The vastness of the universe, space, or the cosmos, as well as the many stars and celestial bodies that inhabit it, can be as fascinating as they are intimidating to the people who observe them. However, if this sensation turns into an exacerbated fear of them, it is very possible that we are facing a case of astrophobia .

Throughout this article we will talk about this type of specific phobia. We will analyze the characteristics that distinguish it from a normal fear and describe its main symptoms, causes and treatments.

What is astrophobia?

Astrophy is a psychological disorder that is part of anxiety disorders . Based on its own name it is easy to deduce that it is an excessive, irrational and uncontrollable fear of the stars or heavenly bodies that are in the cosmos or the universe.

If we take into account the etymological roots of the word, “star” is a term that comes from Latin and refers to all kinds of heavenly bodies located in outer space and which are also visible from the earth; while the concept “phobia” finds its origin in the Greek word “phobos” which means flight or fear.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, astrophobia is considered an anxiety disorder in which the person experiences an excessive and irrational fear of the stars , and in which he or she experiences extremely high anxiety every time the affected person looks at the stars

Although astrophobia is a type of phobia with very little incidence among the population, it can become an extremely disabling disorder , in which the patient is susceptible to the extreme of remaining confined to the house so as not to risk seeing the sky.

Therefore, this mental illness can modify and limit a person’s behavior, diminishing their quality of life. Fortunately, there are very effective treatments for this type of specific phobia thanks to which the person is able to overcome it and lead a normal life.

Clinical features of the disorder

Like other phobias or anxiety disorders, astrophobia has a series of clinical characteristics that allow it to be distinguished from the usual or non-pathological feelings of fear or dread .

Therefore, to be able to differentiate astrophobia from a non-pathological fear, it must have the following characteristics:

  • Excessive and disproportionate fear given the real danger of the situation or phobic stimulus.
  • Irrational fear , since the person is unable to offer a logical explanation for it.
  • Inability to control the emotions of fear and distress
  • Generation of avoidance behaviours of the situation
  • Fear appears constantly and permanently through the different situations feared.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of astrophobia are those related to experiencing great anxiety. This clinical picture does not manifest itself continuously over time, but only in those cases in which the person faces or anticipates what he or she will face with the phobic stimulus; in this case, the stars and heavenly bodies .

These symptoms can be classified into three groups, according to whether they correspond to physical, cognitive or behavioral symptoms.

1. Physical symptoms

With the appearance of the phobia , the central nervous system experiences an excessive increase in its activity , generating a large number of changes and alterations at a physiological and organic level.

This physical symptomatology includes:

  • Increased heart rate .
  • Increased breathing.
  • Palpitations .
  • Choking sensation.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Increased sweating levels.
  • Headache .
  • Gastric alterations.
  • Dizziness .
  • Nausea and/or vomiting.
  • Fainting and loss of consciousness.

Cognitive symptoms

The appearance of physical symptoms is subject to a series of incoherent or extravagant beliefs and ideas about the situation or phobic stimulus and its presumed dangerousness. These ideas make up the cognitive symptoms and often appear early, generating the symptoms of anxiety.

Among the cognitive symptoms characteristic of astrophobia are

  • Distorted thoughts about the stars and the heavenly bodies.
  • Ideas of an intrusive and uncontrollable nature flood the patient’s mind.
  • Obsessive speculations about the possible dangers of the stars.
  • Catastrophic imagination in relation to the feared object.
  • Fear of losing control and not being able to manage the situation favourably.

3. Physical symptoms

The main consequence of the anxiety symptoms, previously mentioned, is the realization of a series of behaviors or patterns of behavior that arise in response to the feared stimulus.

These physical symptoms appear in order to avoid the feared circumstances or to flee from them in case they could not be avoided. In this way, the person with astrophobia tries to avoid experiencing unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and distress.

These behavior patterns are known as avoidance behaviors and escape behaviors. In avoidance behaviors, the person performs a series of acts intended to eliminate the possibility of having to deal with them.

On the other hand, escape behaviors appear when the person suffering from astrophobia is inevitably faced with the situation or stimulus feared. Throughout the situation, the person will carry out all kinds of acts or behaviours that allow him/her to escape from the situation as quickly as possible.

What causes it?

Despite the fact that, for the time being, no completely reliable causes have been established to explain the phobias. The researchers point to the possibility that the experience of highly traumatic events or experiences or with a great emotional charge, together with a genetic predisposition to the harmful effects of stress, establish a basis for the emergence of a specific anxiety disorder such as astrophobia.

In addition, there are other factors such as personality, cognitive styles or vicarious learning, which can favour the appearance and development of an irrational and uncontrollable fear such as phobias.

Treatment for this phobia

In spite of the low incidence of astrophobia, there are very effective treatments and interventions common to the rest of the specific phobias thanks to which the person can overcome his fear and continue with his life in a normal way .

In the case of specific anxiety disorders such as phobias, the type of intervention that has proved to be most effective is cognitive behavioural therapy , where through systematic desensitization (SD) the person can get used to dealing with the object of their fear.

In this systematic desensitization, the patient is exposed in an imaginary way to a series of situations related to the phobia, which are gradually ordered from less to more fear. Relaxation techniques are also applied to reduce the level of anxiety.

Another widely used technique is that of live exposure , through which the person is directly and gradually exposed to the feared situation. However, these techniques should always be carried out under the supervision and guidance of a mental health professional.