Xylophobia, also known as hilophobia , is the persistent and intense fear of objects made of wood, or materials that simulate it, as well as of wooded areas. Although rare, it is a phobia specific to a natural environment, which may be related to the dangers associated with forests.

Here is what xylophobia is as well as its main symptoms and some strategies to counteract it.

Xylophobia: fear of wood

The term xylophobia is composed of the Greek word “xyl” (xylon), which means wood, and “fobos” which means fear. It is a persistent and excessive fear of wood , its characteristics (smell, texture) and the objects that derive from it. It is also characterized by a fear of forests and materials that simulate wood.

As a phobia whose trigger is an element of nature, xylophobia can be defined as a specific phobia of the natural environment. As such it has been little or not at all investigated, since it manifests itself in a low frequency .

What can happen more often is that it is a fear that relates to others, for example, of a situational type. The latter are persistent fears of particular circumstances or places, such as forests or open spaces. In this case, xylophobia can be related not only to wood, but also to darkness, wide open spaces, uncertainty, animals, getting lost, etc.

Characteristics and main symptoms

When we are faced with situations that represent a danger, whether real or perceived , our organism alerts us in different ways. Specifically, it activates a part of our nerve cells known as the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the involuntary functions of our body.

These functions include, for example, visceral activity, breathing rate, sweating or palpitations. All these reactions, which are related to fear, allow us to set in motion a series of adaptive behaviors, that is, they allow us to respond proportionally to possible harm.

But, it can also happen that the previous reactions are presented in a disproportionate way, preventing us from generating adaptive responses and significantly impacting our experiences with respect to the stimulus.

Precisely, specific phobias such as xylophobia are characterized by an anxiety response activated by exposure to the stimulus that is perceived as harmful . Thus, xylophobia can manifest itself through the following symptoms mainly: tachycardia, increased blood pressure, sweating, decreased gastric activity, palpitations, hyperventilation.

Similarly, if the part of the autonomic nervous system known as the “parasympathetic nervous system” is activated, xylophobia can generate the physiological responses associated with disgust , such as cardiovascular deceleration, dry mouth, nausea, stomach pain, dizziness and decreased temperature.

The above symptomatology varies depending on whether the specific phobia is to a situation, an environmental element, animals, injuries, or any other type. Depending on the case, another possible manifestation is the presence of a panic attack.

On the other hand, it is common the presence of secondary behaviors, which are those that the person performs to protect himself from the harmful stimulus and prevent the anxiety response. These are defensive and avoidance behaviours (doing your best not to expose yourself to the noxious stimulus) and hypervigilance over related situations or elements. In addition to the above, there is a perception of lack of resources to deal with the feared stimulus, which may aggravate the anxiety response and increase avoidance behaviours.

Causes

As with other specific phobias, xylophobia can be caused by a number of learned associations about stimulation and possible harm. In this case, these are associations about forest areas and the elements that make them up (especially wood), and the related dangers.

Such partnerships may be based on real and direct experiences of hazards, or they may have been established by indirect experiences. In the specific case of xylophobia, media exposure to forest areas, where they are generally represented in close association with imminent hazards, for example, being lost or attacked by an animal or a person, can have an important influence.

When does a phobia develop?

Usually, natural environment phobias start in childhood (before age 12), and situational phobias can start both in childhood and after age 20 . Similarly, a specific phobia may develop into adulthood, even if the non-persistent fear started in childhood.

The latter has not been studied in xylophobia, but it has been studied in animal, blood and injection, driving and height phobias. In addition, when development occurs during childhood and adolescence, phobic fears are more likely to decrease even without treatment, which is more difficult to do in adulthood. It is more common for specific phobias to occur in women than in men.

Main treatments

At first it is important to evaluate the situation and the feared stimulus to determine the causes. From there, it is important to detect the problematic behaviours at a cognitive as well as a physiological and social level , as well as the intensity of the anxiety responses. Subsequently, it is important to analyse the emotional resources and the coping styles of the person in order to know what needs to be reinforced or modified.

To intervene directly on xylophobia, as well as to treat other types of specific phobias, it is common to use strategies such as the following:

  • Live exhibition.
  • Participating model.
  • Relaxation strategies .
  • Cognitive restructuring.
  • Imaginary exhibition techniques .
  • Systematic desensitization.
  • Reprocessing by eye movements.

The effectiveness of each depends on the specific type of phobia and the particular symptoms of the person with the phobia.

Bibliographic references:

  • Fritscher, L. (2018). Understanding Xylophobia or the Irrational Fear of Wooded Areas. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Available at https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fear-of-the-woods-2671899.
  • Bados, A. (2005). Specific phobias. Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona.