A phobia is an irrational and disproportionate fear in relation to something. In this sense, it is convenient to establish the difference between the idea of fear and phobia. Fear is an emotion caused by some kind of threat or harm, whether physical or psychological. The fear response is an adaptive and very useful defense mechanism, as it serves as a warning of danger. On the other hand, phobia means the exaggeration of fear. Megalophobia
When there is no ratio between the supposed threat and the behavior, a phobic reaction occurs. In some cases, people with phobias feel fear without the need for phobic stimulation, as the fact that they think only of themselves is already suffering its effects.
There are phobias for all tastes: spiders, clowns, darkness, looking in the mirror, lightning and thunder. It is estimated that 8% of the population has some form of phobic behavior.
Megalophobia is considered one of the least common phobias.
As its name indicates, megalophobia is the reaction of heightened panic when faced with big things, such as an airplane, an ocean liner, a gigantic tree or even a big city . Obviously, people with this psychological disorder try to avoid big cities and anything of considerable size.
Megalophobes tend to have an aversion to objects that are larger than normal.
In this way, they feel panic in front of a painting, a statue or a particularly large object . According to experts, this phobia is related to the inferiority complex. Those who suffer from this panic feel intimidated by the presence of something big or something that is associated with the idea of greatness. Thus, a megalophobe can feel very uncomfortable or agitated in front of someone very rich or powerful, including a very strong man or a famous character.
The aversion to big things can originate from some traumatic childhood experience or some unconscious emotional maladjustment. This irrational fear has a negative effect on the daily life of those who suffer from it, as it is inevitable to encounter things or realities of high proportions.
Possible therapies
To overcome any phobia it is convenient to undergo proper psychological treatment. Otherwise, the anxiety and suffering experienced by uncontrolled panic becomes commonplace. There are several treatments to gradually face the phobic stimulus until finally overcoming them, or virtual reality techniques that fictionally portray a relationship between the subject and the stimulus that produces the phobia.
In the case of megalophobia, the virtual recreation of a big city can be a valid way to eliminate the symptoms of irrational fear in relation to everything big.
