Many people don’t enjoy it when others stare at them — especially if they have anxiety — but for scopophobia sufferers, the fear of someone watching them can be debilitating. Learn more about the scopophobia definition and how you can treat this condition below.
Many people don’t enjoy it when others stare at them, especially if they have anxiety. For scopophobia sufferers, however, the fear of someone watching them can be debilitating. Learn the scopophobia definition, and find out how you can treat this condition below.
Scopophobia Definition
Scopophobia is an excessive fear of being looked at or watched. If you believe you have scopophobia, it can be helpful to know you’re not alone. Scopophobia is often considered a symptom of social anxiety disorder, which affects approximately 12% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives.
Symptoms and Causes of Scopophobia
People who have scopophobia tend to avoid social encounters and turn down invitations to events where many other people will be present. They may have trouble leaving their home, which can lead to attendance problems at work or school. Some sufferers may feel lonely and wish to interact with others, but their fear of being watched prevents them from doing so.
People with scopophobia can also interpret eye contact and facial expressions differently than non-sufferers. They may feel people who watch them are angry or thinking negative thoughts about them. Sufferers may also believe others are judging their appearance, behavior and speech, which can lead to a state of hypervigilance about how they look and act.
Scopophobia shares many symptoms with anxiety, but the two conditions aren’t exactly the same. Scopophobia differs from regular anxiety in that sufferers avoid any situation that may trigger their fear. For example, someone with anxiety may feel nervous at a party, while a person with scopophobia might skip going to a party entirely.
Scopophobia can affect nearly every aspect of a sufferer’s life. People with this phobia might find it difficult or impossible to:
- Eat in front of others
- Go on dates
- Participate in job interviews
- Perform in front of a group
- Attend meetings
- Ask for help in stores
- Use public restrooms
The symptoms of scopophobia can differ from one person to the next. They may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Shaking and trembling
- Sweating
- Chills
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest
- Nausea and abdominal pain
- Feelings of impending danger or doom
- Needing to escape a situation by any means possible
- Depersonalization or a feeling of the world being unreal
People with scopophobia often also suffer from social anxiety, which includes symptoms such as:
- Difficulty maintaining eye contact
- Fear of being judged by others
- Excessive blushing
- Rigid body posture and inability to relax around others
- Speaking very softly in public
- Trouble making and keeping friends
Although social anxiety can cause scopophobia, it isn’t the only reason people develop this fear. People with conditions such as epilepsy and Tourette’s syndrome may develop scopophobia because they fear their condition will draw attention and cause others to stare at them. Scopophobia may also develop in people who were bullied as children or had other negative social experiences in their younger years.
How Scopophobia Is Diagnosed
To diagnosis scopophobia, a doctor will first want to rule out other physical or mental conditions that may be causing your feelings of fear. The diagnostic procedure can include:
- Discussion of your symptoms and how often they occur
- Discussion about events and situations that trigger your fear
- Self-report questionnaire to help the doctor better understand your feelings
- Physical exam and blood work
- Review of medications you’re taking
- Questions about alcohol and drug use
Because scopophobia is closely related to social anxiety, your doctor may check to see if you meet the DSM-5 criteria for this condition. The criteria include:
- Anxiety that causes significant distress and interferes with daily living
- Anxiety that’s excessive in relation to the situation
- Intense fear of social situations due to a worry of being humiliated or judged negatively
- Avoiding social situations due to intense worry or fear
- Anxiety that’s not explained by another medical condition or substance abuse
- Symptoms being present for at least 6 months without improvement
Available Treatment for Scopophobia
Scopophobia is strongly associated with social anxiety, so therapies used to treat anxiety disorders may be very helpful in reducing feelings of fear. One of the best options to try is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help people replace negative, unrealistic thoughts with less harmful patterns of thinking.
For example, a scopophobia sufferer may believe people don’t like the outfit they’re wearing that day. They might incorrectly assume that others are judging them for their poor taste in clothes. With the help of CBT, a person with scopophobia can learn to reframe the situation in a positive way. They may then assume someone is staring at them because they enjoy their outfit and wish to know where they bought their clothes.
Exposure therapy is another good choice for reducing anxiety-related thoughts and fears. This type of therapy uses scenarios, either real or imagined, to help patients acclimate to situations that would normally trigger their fear. Exposure therapy works by weakening associations between distressing situations and negative outcomes. Patients can feel empowered as they learn to manage their feelings and achieve goals in spite of their fears.
For instance, a therapist might ask their patient to put themselves in social situations that gradually get more challenging. The patient may start by going to a park or grocery store where others are present until they feel comfortable. Eventually, they progress to more difficult tasks, such as giving a presentation.
Medication may also be used to treat scopophobia in conjunction with therapy. Commonly prescribed medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These drugs boost the level of serotonin in the brain and may help users better regulate stress. It’s important to know there’s no one-size-fits-all medication to treat scopophobia. You may need to try several drugs to find the one that’s best for you.
Coping Strategies for Scopophobia
Isolating yourself may feel comforting if you have scopophobia, but this coping strategy may actually do more harm than good. Instead, consider talking to a trusted family member or friend about your feelings. Simply knowing that a loved one supports you can be a relief and give you strength on the road to recovery.
