Siderophobia (fear of stars): symptoms, causes and treatment

The image of the starry sky could be attractive to many people. Sensations of calm and a romantic atmosphere are just some of the experiences that the dark sky full of luminous points can easily transmit to us.

However, not all people react positively to such a stimulus. Far from infecting romanticism, the starry sky can trigger panic in some people. We will see what this is about next fear of the stars, which we know as siderophobia.

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

What is siderophobia?

The word "sidereal" comes from the Latin "sidus", which means celestial body. As such, "sidereal" is a term that refers to everything related to the stars. In this sense, siderophobia is about an excessive fear of celestial bodies, specifically it is an exacerbated fear of the stars.

Although it is not a clinical category described by specialists in psychology or psychiatry, the term "siderophobia" has been used recently to refer to an important fear of exposure to the starry sky, as well as some of the stimuli associated with this.

In other words, siderophobia itself is not considered a disorder, but rather, in any case, it is an experience associated with more complex symptoms. Since the starry sky is a very difficult stimulus to avoid, siderophobia is not only related to the stars, but also with other elements that accompany the darkness and open spaces.

For the same reason, siderophobia can be considered as one of the experiences that are added to broader spectrums of phobias that are considered by specialists as a clinical situation specific. Among these spectra could be found, for example, agoraphobia.

• You may be interested in: "Agoraphobia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment"

Other phobias to the stars

The stars are not the only celestial bodies that can cause excessive fear in some people. Being a fear potentiated by the elements that surround the celestial bodies, other related phobias are the fear of the dark, known as scotophobia or nyctophobia; astrophobia, which includes the fear of any celestial body; or meteorophobia, which is the specific fear of meteors.

Are the stars harmless?

A star is a luminous sphere composed mainly of hydrogen converted into helium, and maintained in the cosmos by the action of gravity. In very broad terms, it is from the reactions that occur inside the stars that the main chemical elements are released, which, in turn, give rise to different particles. Subsequently, these particles allow the development of the different forms of life that exist on our planet.

Therefore, the stars are not in themselves dangerous but quite the opposite, they are part of the chemical activity that has allowed the existence of the universe. So, what can be some of the reasons why we might fear these luminous spheres?

Possible causes

As with other phobias, siderophobia can be caused by a series of individual learning and perceptions that, when coming into contact with certain external stimuli; trigger significant discomfort.

Thus, the fear of the stars can be generated by the individual meanings that are attributed both to said celestial bodies, like the dark sky and the elements that surround it. In turn, these elements can be darkness, open spaces, the feeling of loneliness or danger, or a fear caused by the knowledge we have acquired about the characteristics of the cosmos.

The knowledge mentioned above can also be linked to the idea of ​​immensity, with the unknown, with the lack of control, or, with some dangers related to the largest celestial bodies.

All of the above strongly fueled both by a lack of deep learning about the functioning of the cosmos, and by some types of science fiction present in cinema or literature. Likewise, a person can develop an irrational fear of the stars from some experience previous unpleasant experience, which has involved a specific relationship with said stimuli and perceptions.

Symptoms

As with other types of phobias, siderophobia can cause physiological responses related to anxietysuch as nausea, sweating, dizziness, hyperventilation, cardiac agitation, choking sensation, dry mouth, etc. All this before the exposure, or the possibility of being exposed, to the starry sky.

Treatment

While it is not considered a specific clinical picture, there is no special treatment for siderophobia either. Broadly speaking, the way to accompany or reduce the fear of stars can follow the procedure used for other phobias. Initially, it is important to determine if it is a specific fear, or related to a more extensive and complex symptomatology, such as the one that characterizes anxiety disorders.

The latter allows working with the deepest emotional responses that may be affecting the person's day-to-day life, beyond exposure to the starry sky. Likewise, it allows exploring the meanings and learning related to the stimulus that causes fear, and in this sense, generating coping and relearning strategies in the face of said stimulus.