Megalophobia, or the fear of large things, is a surprisingly common phobia. People afraid of giants and other large creatures may feel stressed and anxious in everyday situations. While there is no known cure for megalophobia, there are ways to cope with the fear. Treatment options include therapy and medication, but some people also find relief through self-help methods like relaxation techniques and journaling. Whatever your treatment method, remember that you are not alone in your struggle. Millions of people deal with this fear daily, and you can get through it!
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What is megalophobia?
Fear of giants, also called megalophobia, is defined as an excessive fear of very large objects. This can include fears of skyscrapers, mountains, or any giant object. These things are often associated with feelings of weakness or inadequacy.
Symptoms of megalophobia
Megalophobia can be caused by a traumatic event, such as a car accident or an assault. It can also result from irrational fear, such as the fear of being crushed by a large object. Megalophobia can lead to several symptoms, including:
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Avoidance behavior.
People with megalophobia may avoid crowded places, such as concerts and sporting events, and they may also avoid driving on highways or bridges. In severe cases, megalophobia can lead to agoraphobia, which is the fear of leaving home.
Much like anxiety sufferers who learn about their specific phobias, learning more about megalophobia could help you overcome it. Dr Natasha Harrison knows a thing or two about megalophobia.
She wrote her doctoral dissertation on the disorder and has treated patients at The Center for Anxiety Success in New York City.
Dr Harrison describes megalophobia as “a pervasive, irrational fear of everything big.” Not only do individuals with megalophobia worry too much, but they can also develop psychological problems like depression and anxiety.
These mental health issues stem from the individual’s constant thinking about their feared situation. Plus, the stress of having this thought constantly play repeats can affect someone psychologically.
Understanding megalophobia
Sometimes, megalophobia may mean you’re aware of your fear. While the fear may seem irrational, it is pretty common, and there are several ways to cope with it. One way to understand your megalophobia is to note when and where your fear is triggered.
For example, if you feel anxious around office buildings, you may be concerned about being trapped in a small space. Alternatively, you may be worried about being exposed and vulnerable if you find yourself avoiding open spaces. Once you have identified your triggers, you can address your fears by slowly exposing yourself to them in a safe and controlled environment. You might still have fears, but knowing more about them could help you control them.
With time and patience, you can learn to overcome your megalophobia and live everyday, healthy life.
Accepting your fear of large objects
While megalophobia can be challenging to deal with, there are some things that you can do to become more aware of your fear and start to manage it.
One of the first steps is to understand what triggers your fear. For some people, it may be certain types of large objects, such as buildings or bridges. For others, it may be the sense of being in a large space, such as a stadium or an airport.
By being aware of how you feel, you can start taking steps to overcome it. Though this may seem difficult, with practice, you’ll be able to tell more easily when you are afraid.
Once you have identified your triggers, you can start to work on addressing them. This may involve gradually exposing yourself to larger objects or spaces or working on your anxiety in general.
You will also learn to pay closer attention to your fears and doubts to better distinguish them from other things that make you feel scared and anxious.
This process has helped many people who have learned to recognize their fear. Once you understand how you feel, you can work on reducing it.
Megalophobia can be a complex phobia to overcome, but with awareness and effort, it is possible to start managing your fear.
Overcoming megalophobia
Now, megalophobia is deeply ingrained in our culture. From movies like The Fly with their fictional creatures that go bump in the night to documentaries such as Giant Pandas, which show us how dangerous these things can be, it has become common knowledge that they are out there.
However, we don’t need to fear them forever. As much as I would love to see any giant creature, I prefer to use my time wisely and focus on helping others instead of keeping myself occupied with fears over what could be.
That being said, you can still spread awareness about megalo-what?
There are many different strategies used to help you cope with megalophobia. People with social anxiety disorder often talk about how feeling constantly watched or listened to makes you worry all the time. Worrying about large objects can be constant too.
By becoming aware of your fear and the triggers, you will monitor how you constantly feel and try to keep yourself under control.
