Megalophobia: Psychology, Symptom, and Cure of Fear of large objects

Health Salubrity
9 min readOct 2, 2021

Megalophobia refers to the fear of large objects. You can be afraid of large objects, such as large ships, large animals and aircraft, or towering sculptures. This phobia is unique for each person. There are treatments available to deal with it.

Megalophobia is a fear of large buildings, vehicles, or objects that causes extreme anxiety.

This condition, also known as “fear of large items,” is marked by severe nervousness. You take extreme measures to avoid triggers. You may find it affecting your daily life.

Megalophobia, like other phobias, is linked to underlying anxiety. It can be challenging to manage this condition, but there are solutions.

Psychology of megalophobia

A fear or phobia can be described as a feeling of intense terror. Many of the situations or objects you might have a fear about are unlikely to cause harm. However, a person with a fear of the unknown may believe otherwise psychologically.

Fear of particular objects or situations is normal. You might be afraid to go high or have had a bad experience with an animal that makes it difficult to approach them.

However, the critical difference between phobias and rational fears is that the fear you experience from phobias can interfere with your daily life.

Fears can overtake your day, making it difficult to deal with specific situations. You might avoid leaving your home in more severe cases.

Negative experiences with large objects can cause Megalophobia. You may feel severe anxiety if you are constantly exposed to important things or even consider them.

If the object is not likely to pose any danger, you can identify if it’s a fear or a phobia.

Sometimes, fear of large objects can result from learned behaviors that you have been exposed to as a child. Phobias can also be genetic — but you may have a different type than your parents.

Phobias can also cause feelings of fear and the following symptoms:

  • Shaking
  • Increased heart rate
  • Mild chest pain
  • It is essential to sweat
  • dizziness
  • Symptoms of upset stomach
  • Diarrhea or vomiting
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Crying
  • Panic

What is the trigger for megalophobia

Megalophobia, in general, is triggered by exposure to an object. In this instance, it was large objects. Phobias can be related to generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), and anxiety.

This condition can make you fearful of large objects such as:

  • tall buildings, including skyscrapers
  • Statues and monuments
  • You may feel claustrophobia in large spaces.
  • Hills and mountains
  • Large vehicles such as trains, garbage trucks, and buses
  • Helicopters and airplanes
  • Boats, yachts, or ships?
  • Big animals such as elephants and whales

Megalophobia can be triggered by many things, including fear and anxiety. Megalophobia can manifest in a variety of ways. Some people experience these symptoms when they are near large objects. Others may feel the same way, but only when specific triggers are present.

Fears of large animals, stationary objects, or massive artificial objects could be triggering. Voici quelques-unes of the most common triggers:

  • Airplanes
  • Blimps
  • Buildings
  • Buses
  • Construction equipment
  • Elephants
  • Redwoods and sequoias are enormous trees
  • Hills and mountains
  • Large water bodies
  • Ships
  • Sculptures
  • Statues
  • Trains
  • Whales

Megalophobia: The Complete Range of Objects

Megalophobia, as I said above, is the fear of large items. You may now be wondering, “What objects are people afraid of?” It is a great question! Megalophobia is a fear of anything more significant than their size.

It can be anything from a small boat to a giant skyscraper and everything in between. Megalophobia can be identified by the feeling that large objects make the sufferer nervous or scared.

It’s easy to diagnose yourself mistakenly. For example, that you are afraid of giant snakes and lizards. It must be megalophobia. But not so fast.

You may be scared of reptiles only. In this case, it is essential to determine if you have an irrational fear that includes smaller versions. Megalophobia may be combined with herpetophobia if you aren’t afraid of small reptiles.

However, before you look for cures for specific fears, it is essential to be diagnosed by a mental healthcare professional. It’s crucial to ensure that you are working on the correct phobia.

The best treatment options can be applied to the specific area once the aversion has been diagnosed. Phobias can be complicated, especially if there are overlaps. We hope this article helps to ease your confusion.

Megalophobia is the primary symptom. People may experience symptoms such as:

These phobias can severely limit your social interactions. It is essential to understand your aversion so that you can overcome it.

It is not clear what causes this phobia. A variety of factors can cause Megalophobia.

Exaggerated Normal Fears

It’s normal to feel fearful or anxious about things that appear overwhelming or threatening. Megalophobia is a fear that’s more intense than the usual fear experienced by other people.

An intimidating size

This fear of large objects is often associated with things more significant than the object they represent. It could be a sculpture more prominent than the life of someone from history or an animal not fitting the standard size for the species. These unusual sizes can cause megalophobia and real fear in people who are afraid.

These fears can sometimes be triggered by news stories, legends, or other sources. One example of this is the fear of giant animals. Since the dawn of sailing ships, mythology has included the fear of giant squids. There are many legends about sailors who lost their way to the monsters deep in the.

Many of these ships may have been run aground or rammed against rocks in the days before the advent of modern navigational systems.

The rumors continued to persist. Comic books and science fiction were significant trends in the 1950s, especially among teenage boys. In 2004, the first photographs of a giant living squid were taken.

It is easy to view how such stories could lead to full-blown fear. Even today, people still fear giant “killer” animals, exploited in films like Jaws and Anaconda.

A person with a fear of the dark is usually fully aware of their worries. This phobia does not have a specific megalophobia test. A psychiatrist who specializes in mental disorders must confirm the diagnosis.

