The chromophobia, Chromatophobia or Crematophobia is a persistent irrational fear or aversion to colors. It is a specific type of phobia and is characterized by the experimentation of an irrational and excessive fear of colors. Its form of presentation may vary in each case, so the feared colors may be different in each individual..
Chromophobia is not a very common type of specific phobia, and the data on its prevalence indicate that only a minority of the world population could suffer from this alteration.
The most commonly feared colors in chromophobia are usually red and white, although certain studies suggest that a person with chromophobia can develop a phobic fear of any color.
Data about its etiology are scarce today, however, it is argued that chromophobia is usually a conditioned response.
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Chromophobia is an anxiety disorder. Specifically, it is an alteration that is included within specific phobias.
The dreaded element of chromophobia can sometimes be difficult to define. However, it is argued that the phobic stimulus of this disorder is the colors.
That is, a person with chromophobia has an excessive, irrational, uncontrollable and persistent fear of colors.
It is usual that the typical fear of chromophobia does not appear in response to all colors, but develops in a particular way towards one or more specific colors. In this sense, red and white seem to be the most feared colors in this disorder..
People with chromophobia experience high feelings of anxiety whenever they are exposed to their feared stimuli, that is, the color or colors they fear phobically.
In order to determine a fear of colors as belonging to chromophobia, it is necessary that this be:
The symptomatology of chromophobia is characterized by being anxious. This appears as part of the fear response that originates the dreaded color and is usually highly unpleasant and distressing for the person.
The anxiety manifestations of chromophobia are usually intense. Likewise, they are characterized by negatively affecting the quality of life of the subject and reducing their functionality..
In general, the typical symptoms of chromophobia can be divided into: physical, cognitive and behavioral.
The physical symptoms are probably the most unpleasant manifestations for the subject with chromophobia. They are characterized by producing a series of modifications in the normal functioning of the organism.
These symptoms are caused by an increase in the activity of the person's autonomic nervous system. This increase in activity is generated by feelings of fear, which is why physical manifestations appear when the subject is exposed to their feared color.
In general, a person with chromophobia can experience any of the following symptoms when exposed to their dreaded stimulus.
The physical symptoms of chromophobia appear as a consequence of the elaboration of a series of irrational and incongruous thoughts about the dreaded color.
The colors do not pose any real risk to people, but the subject with chromophobia interprets their feared color as highly threatening.
Finally, chromophobia is characterized by producing two behavioral symptoms: avoidance and escape.
Avoidance refers to all the behaviors that the subject develops with the aim of avoiding contact with their feared color. This manifestation can have extensive negative consequences for the person, since the spaces avoided can be multiple.
On the other hand, escape is the behavior that the subject initiates when he is in contact with his feared color due to fear and discomfort that this causes him..
In order to establish the diagnosis of chromophobia, the following criteria must be met:
-Intense fear or anxiety about one or more specific colors (phobic element).
-The phobic element almost always causes immediate fear or anxiety.
-The phobic element is actively avoided or resisted with intense fear or anxiety.
-The fear or anxiety is disproportionate to the real danger posed by the phobic element and to the sociocultural context.
-The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting six or more months.
-Fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
-The disturbance is not better explained by symptoms of another mental disorder.
Chromophobia is currently considered to be a conditioned response. That is, this disorder appears due to the association of a certain color with specific negative attributes..
The most common is that the conditioning is carried out through the experience of negative or traumatic experiences related to the dreaded color. However, it can also be developed vicariously (viewing images) or informative..
The first-line treatment for most specific phobias (including chromophobia) is usually psychotherapy. Specifically, treatments that include the systematic exposure or desensitization technique are usually applied..
These treatments are based on exposing the subject to their dreaded colors in a controlled and progressive way, with the aim that they get used to them, learn to manage their anxiety response in those moments and manage to overcome their phobic fear.
To facilitate the process, it is usually useful to incorporate relaxation techniques, since these allow to reduce the state of tension and anxiety of the subject.
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