Eisoptrophobia, the fear of reflecting oneself: symptoms, and what to do

Eisoptrophobia is an irrational fear of seeing one's own image reflected in a mirror.. More specifically, those who suffer from it experience intense fear at the idea of ​​seeing something terrifying in the mirror, such as ghosts, spirits, etc.

Although the person is able to see the irrational and absurd within her fear, she cannot help but feel it, as it works in most phobias. This aspect has to do with superstitious thinking, where it is believed that seeing one's own image reflected in a mirror can lead to something bad happening, and in the same way if the mirror breaks. Taking into account here the cultural aspect is important.

Eisoptrophobia is also associated, within anxiety disorders, with rejection of one's own image. When we do not have an adequate vision of ourselves, but quite the opposite, when we see ourselves reflected in a mirror we are before everything that causes us to reject our own body, becoming something obsessive and that tends to avoid. And, on the other hand, it can be part of a more serious mental disorder.

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

What is eisoptrophobia? Characteristics

Who suffers from eisoptrophobia has the same symptoms that occur in any phobia when we are in front of the feared stimulus, in this case the mirrors, or we anticipate that we will be. Some of the most common symptoms are as follows:

• sweating.
• Sensation of suffocation and shortness of breath.
• Tachycardia.
• Eager to flee and avoid mirrors.
• Dizziness and nausea.
• Intense fear and anxiety.

Who suffers from it?

After numerous investigations with scientific support, we can say that phobias are learned, and some people are more vulnerable than others to develop them.

This vulnerability can occur due to several aspects, one of them, as I pointed out above, it has to do with the image and concept of oneself. That is, those people who have a low self-esteem, and focused above all on their appearance, they are afraid to look in the mirror because what they see causes them very intense feelings of rejection. Avoid exposing yourself to it is generating that anxiety is greater and more uncontrollable.

On the other hand, all that superstitious thought linked to "bad luck" that causes a mirror to break, or to break it for accident, as well as ideas of the type that the person can see reflected something fearsome or even, that something comes out of the mirror and can hurt him, can lead to irrational beliefs that cause and maintain the problem.

How does it harm mental health?

The consequences of any type of phobia are the limitations that the person suffers. Everything that surrounds what is feared will try to avoid; in this case, everything that has to do with mirrors or reflective surfaces.

Those who suffer from this phobia at home do not have mirrors where they can see themselves, and will avoid situations where there are mirrors, for example, social situations in restaurants, hairdressers or beauty salons, shops, etc And the ones that I can't avoid, he will live them with great discomfort and anxiety.

These limitations cause the person to reduce their circle of social activity, it can even affect work, family and partner.

Treatment

The treatment of eisoptrophobia is aimed at eliminate fear, to unlearn what has been learned, and learn other ways to deal with the problem.

The most effective therapeutic proposal today is exposure therapy. It consists of exposing the person to feared stimuli gradually, so that they gradually become desensitized little, and equip them with anxiety management strategies, as well as restructure maladjusted and irrational thinking.

So, self-esteem and self-confidence are restored; In short, you can be in control of what happens, thus eliminating the limits that the disorder itself causes the person to impose on themselves.

Bibliographic references:

• André, Christophe. (2006). Psychology of fear. Fears, anxieties and phobias. Barcelona. Editorial Kairos, 2006.
• Horse, Vincent. (1998). International Handbook of Cognitive and Behavioral Treatments for Psychological Disorders. pergamon. pp. 5-6.
• Evans, Rand. (1999). Clinical psychology born and raised in controversy. APA Monitor, 30(11).