If you’re ready to treat your scopophobia, take the first step by contacting us today at Restore Mental Health.
Scopophobia Definition
Scopophobia is an excessive fear of being looked at or watched. If you believe you have scopophobia, it can be helpful to know you’re not alone. Scopophobia is often considered a symptom of social anxiety disorder, which affects approximately 12% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives.
Symptoms and Causes of Scopophobia
People who have scopophobia tend to avoid social encounters and turn down invitations to events where many other people will be present. They may have trouble leaving their home, which can lead to attendance problems at work or school. Some sufferers may feel lonely and wish to interact with others, but their fear of being watched prevents them from doing so.
People with scopophobia can also interpret eye contact and facial expressions differently than non-sufferers. They may feel people who watch them are angry or thinking negative thoughts about them. Sufferers may also believe others are judging their appearance, behavior and speech, which can lead to a state of hypervigilance about how they look and act.
Scopophobia shares many symptoms with anxiety, but the two conditions aren’t exactly the same. Scopophobia differs from regular anxiety in that sufferers avoid any situation that may trigger their fear. For example, someone with anxiety may feel nervous at a party, while a person with scopophobia might skip going to a party entirely.
Scopophobia can affect nearly every aspect of a sufferer’s life. People with this phobia might find it difficult or impossible to:
- Eat in front of others
- Go on dates
- Participate in job interviews
- Perform in front of a group
- Attend meetings
- Ask for help in stores
- Use public restrooms
The symptoms of scopophobia can differ from one person to the next. They may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Shaking and trembling
- Sweating
- Chills
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest
- Nausea and abdominal pain
- Feelings of impending danger or doom
- Needing to escape a situation by any means possible
- Depersonalization or a feeling of the world being unreal
People with scopophobia often also suffer from social anxiety, which includes symptoms such as:
- Difficulty maintaining eye contact
- Fear of being judged by others
- Excessive blushing
- Rigid body posture and inability to relax around others
- Speaking very softly in public
- Trouble making and keeping friends
Although social anxiety can cause scopophobia, it isn’t the only reason why people develop this fear. People with conditions such as epilepsy and Tourette Syndrome may develop scopophobia because they fear their condition will draw attention and cause others to stare at them. Scopophobia may also develop in people who were bullied as children or had other negative social experiences in their younger years.
How Scopophobia Is Diagnosed
To diagnosis scopophobia, a doctor will first want to rule out other physical or mental conditions that may be causing your feelings of fear. The diagnostic procedure can include:
- Discussion of your symptoms and how often they occur
- Discussion about events and situations that trigger your fear
- Self-report questionnaire to help the doctor better understand your feelings
- Physical exam and blood work
- Review of medications you’re taking
- Questions about alcohol and drug use
Because scopophobia is closely related to social anxiety, your doctor may check to see if you meet the DSM-5 criteria for this condition. The criteria include:
- Anxiety that causes significant distress and interferes with daily living
- Anxiety that’s excessive in relation to the situation
- Intense fear of social situations due to a worry of being humiliated or judged negatively
- Avoiding social situations due to intense worry or fear
- Anxiety that’s not explained by another medical condition or substance abuse
- Symptoms being present for at least 6 months without improvement
Available Treatment for Scopophobia
Scopophobia is strongly associated with social anxiety, so therapies used to treat anxiety disorders may be very helpful in reducing feelings of fear. One of the best options to try is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help people replace negative, unrealistic thoughts with less harmful patterns of thinking.
For example, a scopophobia sufferer may believe people don’t like the outfit they’re wearing that day. They might incorrectly assume that others are judging them for their poor taste in clothes. With the help of CBT, a person with scopophobia can learn to reframe the situation in a positive way. They may then assume someone is staring at them because they enjoy their outfit and wish to know where they bought their clothes.
Exposure therapy is another good choice for reducing anxiety-related thoughts and fears. This type of therapy uses scenarios, either real or imagined, to help patients acclimate to situations that would normally trigger their fear. Exposure therapy works by weakening associations between distressing situations and negative outcomes. Patients can feel empowered as they learn to manage their feelings and achieve goals in spite of their fears.
For instance, a therapist might ask their patient to put themselves in social situations that gradually get more challenging. The patient may start by going to a park or grocery store where others are present until they feel comfortable. Eventually, they progress to more difficult tasks, such as giving a presentation.
Medication may also be used to treat scopophobia in conjunction with therapy. Commonly prescribed medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These drugs boost the level of serotonin in the brain and may help users better regulate stress. It’s important to know there’s no one-size-fits-all medication to treat scopophobia. You may need to try several drugs to find the one that’s best for you.
Coping Strategies for Scopophobia
Isolating yourself may feel comforting if you have scopophobia, but this coping strategy may actually do more harm than good. Instead, consider talking to a trusted family member or friend about your feelings. Simply knowing that a loved one supports you can be a relief and give you strength on the road to recovery.
If you’re ready to treat your scopophobia, take the first step by contacting us today at Restore Mental Health.
