Fear of bones. Cartilogenophobia

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Cartilogenophobia is the fear of bones. There are many meanings behind this, as one might be afraid of skeletons (even though everyone embodies one of its one) or bing afraid of bones in food. It is important to understand that with most phobias there isn’t a real danger/cause of fear. In this case, bones in food are harmless, for example they are used in different types of cooking.  Also in the case of fear of skeletons, which are pretty common from the depiction they get from horror movies. The people subjected to such fear should understand that each and everyone has a skeleton within and there is nothing to be afraid of. Read below to find out more generalised information on fear of bones cartilogenophobia and other phobias.

Similar phobia with fear of bones is Skeletophobia, fear of skeletons. There are also other body parts phobias such as Fear of feet. Podophobia, Fear of faces. Prosopophobia etc.

Skeletons in movies

Cartilogenophobia Symptoms

Phobias should never be taken very lightly. Because, all phobias can to some degree limit a persons daily activities and are in some cases the root cause that make someone experience anxiety and leading up all the way to depression.

The symptoms to Cartilogenophobia are pretty straightforward, people who show such tendencies avoid foods with bones in them all together or have a feeling of disgust or distress when seeing or thinking about skeletons.

People are different and so are all the types of phobias someone might suffer from. So the symptoms also vary strongly on the severity in which an individual is experiencing these fears. But generally speaking, body part phobias and fears such as Cartilogenophobia fall under the category of anxiety disorders. Meaning that a person can experience any if not all of the below mentioned physical and/or psychological symptoms.

Physical Symptoms

People with fear of bones often experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be extremely frightening and distressing for the person suffering from those. These symptoms most of the time happen suddenly and without any prior signs or warnings. No matter how overwhelming feelings of anxiety, a panic attack can cause real physical symptoms, such as but not limited to the ones below:

  • sweating
  • trembling
  • hot flushes or chills
  • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • a choking sensation
  • rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
  • pain or tightness in the chest
  • a sensation of butterflies in the stomach
  • nausea
  • headaches and dizziness
  • feeling faint
  • numbness or pins and needles
  • dry mouth
  • a need to go to the toilet
  • ringing in your ears
  • confusion or disorientation
  • hyperventilation
  • tightness in the chest/chest pain and difficulty breathing
  • rise in blood pressure

Psychological Symptoms

In some very severe cases, a person suffering a panic attack triggered from Cartilogenophobia. Usually when exposed to its triggers such as bones. Can have one/or all of the following symptoms.

  • fear of losing control
  • fear of fainting
  • feelings of dread
  • fear of dying
  • fear of harm or illness
  • guilt, shame, self-blame
  • Withdrawing from others
  • Feeling sad or hopeless
  • Feeling disconnected
  • Confusion, difficulty concentrating
  • Anger, irritability, mood swings
  • anxiety and fear

On some very special cases, there may be people experiencing intertwined phobias. Or what may be called complex phobias. These can often have a detrimental effect on a person’s everyday life and mental wellbeing. Because they may limit someones life so much that they become uncap-able of leading a normal personal and social life. Hence triggering a chain reaction of the above mentioned symptoms and lastly depression.

Bones in foods

Treatment of Cartilogenophobia

For many individual who are suffering from bones – Cartilogenophobia. Don’t always feel the need of treatment because they can just avoid the object of their fear. This gives people suffering from Cartilogenophobia a feeling of control on the problem. But sometimes avoiding bones might not be possible or enough.

It is important for someone to always seek professional help when possible. This way you don’t lose time and do a better job and understanding what is happening. With understanding you can next move on to overcoming your fear of bones.

While most phobias are curable, there is no single treatment available for all of them, or guaranteed to work. It strongly depends on the person suffering and severity in which that person is experiencing Cartilogenophobia. There are cases that a combination of treatments might be more effective.

Please be advised that you should not take treatment on your own! Always consult with a doctor before hand. The treatments mentioned below are for informational purposes and not specific to Cartilogenophobia. The treatments below are used on most phobia cases.

Talking Treatments for Cartilogenophobia

Talking treatments or talking therapies, which include counselling, might be very effective at treating fear of bones or Cartilogenophobia. Talking therapies are very laid back treatments and physically non intrusive which involve talking to a highly trained and proficient professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to:

  • help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to).
  • help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them
  • help you make sense of things and understand yourself better
  • give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won’t judge you

Talking therapies are in most cases the same as counselling, therapy, psychotherapy, psychological therapy, talking treatment. There is usually a very little difference between what’s meant when talking about any of these.

(CBT) Cognitive behavioural therapy

CBT treatments stand on the concept that what we thing and perceive are constantly influencing our behaviour. Experiencing anxiety and distress are in some cases distorting and bending ones perception over reality. Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to identify if they are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them.

For example when someone is experiencing Cartilogenophobia. Through the help of Cognitive behavioural therapy you could identify if the fear and anxiety experienced from bones is an accurate depiction of reality. And if not working on ways to change that.

Medication

Medication should be never taken without asking a doctor first. In general medication is not recommended for overcoming phobias. Therapies have resulted to be a definitive way to overcome fears. However some types of medication are prescribe as short term solutions to the side effects of phobias. Which include anxiety or depression. There are three general types of medication recommended for treating anxieties.

  1. antidepressants
  2. tranquillisers
  3. beta-blockers

Self-help with Cartilogenophobia

One of the best ways to overcome any difficulty or be prepare if any might arise in life, is to take good care of oneself. Being able to know how to help yourself is vital not to just be able to control your fear of bones, but also other phobias and anxieties before they get more severe!

To view more phobias check out our updated phobias list.

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