Your Low-Stress Guide to Leveling-Up Your Bedtime Routine
Are You Burnt Out or Depressed?
You wonder why, until you look down.
To your absolute horror, you realize youve shown up to school naked.
The reality is, the majority of people are not staring at you.
Were not looking at someone, were just looking at them because theyre there.
What is scopophobia?
licensed clinical psychologist, podcaster, and founder and director of theKentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders
At its core, scopophobia is a fear of being stared at, says clinical psychologistSanam Hafeez, PsyD.
Scopophobia itself is not a formal mental health diagnosis.
Symptoms of scopophobia
Symptoms of scopophobia will vary from person to person, says Dr. Hafeez.
(More on the differences between those in a bit.)
In that case, its a good idea to seek help from a licensed professional.
What triggers scopophobia?
The origins ofanyphobiathanatophobia,somniphobia,cherophobia, and so onwill vary from case to case.
Still, according to Dr. Chapman, all phobias stem from three primary pathways, outlined below.
Observational learning
Dr. Chapman says that its a common misconception that phobias only stem from trauma.
licensed clinical psychologist, podcaster, and founder and director of theKentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders
And while some phobias are formed this way, its not as common as through observational learning.
Dr. Chapman adds that genetics can play a role, too.
Research suggests that people who have a family history of phobias aremore likely to be diagnosed with one themselves.
Are scopophobia and paranoia the same thing?
Simply put, no.Paranoia is a mental condition3marked by an irrational and severe fear or distrust of others.
Paranoia can manifest as delusions or hallucinations that people are out to get you.
People with bipolar disorder mayalsoexperience paranoia.
Paranoia is not included in theDSM-5 criteria for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
(Meaning, you dont need to have paranoia to have that diagnosis.)
But some people with bipolar disorder can feel paranoid because theyre experiencingpsychosis, a common comorbidity of bipolar patients4.
For scopophobic individuals, paranoia can be a component, of what theyre dealing with, says Dr. Hafeez.
That paranoia may manifest as an irrationalsuspicionand distrust that people are purposefully staring at them and scrutinized.
As mentioned earlier, scopophobia involves the specific fear of being seen or stared at by people.
People who have social phobia may avoid socializing altogether.
She says that if or when social anxiety becomes unbearable, it could then become a social phobia.
Sometimes, people with scopophobia might also have social anxiety or social phobia.
But thats not always the case; these are three different disorders.
This all might seem like the splitting of psychiatric hairs, but the differences matter because they impact treatment.
Exposure therapy, says Chapman, is the gold standard for treating phobias of any kind.
The key here is developing a new, non-threatening association, explains Chapman.
The answer to that question really sets the stage for the parameters of the exact exposure you will do.
The reality is, the majority of people are not staring at you, says Dr. Hafeez.
Were not looking at someone, were just looking at them because theyre there.
Were not examining them.
Were not dissecting them.
Were just looking at them.
How do I overcome scopophobia at home?
Role-playing social situations can be highly effective, says Dr. Hafeez.
She suggests practicing with a therapist or a loved one.
Aim to increase the amount of time spent in social situations gradually, says Dr. Hafeez.
They can support you in disrupting your fear of socializing and help you gradually reintegrate happiness into your life.
Alencar, Mateus Sudario et al.
Association of scopophobia with online learning fatigue among medical students in Brazil.BMC medical educationvol.
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Muris, Peter, and Andy P Field.
The role of verbal threat information in the development of childhood fear.
Beware the Jabberwock!.Clinical child and family psychology reviewvol.
13,2 (2010): 129-50. doi:10.1007/s10567-010-0064-1
Birkeland, Sren F. Paranoia [Paranoia].Ugeskrift for laegervol.
169,42 (2007): 3566-70.
Chakrabarti, Subho, and Navdeep Singh.
Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder and their impact on the illness: A systematic review.World journal of psychiatryvol.
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