FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
New Member
Member Since Mar 2020
Location: Poland
Posts: 6
4 |
#1
I read about this fear around the web and I noticed that altough it does not seem to be popular I might have it. It is called "gymnophobia". Let me explain.
I noticed, since I was a teenager, that I felt anxious when I was changing clothes. That every time I do not have any or very little clothes on me someone might see me. The same feeling I experience when I am taking a bath or a shower. I feel that I need to put on my clothes on as fast as possible or I will face a horrible humiliation. The feeling of being without clothes makes me extremely anxious. I am not able to think straight in such situations and I feel like I about to have a panic attack. I read that "gymnophobia" refers to an actual fear of nudity. However I am not 100% sure if it applies to me. This is because I am not afraid to be naked in general. I am only afraid of being seen naked by... opposite gender. I am a man who is over thirty years old and I do not care about being naked as long as I am surrounded only by other males. However I fear that any minute a woman may enter such place and witness my naked body. This fear manifested many times in my life. Let me present you some examples:
What suprises me that many people do not feel like that. I even heard complaints that some people walk around naked where they should not be. And not only they are not embarassed but also become defensive and say that they have a right to be naked in such place. I say that I admire they courage, since I will never be couragous enough to peform such feat. What exactly I am afraid of you may ask. Humiliation, judgement, gossips, torment. I am afraid to the point that if someone pulled out a knife on me and ordered me to give him/her my clothes, I would most likely choose death. Yes, I realize that this is strange. However, I am sure that I am not the only person with such fear. I read that prisoners and some time ago hospital patients were being stripped naked as means of control. Seeing another person naked gave staff members feeling of authority especially if it was done by a member of opposite gender. Both humiliated prisoners and patients were more likely to obey orders. For me it feels like a nightmare to be put in such situtation. If I was exposed to such treatment this would have surely invoked suicidal thoughts in me. Some people say that in order to conquer our fears we need to face it. I hope you understand that walking naked around random women is out of the question for obvious reasons. From where this fear came from? I am not sure. Nudity was not something present in my family and I was always thaught to be modest. Maybe this is partially why I am so afraid to be seen in my "birthday suit". What do you guys think? Have you had similar experiences? Do you have any advice how to conuter this issue? |
Reply With Quote |
Yaowen
|
Skeezyks
|
Disreputable Old Troll
Member Since Oct 2015
Location: The Star of the North
Posts: 32,762
(SuperPoster!)
8 17.4k hugs
given |
#2
Thanks for sharing this concern. I can't say as I have had similar experiences. I'm a very private person & would certainly prefer not to be seen naked by either women or men. But if I was, while I would certainly experience some embarrassment, it would not rise to the level you describe.
I'm not a mental health professional. So I can't offer anything in the way of an authoritative analysis regarding what you're experiencing. However my personal non-professional thought would be that what you are struggling with might be the type of thing that is sometimes treated with what is called Exposure & Response Prevention therapy (ERP). ERP is, as I understand it, the recommended mode of treatment for what is referred to as pure OCD. Here are links to 4 articles on the subject of ERP, from Psych Central's archives: ERP Therapy: A Good Choice for Treating OCD Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for OCD Choosing Exposure Response Prevention Therapy Anxiety and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy It is very important, as I understand it, to receive ERP therapy treatment from a therapist who is trained, skilled & experienced in providing ERP therapy. My best wishes to you. __________________ "I may be older but I am not wise / I'm still a child's grown-up disguise / and I never can tell you what you want to know / You will find out as you go." (from: "A Nightengale's Lullaby" - Julie Last) |
Reply With Quote |
New Member
Member Since Mar 2020
Location: Poland
Posts: 6
4 |
#3
Thank you Skeezyks.
__________________ Take every chance to make yourself better. Do not do it for others, but for your very own being. Learn new skills and train your mind. With every new piece of knowledge you become a better person. Stop telling yourself you are not worth it, because you are. Stop telling yourself you can not do it, because you can. |
Reply With Quote |
Reply |
|