Herpetophobia: symptoms, causes and treatment

Reptiles and amphibians. Along with insects, they are usually among the beings that cause people the most discomfort. Given the danger of some of these animals, the existence of a certain fear towards them is logical to a certain extent, being somewhat adaptive. And it is that obviously, an encounter with a poisonous snake or a crocodile can be highly dangerous or even fatal.

But in some people, this fear is exaggerated and supposes a true phobia towards most of reptiles and amphibians that can limit its functioning: we are talking about those that suffer an anxiety disorder known as herpetophobia.

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Defining herpetophobia

Herpetophobia is defined as the phobia or panic towards most of the reptiles and part of the amphibians. We are facing one of the most frequent specific phobias in the world, being in fact the second most widespread phobia linked to animals, after arachnophobia.

Those who suffer from this phobia usually experience strong anxiety in the presence of reptiles and amphibians, which can go accompanied by physiological symptoms such as tremor, hyperarousal, excessive sweating, tachycardia and hyperventilation. Exposure to these beings can generate an anxiety crisis in which associated pain appears to heart attacks, depersonalization or the belief that one is going to die or go crazy, among others symptoms. In some cases a temporary paralysis may even appear, due to the

overactivation of the nervous system. In addition to fear, it is not strange that reptiles and amphibians also generate disgust or repulsion for people with this phobia.

Fear is not only aroused by the presence of these animals themselves, but also by situations or places where they could appear or by elements that announce their presence. For example, finding a snake skin can cause people with this phobia to have a panic attack. It also usually causes a certain feeling of discomfort. the perception of undulating movements similar to those carried out by snakes and other reptiles. Although it is much less common, in some people the fear of products derived from them or that remember this, such as clothing or accessories with a scaled appearance or that simulates the skin of a crocodile or snake.

Curiously, fear can be more or less selective: snakes, crocodiles and toads are usually some of the ones that generate the greatest fear. However, other species do not usually trigger fear, such as turtles. When it comes to amphibians such as toads and frogs, the problem may be that they have a certain resemblance to reptiles, in addition to the knowledge that many species are poisonous.

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Herpetophobia and ophidiophobia: are they the same?

Herpetophobia has often been related to the fear of snakes, considering phobia of these beings as such. In this sense, it is often used as a synonym for ophidiophobia. But to assimilate one with the other is wrong, since there is not a complete overlap between both concepts.

Herpetophobia is, as we have said before, fear of reptiles and some amphibians in general. Although this includes snakes (being also some of the creatures that generate the most panic in people with herpetophobia), also includes other beings such as crocodiles, lizards, iguanas, frogs and toads (the latter two amphibians). That is why ophidiophobia and herpetophobia, although closely linked, cannot be considered synonymous. Rather, we could say that herpetophobia would include ophidiophobia, the latter being much more specific.

Why does it appear?

The cause of this phobia is not fully known, but as with spiders and other creatures, one possible explanation is that the fear of reptiles is a product of the inheritance of our ancestors, assuming a fear reaction to these beings an adaptive advantage by allowing our ancestors react quickly by running away from them.

This possible inheritance would be activated by conditioning and learning throughout life: the knowledge of people who have died after being bitten by snakes, poisoned after touching certain types of frogs or eaten by crocodiles, or the fact of suffering some type of attack by any of these creatures, facilitates the fear towards they. Likewise, some of its characteristics, such as the high number of teeth of a crocodile or the easy view of the fangs of a snake, can by themselves be disturbing.

Culture also plays a role in the acquisition of this panic: traditionally, in the West reptiles have been seen as dangerous creatures and they have been endowed with skills and related to evil, intrigue, pain and suffering. Even if we look at legends and children's stories, we often find that the obstacle or danger to overcome is a dragon or some kind of reptile. Even in religion: in Genesis the serpent is the representation of evil that tempts Eve to try the forbidden apple. All this means that in the West the sight of this type of animal is something that awakens a sense of danger in many of us.

On the contrary, in the East they are usually seen as protective and benevolent entities. For example, tradition says that Buddha was protected by a naga (snake-shaped demigods). giant), and the image of the oriental dragons is that of wise beings and generally benevolent and powerful. This contributes to the fact that the level of panic caused by these beings, although existing since they are, after all, dangerous beings, is lower.

Treatment

Specific phobias, such as herpetophobia, are treated from the field of psychology. It is also one of the types of disorders that is most easily treated and in which there are usually fewer relapses.

Although it may be more or less hard for the patient, The most applied therapy in these cases is exposure therapy.. Generally applied gradually, the patient will be exposed to stimuli that generate anxiety without the latter performing avoidance behaviors until the anxiety generated by these decrease.

The issue of graduation is important, since too abrupt and poorly planned exposure can in fact sensitize the patient and make the fear of it more accentuated. Thus, a hierarchy is created between patient and therapist in which the former will order different stimuli that cause him anxiety (linked to his fear of reptiles) and after that he will proceed to go doing The exhibition from a point to negotiate between professional and client.

You also have to take into account where the fear comes from: is the fear actually of the animals themselves, of being poisoned, of dying, or of other aspects? Discuss what the figure of reptiles means to the patient, why he considers that such fear exists and also assess the meaning and sense that said fear may have for the patient It is another aspect to work on.

In this specific phobia, it is common for there to be somewhat distorted beliefs about the danger of most of these beings or the probability of finding them. Cognitive restructuring is very useful in these cases to develop an alternative vision. However, mere information is not enough: it is necessary to work on the subject also through the emotions that the stimulus in question triggers in the subject.