Table of Contents hide

1.3 Chronophobia heater

1.4 Chronophobia reddit

1.5 Chronophobia facts

1.6 Chronophobia causes

1.7 Chronophobia statistics

1.7.1 Chronophobia Conclusion

1.8 Further reading

Chronophobia

Chronophobia. The unreasonable fear of time is known as chronophobia. Someone who suffers from this phobia may find that just thinking about time causes them to feel extremely anxious. As a result of their chronophobia, people may even have full-fledged panic episodes in some circumstances.

They may recognize that their illogical dread of time is unreasonable, but in the throes of a panic episode, they will frequently be unable to convince themselves of this.

Their aversion to time may be so strong that they may go to great lengths to avoid noticing what time it is at any particular moment. They can make sure there are no visible clocks in their home, so they won’t be able to tell what time it is. They may also refuse to wear watches or go to places of business where clocks are prominently displayed.

Because sporting events sometimes contain enormous clocks ticking down the time left in the game, someone suffering from chronophobia may find it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to attend.

Additionally, depending on their genetic composition, they may acquire an additional mental disease such as a related phobia or other anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Though this is a distinct possibility, it will most likely be determined by a variety of factors, including genetics and one’s surroundings, among others.

For some people, the idea that time is passing them by can be overwhelming, causing anxiety and fear. Chronophobia is a sort of anxiety disorder in which a person is afraid of the passage of time. It’s defined by an unreasonable and obsessive anxiety about time passing, about having limited time, or about having limited tools to monitor it.

Chronophobia sufferers may find it difficult to divert their attention away from time, which seems to govern every part of our lives. Most of our daily activities, such as getting up in the morning, leaving for work, returning home, eating dinner, and so on, are triggered by the time on our watches and clocks.

Setting and turning off our alarm clocks is the first and last thing most of us do each day. Everywhere you see, time is ticking away. It can be found on watches, grandfather clocks, alarm clocks, cell phones, computer screens, microwaves, and cable boxes, among other things. It’s all over the place.

The truth is that we are all subject to the dictates of time. Some of us blatantly disregard deadlines and scheduled appointments in order to fight against time constraints and constrictions. Some of us are accustomed to it and acquiesce. Most people can be thoughtful about the passage of time as it relates to life and death without it affecting their ability to work.

Those who suffer from chronophobia, on the other hand, are paralyzed by worries that are only exacerbated by the sounds of seconds ticking away, the various blinking clocks they see on a daily basis, and occasions that mark the passage of time, such as anniversaries and graduations.

Consultation with a skilled therapist is a terrific first step toward overcoming the challenges when these worries take over our thoughts.

What Is Our Relationship to Time?

We are dominated by time in a literal and practical sense, but we are also influenced by it in a more existential and intangible way. With the passing of time, we grow older and reflect on our mortality. Most people regard time as valuable and finite.

Some people are concerned about how they are spending their time, while others are concerned about wasting it. People try to stop time by living in the moment and seizing every opportunity. Others strive to speed up time in order to get through a difficult event or period more quickly.

What Are Chronophobia’s Signs and Symptoms?

Chronophobia is a specific phobia that, when provoked, can cause the sufferer to experience any of the following symptoms:

Thoughts that go in circles and race
Obsessive tendencies
an out-of-body experience in which time appears to accelerate or decelerate
Anxiety attacks
Perspiration
A pounding heart
Breathing problems

Chronophobia can cause a lot of pain and make it difficult to operate in ordinary life. Isolated habits, melancholy, depression, and decreased thinking are all possible outcomes.

Who Is Chronophobia Affecting?

The elderly, those who are incarcerated, and those who have been diagnosed with a fatal illness are all susceptible to chronophobia.

These people are concerned that their life is limited and develop a fear of time passing because it will bring them closer to death. Chronophobia is also common in people who have been through substantial trauma or who have been in natural disasters. Because they can’t easily track the passage of time in these situations, people acquire extreme terror.

Chronophobia is difficult to prevent since it is frequently fueled by uncontrollable and unpreventable events such as trauma or disease.

What Are the Different Types of Chronophobia Treatments?

There is no known reason for chronophobia, and no treatment has been developed specifically for it. Exposure therapy, on the other hand, may be one of the most effective treatments for people who suffer from phobias, including chronophobia. As the name implies, the therapist will gradually expose the patient to time in an attempt to desensitize them from their illogical fear.

Because the patient will likely suffer exceptionally high levels of dread during their exposure to time, it is critical for the therapist to not only be skilled at treating phobias, but also to have experience. If the patient is exposed to their dread too quickly or too severely, it may exacerbate their fear of time, leading to feelings of hopelessness and desperation.

Anti-anxiety medicine may also be beneficial for people who have chronophobia. Taking medicine alone, on the other hand, may not be enough to effectively alleviate the symptoms of chronophobia in the long run.

This is due to the fact that the patient will most likely need to learn how to adjust their thought patterns as well as how to cope with high levels of anxiety and stress. These are not things that can be learned merely by taking medication.

Chronophobia Exposure Therapy

As previously stated, one of the most common treatments for anxiety disorders such as chronophobia is exposure therapy. It can be an effective method to help the patient get desensitized to their unique concerns.

Whatever the case may be, it is critical that the therapist performing it on their patient is an expert at it. For example, if a therapist only marginally exposes someone with chronophobia to their fear, it may not be particularly successful because the patient may require a greater amount of exposure to effectively induce any meaningful change.

The same can be true of the scenario’s polar opposite. If a therapist repeatedly exposes someone with chronophobia to their fear, it may be counterproductive to the point where their chronophobia becomes much worse as a result of the therapy alone.

