possible trigger Alternative theory to DP/DR and psychotophobia (fear of psychosis/schizophrenia)

1309 Views 3 Replies 2 Participants Last post by odisa, Oct 1, 2014

odisa

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2014

Here's an idea: Psychotophobia (fear of schizophrenia usually) is actually a specific/subset of or extreme agoraphobia:
"Agoraphobia is a condition where the sufferer becomes anxious in environments that are unfamiliar or where he or she perceives that they have little control." - ye good 'ole Wiki.

Derealization -> unfamiliar environment -> perceptively less control (depersonalization may exacerbate this through its tendency to disrupt the sense of executive involvement) -> anxiety -> fear of losing said executive authority (control) -> fear of psychosis / schizophrenia (for it is a condition where such can be the case).

Or, roughly so. I don't advocate the accuracy of this, nor do I believe it per se, but it popped in to mind just now, so I figured I'd share to see what others think. So... thoughts?

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odisa

Discussion Starter · #2 · Sep 30, 2014 (Edited by Moderator)

Side note; if it wasn't for Viktor Frankl, I would've been the person to coin "psychotophobia" (i.e. searches won't bring up much, alas). I looked it up, and it appears he has a book about existentialism, for those interested.

edit:

To quote his book:

"Once again we encounter an amplification phenomenon. Since Haug's work in this area, it has been known that depersonalization can be provoked by a forced self-scrutiny--even in healthy people. We see that just as anxiety is heightened to a fear of anxiety through the circle of reactive anticipatory anxiety, so also is depersonalization increased as soon as it is sucked into the circle of a compulsive self-scrutiny and reactive psychotophobia."

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Pyrite

· #3 · Oct 1, 2014

Considering the thousands of threads this place has of people terrified they are going insane/schizophranic ect. I can see this playing a large role in holding people back form recovery.

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odisa

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 1, 2014

Pyrite said:
Considering the thousands of threads this place has of people terrified they are going insane/schizophranic ect. I can see this playing a large role in holding people back form recovery.

Hence why I thought it'd be worthwhile to discuss the nature of it from a different perspective.

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