Colombophobia: the fear of pigeons

Specific phobias are anxiety disorders, and according to a study by ESEMeD-Spain (2006), they have an annual prevalence of 3.6% (vs. 4.52% of the lifetime prevalence). They are the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the population; One of these phobias is colombophobia or fear of pigeons.

Specific phobias, and more specifically, animal phobias like this usually appear in childhood, and if they are not treated, they hardly disappear spontaneously. What symptoms does this disorder present and how can it be addressed through therapy?

Colombophobia: what does it consist of?

Colombophobia or fear of pigeons It is a specific phobia of an animal type, and specific phobias are anxiety disorders. They are characterized by an irrational, intense and disproportionate fear of a certain stimulus or situation; in this case, to the pigeons.

Avoidance (behavioral symptom), psychological symptoms (discomfort at the mere idea of ​​thinking about a pigeon) and physiological symptoms such as tachycardia, sweating or pressure in the chest also appear when thinking about the phobic stimulus or when facing it. The greater the severity of the phobia, the sooner the symptoms appear. For example, at the mere idea of ​​thinking about pigeons.

Disproportionate fear of pigeons and avoidance

Specific phobias go beyond fear, since more than fear we speak of panic or excessive anxiety taking into account the object that produces these reactions. In general, Phobias occur when faced with objects or situations that, in and of themselves, do not have to be dangerous. (and if they are potentially dangerous, the symptoms of the phobia are disproportionate).

On the other hand, in specific phobias, such as colombophobia, there is an avoidance of the phobic stimulus (or a “resistance” to it with high discomfort). So, The person who suffers from colombophobia will avoid, at all costs, being near pigeons.

Causes of pigeon panic

Specific phobias appear for multiple reasons, although The most common is a traumatic experience with the phobic stimulus. In this case, the most likely cause is a bad experience with pigeons (for example, having suffered damage from this animal).

The animal also, to some degree, produces disgust, which increases the emotional activation associated with the phobia. Other common origins of colombophobia have to do with repeatedly receiving, seeing or hearing news of people who have been “attacked” by pigeonsfor example, or in family or friends.

On the other hand, a certain personal (biological) predisposition to anxiety disorders could also be the basis of colombophobia.

Treatment of colombophobia or fear of pigeons

According to Guide to effective psychological treatments According to Marino Pérez (2010), there are two effective and validated treatments for specific phobias: exposure therapy and cognitive therapy.

Exposure therapy

In colombophobia, if you work through exposure therapy, The subject will be encouraged to progressively expose himself to pigeons. First, through imagination, then through reality, getting closer to them first, then a little closer, etc.

Usually A hierarchy of items is created from least to most anxiety-inducing., and the items are “overcome” little by little. The objective of the exposure is for the person to be able to face the phobic stimulus without all those physiological reactions typical of specific phobias appearing (sweating, chest pressure, nausea, dizziness, etc.).

Cognitive therapy

On the other hand, through cognitive therapy, we work primarily through cognitive restructuring. Your goal is modify the dysfunctional thoughts that the person has in relation to pigeonsand change them for more realistic and adaptive ones.

Among the thoughts that we can find in someone who suffers from colombophobia, we have: “pigeons are dangerous”, “pigeons will hurt me”, “they will scare me”, “I will lose control when I have them near”, etc.

Other approaches: brief strategic therapy

The two treatments mentioned are the most validated from cognitive behavioral therapy, although other methods are used from other orientations. For example, From brief strategic therapy, we work from curiosity.

So, The patient is encouraged to develop curiosity, and not so much fear, of the feared object. We also work, from this approach, based on practical and creative solutions and, above all, valuing the strategies already used by the patient.

The role of disgust in phobias

And you, are you afraid of pigeons? Have you ever tried to fight it? It is important differentiate here the authentic panic of this animal from simple disgust towards it, since in this second case we are not talking about a phobia (if fear or fear does not appear).

However, it is no less true that phobias of animals (such as cockroaches, for example) have a certain disgust associated with the feared stimulus. And at the base of many phobias is disgust, a physical sensation of unpleasantness produced by certain stimuli such as the smell or the sight of something that we do not like at all.