Fear Of Pain Or Algophobia
The fear of pain or algophobia is a fear that is as common as it is normal. After all, who isn’t afraid of physical pain?
Pain is one of the worst conditions a person can find themselves in. In fact, our natural tendency is usually to do everything to avoid it. The escape from pain is a reflex mechanism that preserves our personal physical integrity and our survival. Therefore, this fear obeys an adaptive mechanism.
However, there are people for whom this fear – which diagnostic textbooks technically call algophobia – reaches significantly higher levels than what is generally considered normal. Algophobia is characterized by the intensity of fear, but also by its frequency, persistence and influence in daily life.
Consequently, for people suffering from algophobia, their aversion to pain and the anxiety that results from it constitute a real problem, the socio-emotional implications of which should not be neglected. Let’s dig deeper.
The characteristics of the fear of pain
From a psychopathological point of view, fear of pain can be considered a type of anxiety disorder. The person who suffers from it then experiences an irrational and extreme fear. This fear can be directed at a specific person, object or situation.
This concept has an extremely broad scope. There are indeed many pathological fears that can manifest in many people.
A peculiarity of algophobia is that, in terms of population, it is more common in the elderly. In fact, this follows a certain logic since the elderly are more exposed than the young to the following phenomena:
- Complaints from people of their age group and those around them about illnesses and pain.
- The perception of suffering in others.
- Age-related pathologies.
Therefore, it is generally typical for a person who is afraid of pain to anticipate the onset of conditions that may cause them to experience pain. In addition, this anticipation is often accompanied by a certain cognitive and physiological anxiety.
This fact ultimately causes the person to experience the results of the pain in an anticipated and fictitious manner. The degree of impact of this anxiety on the daily life of the individual is large enough to imply some form of attack on the general well-being of that individual.
Algophobia and hyperalgesia
Hyperalgesia is an increased sensitivity to pain. It usually results from physical damage to nerves or nerve endings and pain receptors. Several studies have established a link between hyperalgesia and algophobia. However, these two disorders are not necessarily associated with each other.
A person who suffers from hyperalgesia may develop a fear of pain. Conversely, an individual with acute algophobia may be more psychologically predisposed to experience physical pain. Therefore, the pain can be subjectively disproportionate when he actually perceives it.
Assessment and treatment of algophobia
In a clinical setting, there are several diagnostic tools available to determine whether or not a pain phobia exists. They also make it possible to quantify its intensity.
If the evaluation of hyperalgesia is essentially reserved for the medical field, that of algophobia concerns rather psychology. Indeed, it often corresponds to acquired habits and learned behaviors.
One of the most recognized and widely used psychometric tests is the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-III). The score obtained by the patient makes it possible to lead to an appropriate differential diagnosis and to determine the presence or not of algophobia.
The psychotherapeutic approach to algophobia is not too different from that applied to other types of phobia. In general, best results are achieved when two types of therapy are combined:
- Psycho-affective intervention. This is psychological therapy. A distinction is made in particular between cognitive behavioral therapy and various other relaxation techniques.
- Pharmacological intervention. It is mainly characterized by taking anti-anxiety drugs. To this can be added the use of antidepressant drugs for the treatment of mood disorders.
Pain is a reality that we obviously want to avoid. Most of us therefore tend to shy away from it. If it is preventable pain, logic seems to dictate that it would be wise to use strategies to avoid or at least alleviate the pain.
The same could apply to that other pain – secondary – which is the anticipation of the primary pain itself. This is the problem that people who suffer from algophobia face.
In this type of case, it is recommended to rely on health and mental health professionals in particular to prevent this fear of pain from undermining a well-deserved well-being. Let’s keep this in mind.
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