Philophobia

Many people may struggle with feelings and falling in love, but sometimes it can turn into philophobia and make it really hard to have a relationship.

Philophobia

Philophobia occurs when a person feels that it’s extremely hard, and sometimes impossible, to be in a loving relationship.

Causes and risk factors of philophobia

• Fear of love occurs due to traumatic childhood experiences in most of the cases, and possible causes include fear of abandonment or disapproval, previous hard relationships, religious or cultural pressures, and when a child is deprived of attention and love from the parents while growing up.
• The risk of philophobia increases due to the following factors: family history, genetics, having other phobias, and being a female.

Symptoms of philophobia

• Fear of love may manifest as being incapable of having an intimate relationship, being very nervous and anxious while being in a relationship, being afraid of the partner or their emotions, pushing people away, and ending the relationship suddenly.
• Philophobia can also cause physical symptoms, such as drastic feelings of dread, shaking or trembling, dizziness, dry mouth, sweating, nausea and vomiting, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath.
• Fear of falling in love may lead to anxiety, depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder, and erectile dysfunction in males.

Diagnosis of philophobia

• Psychological assessment.

Treatment of philophobia

• Cognitive behavioral therapy and talk therapy help the patient recognize their thoughts and behaviors that make them afraid of love.
• Exposure therapy, which includes relaxation techniques, exposing the patient to the idea of love gradually, and giving the patient real-world tasks to help them get comfortable with the concept of love.