Get to know pedophobia, the fear of children

Children at the growing age tend to be active and their chatter often invites laughter to those who see it. However, this sight is not very pleasant for the pedophobic.

Instead of making them annoyed, the presence of small children actually makes them afraid and wants to immediately avoid going to distant places.

What is pedophobia?

Pedophobia is an excessive fear that arises when sufferers deal with children, toddlers and babies. Like other phobic sufferers, people with pedophobia will very much avoid situations where they have to meet the things they fear.

They think that children are noisy and disturbing creatures. Maybe you also have this view that does not like small children. The difference is, if you show a reaction of annoyance and embarrassment, people with pedophobia may experience panic attacks when dealing with children.

Therefore, people with pedophobia often stay away from places that are usually visited by children such as kindergartens, playgrounds, supermarkets, and public transportation.

In fact, this method will unconsciously amplify their fear. Going out of the house is also a very difficult thing to do because the likelihood of meeting an object that you fear is getting bigger. If left untreated, phobias can have a devastating effect on a person's life and mental health.

What causes pedophobia?

Most people with phobias do not know the clear reason why they have an excessive fear of something. However, some of these factors can contribute to the emergence of pedophobia.

1. Heredity

Having a family member who has a specific phobia or anxiety disorder can make a person have a genetic predisposition to experience the same thing. When people with phobic descent experience traumatic things that involve children, there is a high probability that pedophobia will arise.

2. An unpleasant childhood

People with unpleasant childhoods may develop phobias of children. The feeling of sadness and jealousy when they see children who are raised happily makes them want to go away so they don't feel hurt and remember their childhood.

3. Parental education

The way parents raise their children also affects their mentality in the future. When parents are too protective of children and continue to tell negative things that exist in the outside world, this will indirectly instill in the child the mind that the environment around them is a dangerous place.

As a result, children become anxious and afraid easily when they face something. It is not impossible, this anxiety will also give rise to phobias in the future.

Symptoms of pedophobia

The symptoms of pedophobia can vary from person to person who experiences it. Here are some of the symptoms that will generally appear when a phobia occurs:

• Heart beating fast
• Panic
• Anxiety disorders
• Cold sweat, usually around the palms
• Dizzy
• Out of breath
• Nausea

You don't have to come face to face, people with pedophobia can also feel anxious and afraid just by thinking or looking at the picture.

How to deal with pedophobia?

There is no specific way yet for people with a phobia of children. However, phobias can be treated with psychotherapy methods such as exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

In exposure therapy, the patient will be confronted with the object of fear in a controlled and periodic manner. This aims to help sufferers control their fear.

Meanwhile, CBT therapy combined with exposure therapy will change the mindset of sufferers about children and of course help to reduce fear.

Your doctor may prescribe medications such as beta blockers or sedatives that are used for short periods of time.

In addition, people with pedophobia can treat themselves by trying calm exercises such as meditation. Practicing breathing techniques is believed to help prevent anxiety reactions and panic attacks.

Exercise can also be a way to deflect fear. According to the American Psychology Association, exercise will help the mind to react better when faced with stressful situations. This is probably caused by the endorphin hormone the body produces after exercising.