Phobia is a situation where the fear of an object or living thing negatively affects the daily life of the individual. Phobia is more severe than fear and can interfere with a person's quality of life.
Cat phobia is a more common type of phobia than other phobias. In this type of phobia, fear and avoidance can be exhibited if there have been situations such as being bitten or scratched by these creatures in the past. This fear can trigger the anxiety of the individual not only when he encounters the feared creature, but also when he thinks about it. The state of fear, panic and restlessness he experiences when he encounters a cat and a dog manifests itself.
Causes of Cat and Dog Phobia
One of the factors that cause animal phobias is experiencing a negative event with one of these creatures during childhood. It is one of the causes of cat and dog phobia in genetic predisposition. Excessive fear and anxiety of one of the parents against these creatures can be a learned fear situation. According to the dynamic point of view, the fear of cats means that it is the result of the conflict with the mother. It is assumed that he is the authority, not the cat that is feared.
Symptoms of Cat and Dog Phobia
Common symptoms that occur in other phobias are also seen in cat and dog phobias. When one encounters one of those creatures, symptoms such as freezing, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, and avoidance behaviors are observed.
It comes to a level that can affect the social lives of individuals with this phobia. For example, they may encounter situations that may disrupt the flow of social life, such as avoiding eating, difficulty in going out, and not going to the house of their friends who have cats or dogs, due to the possibility of seeing a cat or dog outside.
Cat and Dog Phobia Treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy method is effective in phobia treatments. Here, the individual's cognitive thoughts and behaviors are discussed. After the necessary psychoeducation on the subject is given by the specialist, it is gradually focused on the situations that the person avoids. Assignments are given in and out of the session. Session duration differs from client to client.
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