While the exact causes of megalophobia are unknown, it is believed to be a reaction to either real or perceived threats. For example, someone who has experienced a traumatic event involving a large object may develop megalophobia to cope with the trauma. Alternatively, someone who grew up in an environment where large objects were considered dangerous may develop megalophobia due to learned behaviour. Regardless of the cause, megalophobia can be overcome with treatment.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is often used to help sufferers identify and challenge their negative beliefs about large objects.
In addition, exposure therapy may be used to help patients gradually confront their fears. With treatment, most people with megalophobia can lead normal, healthy lives.
Medications: While there is no cure for megalophobia, drugs can be used to help manage anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety medications are all commonly prescribed for people with phobias. These medications can be taken on an as-needed basis or a regular schedule. Working with a mental health professional is vital to finding the right medication and dosage for you.
Tips for overcoming megalophobia
There are many ways to deal with anxiety about things, people, or events. The first step is to identify the source of your stressors and put them into their proper context.
It’s important to note that some situations cause only minimal distress while others become debilitating.
Fear can be very motivating, but when it gets out of control, it masks other problems, such as exhaustion and traumatic experiences. I discuss how to manage anxiety in general in this article, including what you should do if you have anxiety-related trauma.
How does anxiety fit into the whole “normal” way of living? Every individual has different stress levels they need to cope with. What may keep you functioning healthy for day-to-day tasks might not be enough to get you through major life changes.
Consider how your fears typically affect you, then figure out which strategies (tools) you know to reduce them. It’s also helpful to consider our bodies’ natural defenses to perceived threats.
The body’s natural response to danger is to prepare you for action by breaking down muscles, lowering blood pressure, reducing metabolic rate, and slowing brain function. We can learn to recognize these responses during times of threat to protect ourselves better.
Here are ten tips for overcoming megalophobia:
- Understand your fear. Megalophobia, or a fear of large objects, is a relatively common phobia. If you feel anxious or panicked when confronted with something large, it’s essential to understand that your reaction is normal and that you are not alone.
- Expose yourself gradually. Once you understand your fear, you can begin to expose yourself to it in a controlled way. This may mean starting with small objects and progressively working up to larger ones. Or, if you’re afraid of being in large spaces, you might start by spending a few minutes in an open room and then slowly increasing the amount of time you spend there.
- Use relaxation techniques. When you feel your anxiety rising, it can be helpful to use some relaxation techniques to help calm yourself down. This might include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or visualization.
- Challenge your thoughts. It’s common for people with megalophobia to have negative and irrational beliefs about large objects. For instance, you might believe that a building will collapse on top of you or that an airplane will crash. It’s important to challenge these thoughts and remind yourself that they are not based on reality.
- Seek professional help. If your megalophobia is severe and impacts your quality of life, it may be worth seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor who can help you manage your fear.
- Try medication. In some cases, medication may be prescribed to help manage megalophobia, and this is typically only done if other treatments have been unsuccessful.
- Bring a friend along. When facing your fear, it may be helpful to bring someone along who can provide support and reassurance. This person can also help keep you focused on your goal and distract you from your anxiety if needed.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs. Using alcohol or drugs to cope with megalophobia can make the problem worse in the long run by exacerbating anxiety and making it more challenging to manage your fear. If you’re struggling with megalophobia, it’s vital to seek professional help instead of self-medicating.
- Identify Your Triggers. Everyone experiences megalophobia differently, so it’s essential to determine the source of your fear. This could be particular objects, such as bridges or cliffs, or situations, such as being in open spaces. Once you are aware of what causes your anxiety, you may focus on avoiding those situations or developing coping mechanisms.
- Seek Treatment. If megalophobia severely impacts your quality of life, it’s vital to seek professional help. A therapist can work with you to identify the root cause of your fear and develop a treatment plan to address the underlying issues and the symptoms of megalophobia. It is possible to overcome megalophobia and live a whole and enriching life with treatment.
Conclusion
If you’re struggling with megalophobia, please seek help from a therapist or other mental health professionals. There’s no shame in admitting that you need assistance getting past this fear- remember, you’re not alone!
Many people have megalophobia due to a traumatic experience or an underlying anxiety disorder. While megalophobia can be a very stressful disorder, there are ways to treat it and lessen its effects.
With the help of a professional, you can learn to manage your fear and live a fuller life. Don’t suffer in silence- reach out for help today.
