Have you ever heard about ankylophobia?
If you haven’t, then you’d be thrilled to know that ankylophobia is the irrational fear of immobile or stiff joints.
Ankylophobia is a word of Greek origin, and is a combination of the 2 different Greek words, ankylo (meaning stiff or unmovable) as well as phobia (meaning fear).
Ankylophobia is not the most common phobia, and it is considered a specific phobia.
What are the possible causes of ankylophobia (fear of immobile or stiff joints)?
It is a generally accepted fact that almost all phobias arise from a combination of different external events (such as traumatic events) and some internal predispositions (such as genetics or heredity).
Many specific phobias such as this one can be traced back to a particular triggering event, often something traumatic that occurred at an early age.
Also worthy of note is that social phobias and agoraphobia feature more complex causes that are yet 5o he known entirely at this time. It is believed that genetics, heredity, and brain chemistry, coupled with life-experiences, now play a significant role in the formation of phobias.
What are the symptoms of ankylophobia (fear of immobile or stiff joints)?
As with all known phobia, the symptoms vary per person depending on how intense their level of fear has become.
The most common symptoms of phobias are these:tremblingchest painsheart palpitationselevated blood pressureshortness of breathrapid speechinability to speakdry mouthupset stomachnauseahot or cold flashes
Phobias of all kinds are to be taken very seriously. If you have a phobia like ankylophobia, and it isn’t given proper treatment and attention, it may begin to limit the life of the sufferers.
In some cases, up to the point of depression and extreme anxiety.
Knowing how to manage anxiety and thoughts will not only be helpful for the promotion of better living but also to overcome the irrational fear of immobility of a stiff joint.
Not all the symptoms mentioned above may be experienced, and even when you experience some of them, it may not be to the extent someone else does.
Talking Treatments as a Treatment method for Ankylophobia (fear of immobile or stiff joints)
Talking therapies or treatments, which may include counselling, may be very effective for the treatment of fear of immobility of a stiff joint ( Ankylophobia).
One reason why some people prefer talking therapies is that they are very laid back methods of treatments and never physically intrusive.
The treatment process only involves talking to a proficient and highly trained professional about your symptoms, feelings, thoughts and behavior.
There are so many types of talking therapy that you can try, but all of them aim to:
- Help people recognize patterns that may be unhelpful or counterproductive in the way they act or think, and also find ways to change them (if they wish to).
- Help people resolve feelings that may be complicated or help them find possible ways to live with these feelings
- Help people make sense of things and also understand themselves better
- Give people a safe time and place to pour out their minds to someone who will not judge you
(CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy for Ankylophobia (fear of immobile or stiff joints)
CBT treatments is another helpful method of treatment that stands on the concept that people’s thoughts and perception of things are continually influencing how they behave.
Experiencing distress and anxiety are, in some cases bending and distorting one’s perception of reality.
The aim of cognitive behavioral therapy is to identify if they are a correct depiction of reality, and, if not, seek out strategies to challenge and eventually overcome them.
For example, when a person is experiencing a fear of immobile or stiff joints (Ankylophobia). Through the help of a few Cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, you could easily know if the anxiety and fear experienced from joint immobility is a correct depiction of reality.
And if it is not, working on easy ways to change that.
Can I take medicine for fear of immobile or stiff joints (Ankylophobia)?
Medicine may be prescribed during the course of treatment, but please note that any prescribed medications are not for the treatment of this phobia.
Also, these medications can have side effects or withdrawal symptoms that may be severe. It is also very important to note that drugs or medicines do not cure any form of phobias, and they can only temporarily suppress the systems at best.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for some people to turn to alcohol and illegal drugs for the treatment of their symptoms, which doesn’t also treat phobias. Opting for such options can cause the user to form an addiction to these things.
