Who is at risk of chromophobia?
You have a higher risk of developing a chromophobia if you have:
What causes chromophobia?
Healthcare providers aren’t sure what exactly causes chromophobia. Like other specific phobia disorders, it probably results from a combination of genetics and environmental factors. People who have mental illness or anxiety problems are more likely to develop a phobia. Mental illness, mood disorders and phobias tend to run in families, too. So, you have a higher risk of these conditions if you have a relative who has them.
Chromophobia and other types of phobias can happen along with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If someone experiences a traumatic event that they associate with a specific color, an intense fear of that color can result. They remember the terrible feelings the event caused and connect those feelings to the color itself. As a result, every time the person sees that color, the bad feelings return.
People with autism, Asperger’s or sensory processing issues sometimes have an aversion to one color in particular. Although they may not actually have chromophobia, their symptoms may be similar. They may prefer certain colors and avoid colors that disgust them or cause discomfort.
What are the symptoms of chromophobia?
Children and adults with chromophobia have symptoms ranging from intense discomfort to a full panic attack. When they see a color they’re afraid of, they may have:
People with this disorder may stay indoors because they worry about coming into contact with the color that triggers the phobia. Their fear of colors can lead to another type of anxiety disorder called agoraphobia. This disorder causes people to avoid certain situations from which they can’t escape. They often stay inside their homes and away from crowded places.
FAQs
Most people with this disorder have an extreme aversion to one or two colors in particular — or they may only fear bright colors. People with chromophobia have severe anxiety or panic attacks when they see a color they're afraid of. Therapy and medications can help manage symptoms.
What is the treatment for chromophobia? ›
Exposure Therapy
Gradual exposure to the color(s) can help relax the patient and give them a safe space to practice relaxation techniques. With proper treatment, people with chromophobia can learn to manage their fear healthily and live a less stressful life.
How to treat chrometophobia? ›
Treatment for Chrometophobia
Seeking professional help will help you get back on track in your life and overcome your fears. Treatment options for chrometophobia include: Exposure therapy: Exposure therapy is based on systematic desensitization, a behavioral therapy technique used for treating phobias and anxiety.
How do you treat leukophobia? ›
A common leukophobia treatment is exposure therapy. Your mental health provider helps you explore the reasons behind your fear of the color white. They then enable you to overcome these issues by exposing you to white-colored objects. Therapy starts with low-risk exposures, such as thinking of the color white.
What is an example of chromophobia? ›
For example, if someone is afraid of blue, they could have an aversion to many different shades of blue, or they may only have a fear of bright blue. Some specific color phobias include: Xanthophobia: Fear of the color yellow. Chrysophobia: This is a fear of the color gold or shades of orange.
What triggers chromophobia? ›
If someone experiences a traumatic event that they associate with a specific color, an intense fear of that color can result. They remember the terrible feelings the event caused and connect those feelings to the color itself. As a result, every time the person sees that color, the bad feelings return.
How do you treat fear phobia? ›
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia. One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.
How do I get rid of my fear of anything? ›
Learning relaxation techniques can help you with the mental and physical feelings of fear. It can help just to drop your shoulders and breathe deeply. Or imagine yourself in a relaxing place. You could also try complementary therapies or exercise such as massage, t'ai chi, yoga, mindfulness techniques, or meditation.
How do you overcome Chorophobia? ›
Treatment of Chorophobia
Two common treatments that psychotherapists use are hypnotherapy and exposure therapy. Psychologists use hypnotherapy to open up and awaken the subconscious mind for the intention of changing behavior patterns.
What causes chrematophobia? ›
Money often leads to stress and anxiety and could make people feel powerless or out of control. People having pre-existing anxiety disorders could also suffer from the fear of money phobia. Deficiencies, other physical illnesses or hormonal disorders could also lead to Chrematophobia.
Octophobia is an intense, irrational fear of the number 8. It's a type of specific phobia, which is a kind of anxiety disorder. Because numbers are everywhere, octophobia can have serious consequences for education, career, daily functioning and personal relationships.
What is kenophobia? ›
Kenophobia is an intense fear of empty spaces or voids.
What is nephophobia? ›
The fear of clouds is called nephophobia. This term comes from two Greek words — nepho, meaning “cloud,” and phobia, which means “fear.” This condition is somewhat rare, but for people who have it, the fear of clouds is very real.
How do I get rid of chromophobia? ›
Topical antibiotics (polymyxin B or bacitracin) applied 2–4 times daily for 1–4 months have been demonstrated to be effective in immunocompetent patients. Topical therapy with nadifloxacin applied once daily for several weeks was curative for two patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Is chromophobia rare? ›
Chromophobia (also known as chromatophobia or chrematophobia) is a persistent, irrational fear of, or aversion to, colors and is usually a conditioned response. While actual clinical phobias to color are rare, colors can elicit hormonal responses and psychological reactions.
What color represents anxiety? ›
Results. The circular presentation of colors was most favoured (Color Wheel). Yellow was the most 'drawn to' color and blue the commonest 'favourite' color in all subjects. Yellow was most often associated with a normal mood and grey with an anxious or depressed mood.
What are the treatments for phobophobia? ›
Treatment for phobophobia may include: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): During CBT, which is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy), you learn to change negative behavior and thinking about the thing you fear. If you have phobophobia, your therapist may teach you to identify specific things that trigger your fear.
Is there a treatment for scopophobia? ›
Treatments for Scopophobia
Common treatments for this condition include: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This therapy involves identifying the underlying thoughts that contribute to feelings of fear and then replacing them with more helpful, realistic ones.
What is the treatment for Panophobia? ›
medication to relieve severe anxiety symptoms, including: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) benzodiazepines.
What is the treatment for Ommetaphobia? ›
Ommetaphobia Treatment. There are a number of treatment options for ommetaphobia, including exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and medication for anxiety related phobias.