This phobia can be diagnosed by a mental health professional based on your past and symptoms around large objects. They can help you identify the root cause of your fears, which most commonly stem from negative experiences. You can specify the root cause of your anxiety and work towards healing from previous trauma.

Also, you might be asked questions about how you feel about large objects. You might be afraid of big things in some cases but not others. An anxiety counselor can help you to link your symptoms with the objects you fear and help you work towards overcoming them.

Some therapists may use imagery to help diagnose your specific triggers. These could include large objects such as vehicles, monuments, or buildings. The counselor will then assist you in creating a treatment plan.

A mixture of therapies and medications may be used to treat a phobia. The underlying causes of your fear will be addressed through treatment, and prescriptions will reduce the anxiety symptoms.

There are many options for therapy, including:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an approach to helping you recognize your irrational fears and then replace them with more rational ones.
  • Desensitization or exposure therapy may be used. It can involve images or real-life exposures to objects that cause your fear.
  • Talk therapy
  • Group therapy

Phobias are not treated with FDA-approved medication. To help ease anxiety related to your phobia, your doctor or mental health professional might recommend one or more of the following:

  • beta-blockers
  • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
  • serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Although it may be tempting to avoid large objects that trigger fear in people living with megalophobia, this will only make it harder to manage your condition over the long term. Avoidance is better than avoidance. It’s better to gradually expose yourself to your fears until you feel less anxious.

Relaxation is another way to cope. Relaxation methods such as visualization and deep breathing can help deal with large objects you are afraid of.

Lifestyle changes can be made to reduce anxiety. These are:

How can I conquer my fears and symptoms of large objects?

To overcome megalophobia, you need to work with a professional instead of trying to do it yourself. You may have to stop trying or experience another trauma while facing a large object. It could delay or make it more difficult.

Let’s now talk about some therapy methods to help you overcome your fear of large objects. Your therapist might recommend medication to help you manage your anxiety and depression if your condition is more severe. A therapist might also suggest other methods to overcome megalophobia. These are:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The therapist will help you understand why your fears are unrealistic and help you replace them with realistic thoughts. This treatment has been trusted to be effective in treating phobias and diagnosing megalophobia.
  • Systematic desensitization — Your fears will be presented to you in real and imaginary situations. It will gradually decrease your symptoms.
  • Relaxation Techniques — Your therapist will also teach relaxation techniques that can be used to make you more comfortable around objects you fear. Research shows that CBT combined with relaxation techniques can reduce anxiety associated with phobias.
  • Flooding — This therapy method exposes patients to their fears and allows them to face them. A therapist will not use any therapeutic approach you are uncomfortable with.

Therapy and medication of Megalophobia

Therapy and medication can be used to help you with any additional problems that your phobia may have caused in your life. You can conquer your fear! You can overcome your fear of large objects with patience and effort.

It will take some time, depending on what your situation is. You don’t have it all together, and neither should you. Mental health professionals have the best knowledge about phobias and the best treatment methods.

They can also help you to determine the best treatment pace and adjust if necessary. So you can conquer megalophobia, get help now.

Do you want to heal but don’t know where to begin? Health Salubrity is the largest online counseling platform in the world. It aims to provide users with affordable and convenient online counseling.

One study found that patients who used the internet to find the phobia-specific treatment more enjoyable than those who did not. Patients required fewer face-to-face sessions, which led to a decrease in treatment costs and a faster recovery.

The study shows that online therapy for phobias could be a practical addition to psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy).

Many people with phobias find it challenging to sign up for therapy and visit the therapist’s offices. Megalophobic individuals may find it difficult or frightening to commute to appointments because they might encounter large objects they are afraid of.

Online counseling is easier as you can communicate with your therapist in a familiar environment — at your home. No traveling is required. Below are reviews from others who have experienced similar problems.

The treatment of phobias falls into one of the few categories that are currently recognized. Psychotherapy is the most popular treatment. However, medications can be used in some instances to treat phobia-related symptoms.

A few psychotherapy methods can be used to treat specific fears like megalophobia.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

The most common is cognitive behavior therapy. In this program, the individual is encouraged to replace phobic thoughts with more rational ones. There are also various exposure strategies.

Psychotherapists can guide someone through their fears about large objects. They may help the person to understand why their fear might not be genuine. It is possible to see the fear from a different perspective and confront the situations they fear has caused.

Exposure Therapy

You can approach this by systematic desensitization or flooding. In either case, the client is not placed in any danger.

A Word from Health Salubrity

It is crucial to seek treatment if you are suffering from phobias of large animals or objects. Most phobias can usually be managed or cured with proper treatment.

However, phobias that are not treated properly can often get worse over time. Talk to your doctor about a customized treatment plan.

Where can I find help?

There are many options to help you manage phobias. You can:

  • Ask your primary care physician for recommendations
  • If you feel comfortable, ask friends, family, and loved ones for recommendations
  • You can search the internet for therapists near you by looking at their testimonials.
  • Call your insurance company to find out which therapists will accept your plan.

The bottom line

Although megalophobia may not be as well-known as other fears, it is still a genuine and severe condition for sufferers.

Although it can temporarily relieve anxiety, avoidance of large objects won’t solve the root cause. So your fear doesn’t control your life, a mental health professional can assist you with diagnosis and treatment.

Originally published at https://healthsalubrity.com on October 2, 2021.

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