There are currently a large number of specific phobias related to all kinds of objects, behaviours, people or situations; some of them more unusual than others. Although most phobias do not always have to involve serious health consequences, there are specific cases in which they can end up causing other types of much more severe conditions.

This is the case of phagophobia , which we will talk about throughout this article and which can be associated with cases of anorexia and serious weight loss. Next, we will describe its main characteristics, symptoms, causes and possible treatments.

What is phagophobia?

Phagophobia falls into the category of specific anxiety disorders, also called specific phobias. Like other phobias, it is characterized by severe episodes of fear and anxiety at the appearance of a specific stimulus. In this case , the fear is experienced before the act of swallowing .

Like other anxiety disorders caused by a specific stimulus, the person suffering from phagophobia experiences a strong fear reaction, accompanied by the physical manifestations of very high anxiety states .

The main characteristics that distinguish a phobic fear are specified in the following points:

  • The person experiences a fear and dread that is disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the stimulus.
  • This is a completely irrational fear . In many cases, the patient himself is unable to find a logical explanation to justify his fear.
  • It is an uncontrollable fear, so the person is unable to prevent the appearance of phobic symptoms.
  • It’s stable over time. Even if it only manifests itself at the appearance or imagination of the phobic stimulus, the person maintains the phobia over time.

As a consequence, and if no treatment is received, the patient may suffer severe complications related to poor nutrition . In some cases, phagophobia can lead to disinterest in food, severe weight loss or anorexia.

Differences with other phobias

It is common for phagophobia to be confused with other types of specific phobia such as pnigophobia or excessive fear of choking or drowning. Although they may seem very similar, both are already linked to the act of swallowing, in phagophobia the phobic stimulus is the mere fact of swallowing, while in pnigophobia the fear lies in the possibility of choking and drowning as a result of swallowing.

In both cases, the physical symptoms can be confused with those of other conditions such as dysgaphy and odynophagia, in which the person suffers a psychological alteration that makes the act of swallowing impossible or very painful.

What symptoms do you show?

Because phagophobia is classified within the category of specific phobias, its symptomatology is similar to that of the other anxiety disorders of this type . The clinical picture of anxiety is characterized by the appearance of physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms every time the person has to face the feared act, in this case swallowing.

Sometimes the phobia can be so deeply rooted that the patient manifests the symptoms only by thinking or imagining that he or she is swallowing any food, drink or even medication.

Therefore, the following symptoms will appear in phagobobia, which are ordered by category:

1. Physical symptoms

Some of the first symptoms the patient is aware of are physical or organic symptoms. These are due to the hyperactivation of the nervous system in response to the appearance of the feared stimulus. As a consequence of this increase in functioning, all kinds of alterations and changes in the organism can appear.

When this physical symptomatology appears the person can experiment:

  • Increased heart rate .
  • Increased respiratory rate.
  • Choking sensation, suffocation or shortness of breath.
  • Increased muscle tension.
  • Headache .
  • Gastric alterations and stomach pains.
  • Increased sweating.
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness .
  • Nausea and/or vomiting.
  • Fainting spells.

Cognitive symptoms

In addition to the physical symptoms, phagophobia is also characterized by the presence of a series of cognitive symptoms that manifest themselves through thoughts, beliefs and speculations regarding possible dangers that may appear or are related to swallowing.

These distorted or irrational ideas and beliefs drive the development of this phobia and are distinguished by the fact that the person integrates a series of illogical thoughts and imaginations that are constantly held in his mind.

3. Behavioral symptoms

Finally, like other phobias, phagophobia also presents a series of behavioral symptoms. This symptomatology related to the person’s behaviour is manifested by means of avoidance and escape behaviours .

In avoidance behaviours, the person carries out all kinds of acts or behaviours with the main objective of avoiding encountering the phobic stimulus . With them, she manages to avoid experiencing the feelings of anguish and anxiety that such a situation generates.

However, in the case of escape behaviours, these appear when the person has not been able to avoid the appearance of the feared situation, so he will perform any kind of act or behaviour necessary to escape from the situation in which he is involved.

What causes it?

Discovering the origin of a phobia can be a really complicated task, since in many occasions the person himself is not able to determine what experience may have conditioned the appearance of such fear.

Despite this, it is known that there are several factors that can predispose or enhance the appearance and development of an anxiety disorder of these characteristics. This is the case of the existence of a genetic predisposition that aggravates the effects that anxiety has on the person, accompanied by the experience of a highly traumatic or emotionally charged situation or event.

These factors or the possibility of vicarious or imitative learning can most likely trigger the appearance of this or any other phobia.

Is there a treatment?

Due to the dangerous effects of this phobia (extreme weight loss or anorexia), it is essential that the patient undergoes an intervention that reduces the intensity of the symptoms and even makes them go away completely.

There are a number of psychological treatments that can make a person considerably better. These interventions include three different and complementary types of actions.

The first consists of an intervention through cognitive restructuring, which allows for the modification of all those distorted thoughts and beliefs that the person possesses in relation to the act of swallowing.

This intervention is accompanied by live exposure or systematic desensitization techniques , by means of which the person is gradually exposed, either live or through imagination, to the feared stimulus.

In order to reduce the physical symptoms of facing the feared situation, relaxation skills training is carried out to decrease the levels of excitement in the nervous system and help the person face his or her fears effectively.