Do you know what mnemophobia is?

We all know someone with a fear of spiders or small or dark spaces. We ourselves can even suffer from these types of fears. The fact that they are shown in an intense and disproportionate way means that we are dealing with a phobia. Fortunately, phobias can be treated and resolved.

Among the large number of existing phobias there is one called mnemophobia.. This phobia refers to the disproportionate fear that some people suffer when having to face their own memories. As we go through life, it provides us with memories that we inevitably store in our minds. But if this is something that terrifies us…

How can we solve it?

mnemophobia

As we have mentioned, mnemophobia is an irrational fear of memories. These memories do not necessarily have to be bad, good memories are also susceptible to causing fear.

Those who suffer from this type of phobia They can manifest feelings ranging from anxiety or anguish to depression or real panic with something as simple as facing photographs or exposing yourself to any situation that brings back events that occurred in the past.

There are two types of mnemophobiaThe first type covers those people who fear memories.. They may even be afraid of certain specific memories, without distinguishing whether they are bad or good.The second type refers to those people who fear losing their memories.. This usually occurs in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or another mentally degenerative disease.

Causes of mnemophobia

As with other phobias, Mnemophobia can appear after a traumatic event or happen suddenly, for no apparent reason. It can even develop over time for no reason and self-feed without rest. This is the most difficult case to solve, since there is no clear reason for it to happen. We only know that, for some reason, various experiences accumulate that associate negative consequences with having memories.

Mnemophobia can develop due to stress. Remembering a time when we were in a highly stressful situation can cause us to feel excruciatingly afraid. People who suffer from Alzheimer’s are very vulnerable to this type of phobia. Due to the fear of losing memories and forgetting, they begin to suffer from stress and anxiety.

How do we know if we suffer from mnemophobia?

We pointed out that when a person is faced with the possibility of losing their memories or remembering them, they may suffer from anxiety and panic episodes. But they are not the only symptoms caused by mnemophobia. When the fear of remembering becomes present, this can manifest itself in different ways. If we present any of the signs that we present below, we will be facing a case of this disorder.

• Physiological reactions: tachycardia, rapid breathing, sweating, paleness, stomach upset, dry mouth…

• Avoidance or escape behavior: When a person who may suffer from mnemophobia is forced to be in that situation (remember that it is difficult to escape from our memory), voice tremors, facial grimaces, rigidity, etc. may occur. It will be difficult for the person to avoid that situation, although he will surely try to find distractions that will take him away from that thought.

• Anticipation: Even before being faced with a memory, the person anticipates that fear, causing a state of anxiety that is difficult to avoid, a loss of control.

What is important to know, if you think you may suffer from mnemophobia, is that This problem, like any other phobia, has treatment.

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