Megalophobia

DEFINITION

Megalophobia is an anxiety disorder where a person has extreme fear of large objects such as large buildings, statues, animals and vehicles.

SYPMTOMS

It is typical for a person with this phobia to attempt to avoid coming into contact with any large objects that may trigger them, however when this is not possible they may experience some of the following:

• Feeling intense fear and anxiety.
• Experience rapid heartbeat.
• Shortness of breath.
• Feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
• Feeling nauseous.
• Strong desire to escape the situation.

DIAGNOSIS

Usually, the phobia will have at least four criteria for diagnosis, from the DSM-5, including:

• ‘Intense and unreasonable fear: The fear of the object or situation is persistent and out of proportion to an appropriate level of fear.
• Anticipatory anxiety: An individual who has a phobia tends to dwell on or dread future situations or experiences that will involve the object or situation they are afraid of.
• Avoidance: Many people who have a phobia will actively avoid the feared object or situation. Some go to extreme lengths to avoid the thing they are afraid of.
• The phobia interferes with day-to-day activities: The fear the individual experiences has to limit their everyday life in some way in order for it to be diagnosed as a phobia.’ (DSM-5, 2013).

 American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders