Fear Of Fish Or Ichthyophobia

Fishes are some of the most common animals that inhibit the planet. Humans eat specific types of fish. Other types of fishes are kept as pets while the endangered ones are conserved and preserved in marine protected areas.

Although fish species are a typical feature of life on earth, some humans have developed or acquired an unusual fear of these creatures. Some individuals have ichthyophobia. Ichthyophobia is the intense and persistent fear of fish. It may also refer to the fear of eating fish or the fear of dead fish as well as to the fear of a specific type of fish, e.g., sharks.

Experts cannot readily pinpoint the causes of ichthyophobia although the symptoms of this type of fear are those that are commonly found in other types of phobia. These include the following:

• A sense of breathlessness
• Abnormal heart palpitations
• Heavy and excessive sweating
• A feeling of dizziness and nausea
• Dry mouth
• Inability to speak and/or think clearly

In addition to the symptoms enumerated above, people with ichthyophobia often lose control and experience a certain level of detachment from reality couple with an extreme fear of dying that may lead to a full blown anxiety attack.

Individuals suffering from ichthyophobia may be surprised to find out that although often unspoken, many people possess this type of fear. This unusual fear is astonishingly quite common. Ichthyophobia, similar to most types of phobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of something that does not pose an imminent threat or an actual danger. Though most rational individuals have come to terms with this knowledge, still they find it hard to deal when faced with the actual situation or with the thought of facing the situation.

However, ichthyophobia need not be a permanent handicap or personality defect. The fear of fish can be treated. Several treatment options are available for people who are suffering from this type of phobia:

• Hypnotheraphy

Hypnotheraphy is one option that can help cure this particular type of fear. The treatment can help reset and reprogram areas in your subconscious that maybe causing or triggering your fear. The tinkering of these parts in your subconscious may help minimize the symptoms associated with ichthyophobia.

• Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Another alternative that can minimize or lessen the fear of fish is neuro-linguistic programming or NLP. Basically, NLP is the study and practice of reality-creation. NLP theory tells us that irrational and persistent fears are results of failed reality constructs. Using NLP techniques, these constructs are exposed and recreated in order to minimize and perhaps eliminate ichthyophobia.

• Graduated Exposure therapy

Desensitization is also a good alternative that can help minimize the symptoms associated with the fear of fear. Individuals with ichthyophobia are gradually exposed to the object and/or situation that they fear the most. Among the treatment options, graduated exposure therapy is perhaps the most effective.