Mastigophobia (phobia of punishment): symptoms, causes and treatment

Phobias are a very common group of anxiety disorders. In fact, and despite the fact that they are rarely the main reason for consultation for a Psychology professional, they are the more frequent comorbid problem in other clinical entities of the same category (generalized anxiety, for example).

Those who suffer from a phobia experience an overwhelming fear, which they usually perceive as uncontrollable, and that conditions the way in which they live life or carry out activities that are significant to them they.

In this article we will address mastigophobia, a relatively common fear in childhood and that it has shown to have very deep roots. Here we will talk about its clinical expression, the potential underlying causes and the psychological treatment that is currently available.

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

How is mastigophobia expressed?

Mastigophobia (also called poinephobia) consists of a pervasive, irrational, and disproportionate fear of punishment. It is a word composed of the confluence of two terms that come from the Greek: "mastigos" (which could be translated as whip or scourge) and "phobos" (which would mean fear or aversion). Describes any irrational panic reaction at the moment a corrective is applied, and that exceeds what would be foreseeable based on its intensity or the immediate conditions in which it occurs. produces.

It is important to consider, however, that punishments are strategies aimed at reducing the frequency with which a behavior considered undesirable (for the child or for third parties) is observed. That is why, implicitly, they are attributed an aversive quality on which their effectiveness is based. This fear, therefore, must be differentiated in a matter of degree with respect to what is expected under normal conditions during the application of the procedure; in such a way that it conditions the way in which children (who are the most affected by this disorder) feel, think and act.

Below are the forms that mastigophobia can take on a clinical level. Although they most commonly occur in childhood, fear can occasionally persist into adulthood.

In general fear is projected towards both physical and psychological punishment, and precipitates a physiological reaction similar to that of a panic attack. Likewise, the phobia extends to positive punishments (production of an aversive stimulus) and negative ones (withdrawal of something that the child perceives as pleasant or reinforcing). Both behavior modification strategies have been the subject of debate in recent years.

1. Punishment-oriented anxiety

The feelings of anxiety that emerge in the context of mastigophobia, as a result of a punishment or its anticipation, are very similar to those described in other phobic pictures. For descriptive purposes, three relatively independent essential areas can be distinguished (despite the fact that they have multiple relationships with each other): physiological, cognitive and motor.

At the physiological level, hyperactivation of the autonomic nervous system is observed, and specifically of its sympathetic branch (tachycardia, tachypnea, sweating, tremors, etc.). At the cognitive level, the concern and catastrophic interpretation of fictions are very relevant. that happen within normal coexistence. At the motor level, finally, the avoidance of any situation that could lead to the imposition of physical or mental punishment, even if there is only a remote possibility for anyone from them.

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2. Fear of receiving physical punishment

Children with mastigophobia fear being subjected to physical punishment (spanking, for example) as a result of having carried out a conduct considered undesirable by those people (parents, for example) who could manage it. This feeling does not always have an objective basis, so it can spread even to those who do not seek to generate any punitive situation.

This phenomenon is frequent in children who are adopted by a new family after having gone through traumatic experiences of physical abuse with their original caregivers. The previous parenting style would facilitate learning about conflict resolution dynamics that would extend to the current environment. It is because of that react with an enormous start when the adoptive parents they confront or correct them for disruptive behavior, even though they do it in an appropriate way and without the mediation of any fuss.

Children with mastigophobia are highly sensitive to the facial expression associated with anger, an emotion that often anticipated the physical punishment they suffered throughout their lives. It is a learning forged over a long time, from which it is possible to predict a negative and potentially dangerous stimulus. Over the years, disproportionate vigilance toward hostile nonverbal signals may be maintained.

• You may be interested in: "Positive Punishment and Negative Punishment: how do they work?"

