Have you ever had a panic attack when you found yourself in a public place with tons of people? You may have a phobia known as enochlophobia or the fear of crowds. Don’t think that you are on your own as this fear is more common than you think. It can also be treated. Check out the list below for some ways that you can deal with your fear of crowds.
1. Try to discover the reason for your fear – it would be a good idea to find out just what caused you to have an irrational fear of crowds. Has it been going on for years? Or did it just exhibiting recently? What triggered your fear? A common reason could be the idea that you could potentially embarrass yourself in a social situation such as speaking in front of a crowd and not remembering what you had to say. For others, it might stem from a trauma they experienced. Maybe you found yourself getting hurt during a holiday parade, or you got lost while with your family at the amusement park when you find out the reason, it could help you map out a plan to handle your fear.
2. Take it slowly – you do not need to force yourself to deal with large crowds right away. While some may advise you to just face your fear, doing that outright may not be the best strategy. Start by going out with friends first, going to restaurants or at the mall. Time your trips to public places during off-peak hours so that you don’t have to deal with too many people right away.
3. Bring a friend with you – if you are still not sure that you can venture out on your own, then bring a friend with you. This way you will not be overwhelmed when you see how many people are in the area. Tell your friend about your condition and what they can do to help you should you have any symptoms of your phobia.
4. Look for crowd activities that you can enjoy – why not look for something that you enjoy doing and see if this activity can be done in a crowd. If you enjoy cooking in your kitchen, why not take a cooking class where you will be with other people. Or perhaps, instead of working out on your own, take some Zumba or yoga class at your local gym. This way, you will not mind the crowd so much because you will be doing something that you love.
5. Do your research about your condition – arm yourself with information. Read up about your condition from books or you can check out this detailed information from www.fearapy.com. The site not only gives symptoms and possible causes of the phobia but even suggested treatments that you can avail of. Don’t think that you have to live with your fear for the rest of your life. There are ways that you can confront and overcome it so that you can enjoy going out with crowds without any fear.
Disclosure: Collaborative Post
Photo Credit: Fearapy.com