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Agraphophobia is an intense fear of sexual abuse, which may develop in children or young adults who witness sexual violence in media or due to fear in adults that children may be sexually abused. Symptoms include difficulty leaving the house, fear of sexual intimacy, and panic attacks. Treatment may involve therapy and medication. It should not be confused with agoraphobia, which is the fear of open spaces.
Agraphophobia is an intense fear of sexual abuse. A person suffering from agraphophobia has a fear of being sexually abused, raped, assaulted or involved in a sexually abusive relationship to such an extent that the fear is irrational. For example, a woman with agraphophobia might fear being alone in an elevator with a man she doesn’t know for fear of being sexually assaulted. Someone suffering from this phobia may or may not have been a victim of sexual abuse or other sexual crimes.
How it develops
This fear might develop in children or young adults who witness sexual violence in movies or on television. There is also some evidence to suggest that overt and evident fear in adults that children may be sexually abused could cause this condition. Studies also show that some children become too fearful of all the bad things that could happen to them, and there has been some effort to modify the way children are taught about dangers to prevent creating irrational fears in children.
Agraphobia is sometimes a short-term condition for people who have been victims of sexual assault. Part of recovery for the agraphobic person is learning to trust again, whether or not they have ever been sexually abused. There are also programs designed to work with people who have been sexually assaulted.
Symptoms and treatment
The symptoms of this condition can be varied. People who have agraphophobia may find it difficult to leave the house because fear of sexual assault may increase after a person has left the safety of home. For some, however, even staying at home is no guarantee of safety, and they may spend restless days and nights fearing an attacker will enter their home. Relationships may be difficult to maintain, and even with people who have no bad intentions, the agraphobic may be fearful of any form of sexual intimacy. As with most phobias, the fear of danger is exaggerated and can lead to panic attacks with symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, breathing, sweating, and shaking.
Therapy and sometimes medications might be the most helpful in treating this phobia, but there can be some inherent problems with conducting therapy. Establishing trust with a person with agraphobia may take some time, especially if that person believes the therapist poses a risk of sexual abuse. Sometimes group therapy can be more effective. Using a same-sex therapist, in certain circumstances, may also be easier, although this is not always the case.
Different from agoraphobia
Agraphophobia should not be confused with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces and is an anxiety disorder that often keeps people indoors. They are afraid to leave the safety of their homes, because things outside the home are potentially terrifying and panic attacks are likely to occur when meeting unfamiliar people. Agraphobia can also keep people relatively housebound, but this is due to a specific fear of sexual abuse.
