Coprophobia is an abnormal fear of feces that can extend to toilets and bathrooms. It causes extreme anxiety and physical symptoms, leading to social withdrawal and depression. Treatment by a mental health professional can help overcome this specific anxiety disorder.
Coprophobia is the term used to describe an abnormal fear of stool. As with other phobias, individuals with this fear experience extreme anxiety at the sight of feces and will do anything to avoid this reaction. Also known as scatophobia or coprophobia, coprophobia is a specific anxiety disorder that often requires psychological intervention before it can be overcome.
Originating from the Greek word for dung, kropos, coprophobia often extends beyond a fear of feces, as some people also fear things associated with feces such as toilets and bathrooms. Although most people with this phobia know that such fears are irrational, many feel powerless to overcome it without treatment. Instead, most will make elaborate plans to avoid contact with feces as often as possible. Many people also develop other physical side effects, such as constipation and fecal impaction, from avoiding baths and purging.
Phobias, such as coprophobia, cause the development of extreme symptoms when a person is confronted with what they fear. Such symptoms may include intense panic, trembling, profuse sweating, increased heart rate, nausea and shortness of breath. Some may even lose consciousness when they encounter extreme fear or may harm themselves while trying to escape from a scary situation. Over time, many people develop elaborate plans to avoid contact with fears, which can significantly reduce a person’s quality of life.
Coprophobia can also have a serious impact on an individual’s social life. Often, people with such phobias become depressed due to an inability to control their fears and anxiety, and many begin to withdraw socially from others. Social withdrawal is also often a way to cover up a phobia, as a great deal of shame and mistrust is often associated with irrational fears.
Other phobias, such as a fear of heights or crowded spaces, tend to be more common and better understood socially than coprophobia. This fact leads many to laugh at the very thought of someone having coprophobia. For people who suffer from the condition, however, it’s no laughing matter. As a persistent fear, many struggle with the symptoms of coprophobia on a daily basis feeling like they are the only ones with the condition. Therapeutic treatment by a qualified mental health professional, however, can help successfully eliminate the lingering fear of stool, and most can fully recover from this phobia over time.
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