In our article “Filofobia o miedo a enamorse”, we review the characteristics of the irrational fear of being in love .

Well, in this article that we present today, we will review the most important factors of the phobia of staying single , a phenomenon also known as Anuptophobia .

Anuptophobia: what is it?

There are many different types of phobias that people can suffer from. To some extent it is common to want to have a partner, as it is nice to have that person by your side with whom you can share your joys and sorrows.

Falling in love and being in a relationship is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences we humans can have, but many love relationships can go wrong and bring negative consequences. Anuptophobes panic about being single and are capable of clinging to a traumatic relationship in an irrational way.

Causes of Anuptophobia

There are many factors that can influence suffering from anuptophobia, but the most common factors are traumatic past experiences or irrational beliefs about staying single.

From early ages we have been brought up to understand that a full life is about getting married and having children . Being single can be a failure for many people, especially for women. Social pressure causes women without partners to be labelled as “spinsters” . This label can be difficult to carry, and can cause severe anxiety disorder if thinking about being single is not corrected.

A common sign: the lattice

Anuptophobes are usually jealous and very dependent people , with very low self-esteem, who are exaggeratedly influenced by the opinion others have about them.

Related article: “Sickly Jealousy: 10 Common Signs Among Jealous People”

It is possible that the cause of anuptophobia is also in childhood, since children of parents who have not been created with enough affection have more options to suffer from this phobia. The lack of social support at an early age can cause children to grow up as individuals with an enormous fear of rejection and who avoid loneliness at all costs.

Much research warns of future negative consequences if children are not raised correctly. But not only the lack of affection can be a problem for the future development of a person, but the excess of protection can also cause the person to panic about being single as he or she grows older. In this sense, it is very important that parents have the necessary tools to educate their children in emotional intelligence.

The relationship with the parents will be a determining factor in the creation of the child’s mental world and may cause future pathologies, such as problems in their relationships .

Symptoms of Anuptophobia

Like any phobia, the symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the disorder and from person to person. Symptoms include extreme anxiety, dread, and any other panic-related symptom: shortness of breath, tachycardia, excessive sweating, dry mouth, etc.

Possible treatments

When a person suffers from anuptophobia, he or she may be able to understand what is happening to him or her, but it is not so easy to overcome the disorder without the help of a psychologist .

Family and friends are important in helping you through the recovery process, as overcoming any type of disorder is a difficult task. The individual suffering from anxiety, with the feelings and thoughts associated with it, sets the direction of his or her life, to the detriment of his or her aspirations, goals and well-being.

If you have this disorder, you can talk to your doctor, but you need to seek psychological help as soon as possible.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can provide techniques that are efficient for the treatment of any phobia. The technique of systematic desensitization is very useful for overcoming any anxiety disorder, as it helps the patient to cope with the phobic disorder, as it exposes him/her to the feared situations by reducing avoidance behaviours .