Xylophobia: symptoms, causes and treatment

Xylophobia, also known as hilophobia, is the persistent and intense fear of objects made of wood, or materials that simulate it, as well as wooded areas. Although it is rare, it is a specific phobia of a natural environment, which may be related to the dangers associated with forests.

Below is what xylophobia is as well as its main symptoms and some strategies to counter it.

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

Xylophobia: fear of wood

The term xylophobia is made up of the Greek word "xilo" (xylon), which means wood, and "phobos" which means fear. Is about a persistent and excessive fear of wood, its characteristics (smell, texture) and the objects derived from it. It is also characterized by a fear of forests and by materials that simulate wood.

Being a phobia whose trigger is an element of nature, xylophobia can be defined as a specific phobia of the natural environment. As such, it has received little or no research, since occurs infrequently.

What can happen more frequently is that it is a fear that is related to others, for example, of a situational nature. The latter are persistent fears of certain circumstances or places, such as forests or open spaces. In this case, xylophobia may be related not only to wood, but also to darkness, wide-open places, uncertainty, animals, getting lost, etc.

Characteristics and main symptoms

When we find ourselves in situations that represent a danger, either real or perceivedOur body alerts us in different ways. Specifically, a part of our nerve cells known as the autonomic nervous system is activated, which regulates the involuntary functions of our body.

These functions include, for example, visceral activity, respiratory rate, sweating or palpitations. All these reactions, which are related to fear, allow us to implement a series of adaptive behaviors, that is, they allow us to respond proportionally to possible damage.

But, it can also happen that the previous reactions appear disproportionately, preventing us from generating adaptive responses and significantly impacting our experiences regarding the stimulus.

Precisely, specific phobias such as xylophobia are characterized by a response of anxiety activated by exposure to the stimulus that is perceived as harmful. Thus, xylophobia can manifest itself through the following symptoms mainly: tachycardia, increased blood pressure, sweating, decreased gastric activity, palpitations, hyperventilation.

In the same way, and if the part of the autonomous nervous system known as the "parasympathetic nervous system" is activated, xylophobia can generate physiological responses associated with disgust, such as cardiovascular slowing, dry mouth, nausea, stomach pain, dizziness and a drop in temperature.

The above symptoms vary depending on whether the specific phobia is of a situation, an environmental element, animals, injuries, or any other type. Depending on the case, another possible manifestation is the presence of a panic attack.

On the other hand, the presence of secondary behaviors is common, which are those that the person performs to protect themselves from the noxious stimulus and prevent the anxiety response. Is about defensive and avoidant behaviors (do everything possible not to expose yourself to the noxious stimulus) and hypervigilance about related situations or elements. Added to the above is the perception of lacking resources to face the feared stimulus, which can aggravate the anxiety response and increase avoidance behaviors.

Causes

As with other specific phobias, xylophobia may be caused by a series of learned associations about the stimulus and possible harm. In this case, it is associations on forested areas and the elements that compose them (especially wood), and related hazards.

These associations may be based on real and direct experiences of danger, or they may have been established by indirect experiences. In the specific case of xylophobia, media exposure to wooded spaces can have an important influence, where they are generally represented in a close relationship with imminent dangers, for example, getting lost or being attacked by an animal or some other person.

When does a phobia develop?

In general, phobias of the natural environment type begin in childhood (before the age of 12), and phobias of the situational type can start both in childhood and after the age of 20. Similarly, it can happen that a specific phobia develops into adulthood, even when the non-persistent fear began in childhood.

The latter has not been studied in xylophobia, but it has been studied in phobias of animals, blood and injections, driving, and heights. Furthermore, when development occurs during childhood and adolescence, phobic fears are more likely to subside even without treatment; issue that is more difficult to occur in adulthood. It is more common for specific phobias to occur in women than in men.

main treatments

In the beginning it is important to evaluate the situation and the feared stimulus to determine the causes. From there, it is important detect problematic behaviors at a cognitive, physiological and social level, as well as the intensity of the anxiety responses. subsequently it is important to analyze the emotional resources and coping styles of the person to know what needs to be reinforced or modified.

To intervene directly on xylophobia, as well as to treat other types of specific phobias, it is common to use strategies such as the following:

• live exhibition.
• Participating model.
• relaxation strategies.
• cognitive restructuring.
• Imaginary exposure techniques.
• systematic desensitization.
• Reprocessing by eye movements.

The effectiveness of each one depends on the specific type of phobia and the particular symptoms of the person who has it.

Bibliographic references:

• Fritscher, L. (2018). Understanding Xylophobia or the Irrational Fear of Wooded Areas. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Available in https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fear-of-the-woods-2671899.
• Bados, A. (2005). Specific Phobias. Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona.