaviors refer to avoidance and escape behaviors. In the first case, avoidance behaviors refer to all those behaviors or acts that the person performs to avoid the possibility of having to face these situations. On the other hand, escape behaviors appear when the person suffering from malaxophobia is already submerged in the feared situation. During this period of time, the person will carry out all kinds of acts or behaviors that allow them to escape the situation as quickly as possible.

What causes does it have?

Although at the moment the specific causes of a phobia cannot be reliably determined. The evidence points to the possibility that experiencing highly traumatic events or experiences or with a great emotional charge, together with a genetic predisposition to the harmful effects of stress establish a basis for the appearance of the phobia.

For example, a person whose genetics is a risk factor and who has suffered some rejection or humiliation while in an intimate situation, is susceptible to developing malaxophobia.

However, it must be taken into account other factors such as personality, cognitive styles, or learning by imitation, which can favor the appearance and development of irrational fear of any type of object or situation.

Is there treatment?

Malaxophobia, although strange, is a highly disabling disorder for the person who suffers from it, which is completely incapable of initiating and maintaining any type of intimate interaction with another person.

This fear can become highly frustrating, since whoever suffers from it feel the need and desire to be with another person, but at the same time the fear of having to face this situation. So it makes this completely impossible.

Luckily, treatments have been developed that reduce this anxiety and even eliminate it completely. Intervention through psychotherapy has turned out to be highly effective in the treatment of phobias.

Through a treatment that combines a cognitive restructuring to eliminate psychological symptoms, along with systematic desensitization techniques or in vivo exposure, as well as a Training in relaxation techniques can help the person to be able to overcome their phobic fear and rebuild their life in a new way. normal.