3. Fear of receiving psychological punishment

The punishments can be both physical and psychological. In the latter case, behaviors such as contempt, isolation, threats, unjustified disapproval or insults are included. Those who suffer from this phobia show overwhelming fear during any interaction in which they may these adverse exchanges occur, so they develop a behavior aimed at avoiding them at all coast. So, They may become overly accommodating with others., despite the fact that a clear abuse is taking place in their relationships.

One of the situations that generates the greatest anxiety for people who suffer from this disorder are the silences resulting from a situation of interpersonal conflict. The fact of feeling ignored is perceived as a punitive act of unbearable dimensions, before which bodily sensations emerge severe symptoms that may progress to acute hyperarousal (such as nausea, abdominal discomfort, tachycardia, tachypnea, etc.).

4. Anxious anticipation of potential punishment

Children with this phobia have the feeling that they could be subject to punishment anywhere and for any reason. The moment they are aware that they have done something reprehensible, they harbor an intense fear of discovered, given the possibility that their behaviors will be reproached or a reprimand.

All of this leads to a constant worry about what might happen, as well as disproportionate ideas (suffering severe corrections for an innocuous, accidental or involuntary act).

5. Disproportionate reactions to errors

Children with mastigophobia are hypervigilant for any mistake they might make, so fallibility also becomes a fact that triggers their anxiety levels (physiological, cognitive and motor). For this reason, they invest overwhelming efforts in many of their activities. It is essential to point out that they would not get involved in them for the intrinsic pleasure of doing them. correctly (or for dominance motivation), but for fear that the error could precipitate the feared punishment. They would not look for the good, but would flee from the bad.

This expression of mastigophobia is common in children whose parents opted for authoritarian parenting styles, aimed at the exclusive reinforcement of achievements and the systematic punishment of any deviation from these. This pattern would forge a painful perfectionism that does not pursue excellence, but the avoidance of harm.

Why does mastigophobia occur?

Mastigophobia is common in those children who have received an upbringing based on the use of punishment, both positive and negative, in order to systematically correct their way of proceeding. It is especially common in cases in which the application of the same was excessive, involving physical damage or deprivation. of activities necessary for healthy physical/emotional development (beating, permanent ban on sharing time with friends, etc.).

Cases of children with mastigophobia who refer a serious history of mistreatment behind their backs, and who live in constant fear of receiving punishment for their actions. Through the sensitive investigation of the past, it is often possible to detect the point from which this disorder was articulated, which is usually associated with the deterioration of self-esteem and a self-assessment weighed down by the belief of being "undesirable and/or inappropriate". It can also appear as a consequence of having observed how severe punishment was applied to others (siblings, schoolmates, etc.).

What is the treatment for mastigophobia?

The treatment of mastigophobia is complex, since it must integrate many domains of childhood experience: past experiences of a traumatic or severely hostile, impaired identity formation, persistent difficult emotions and even adaptive difficulties in areas such as school or home. Parents must also be involved, to offer adequate psychoeducation about the way in which reinforcements and punishments are applied correctly (and the situations in which it is appropriate).

Rigid perfection is also an issue that often requires intervention, since the child sets a standard that is impossible to satisfy without deteriorating other key facets of her life (leisure, social relationships with their peers, etc.), and that also does not allow them to build a positive image of themselves same. The pattern described may end up being associated with comorbidities such as depression (which is expressed in form of irritability during this period), or other anxious pictures that extend to the adulthood.

This is an approach that must consider the family system as a whole and be very sensitive to the specific needs of the child. Cognitive-behavioral treatment allows modifying the environmental contingencies that maintain the problem, and in turn explore the child's thoughts and emotions in order to detect and discuss the beliefs that are contributing to her symptoms.

Lastly, in the event that it is evidenced that the family is carrying out any form of mistreatment with respect to the child, it will be essential to notify the competent authorities so that they can mediate the legal acts that result coming.

Bibliographic references:

• Grös, D.F. and Antony, M.M. (2006). The assessment and treatment of specific phobias: a review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 8(4), 298-303.
• Singh, J. and Singh, J. (2016). Treatment options for the specific phobias. International Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 5(3), 593-598.