As a result, it’s critical for the therapist practicing exposure therapy for someone with chronophobia to have a good understanding of how severe their symptoms are so that they may determine what level of exposure the patient will likely be able to tolerate.

Exercise for Chronophobia

People with anxiety disorders, such as chronophobia, have been shown to benefit greatly from exercise. Cardiovascular activity, in particular, can considerably aid in stress relief. This isn’t to argue that weight-resistance training won’t help someone with anxiety; rather, aerobic exercise has been demonstrated to be more helpful in releasing feel-good chemicals like endorphins in the brain.

According to the American Psychology Association, exercise can assist in conditioning the mind to cope better with stressful conditions.

When we consider the tremendous level of stress that the body is subjected to during rigorous exercise, this makes sense. If you’re sedentary, getting some cardiovascular activity can help you cope with the anxiety and tension that come with chronophobia.

Swimming, biking, skiing, walking, and jogging are just a few of the aerobic activities you might engage in to help alleviate your symptoms of chronophobia.

Playing sports like tennis, soccer, basketball, and racquetball, among others, can help you get the many benefits of fitness. Consistently engaging in some sort of exercise may help alleviate some of the pain associated with chronophobia over time.

Yoga for Chronophobia (Yoga for Chronophobia)

There are a variety of yoga poses that can significantly help someone suffering from chronophobia. This is due in part to the meditative state of mind that yoga promotes in individuals who practice it on a regular basis.

Yoga can be described as a moving meditation. Because your attention is redirected to something more useful when you practice yoga, it can help to ease some of the anxiety associated with chronophobia.

A person with chronophobia can benefit from a variety of yoga styles, including hatha yoga and hot yoga, among others. Regardless of the many different types of yoga available, almost all of them can assist in easing some of the stress and anxiety associated with chronophobia.

If you’ve never done yoga before, it’s a good idea to take a class or watch some guided videos to walk you through each pose. Yoga is similar to meditation in that the more you practice it, the better you will get at it. You should expect to gain enhanced strength and flexibility, among other things, in addition to reducing the symptoms of chronophobia.

Chronophobia and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based mindfulness program that provides secular, rigorous mindfulness training to those suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental distress.

Because mindfulness meditation has been demonstrated to be particularly useful for nervous people, MBSR may be able to considerably aid someone who is suffering from chronophobia. Someone with chronophobia can expect to learn a variety of strategies that will help them cope with the extreme anxiety that comes with their unique phobia in such an organized program.

Consult your doctor or therapist to find out if MBSR can help you lower the severity of your chronophobia symptoms and where you can locate MBSR programs in your region.

Chronophobia Psychiatric Medications

Anxiety medicine

These drugs are quite helpful in preventing panic episodes. Due to the fact that people with phobias frequently experience panic episodes, medicines of this type can be particularly beneficial for people suffering from severe chronophobia. Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin are just a few of the various anti-anxiety drugs available.

These medications are not usually taken on a daily basis, but they may be if the chronophobia is severe enough. However, you should consult your doctor before attempting this to confirm that it is both safe and effective.

Antidepressants

These drugs aren’t just for depressed people; they can also help people with anxiety disorders like chronophobia. Paxil, Zoloft, and Lexapro are just a few examples of prevalent antidepressants. Some of the symptoms of chronophobia may be alleviated with the use of these medications.

These medications are commonly taken on a daily basis. They can help prevent panic episodes, but they’re more commonly used to help individuals cope with regular anxiety. Consult your doctor to determine if antidepressants can help you manage your chronophobia symptoms, as well as whether it is safe to do so.

Chronophobia and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a psychosocial technique designed to help people improve their mental health. It’s a treatment method that’s frequently utilized to help people with anxiety disorders like GAD and OCD. Someone with chronophobia may also benefit from CBT since it will help them understand why they think and act the way they do in connection to their unreasonable worries.

Given the automaticity of chronophobia symptoms, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be extremely beneficial. When someone with chronophobia is confronted with their fear, for example, they virtually always have an instantaneous subconscious reaction.

A lack of introspection is likely a significant part of why someone suffering from this illness will suffer so much. CBT can help you take a step back and examine your anxieties more thoroughly than you could otherwise.

A person with chronophobia who undergoes CBT can expect to learn a variety of strategies geared at reducing the anxiety produced by their condition, in addition to becoming more meticulous in their understanding of their unique worries.

Chronophobia Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is an extremely effective treatment for people who have trouble controlling their emotions. It’s frequently used to help people with borderline personality disorder. It can, however, be highly beneficial for someone suffering from anxiety disorders such as chronophobia.

This is due to the large number of coping techniques that a DBT group may teach you. These groups normally run for six months and can include anywhere from two to multiple people, depending on how many people join.

Half-smiling is a particularly helpful DBT strategy for assisting someone with chronophobia.

This approach works by having you think about what you’re afraid of or upset about while lightly smiling and slightly elevating the corners of your mouth, hence the phrase “half-smiling.” It isn’t enough to just think about your anxiety while half-smiling; you must also strive to avoid engaging the terrible emotions that your particular dread may elicit.

DBT includes mindfulness meditation, which can help someone with chronophobia because it is done in a group setting, which helps to push the patient out of their comfort zone. Drinking warm tea to focus on the senses of taste and touch, or just focusing on the breath, are examples of group mindfulness practices.

Another DBT skill that can help someone with chronophobia is planning ahead. With so much dealing to do ahead of you, you’ll want to find a quiet spot where you can sit without being distracted.

Close your eyes and imagine a variety of scenarios in which you would face your particular fear and overcome or manage it. This will make it much easier for you to deal with your chronophobia when you are confronted with the precise fear linked to it in real life.

Chronophobia Meditation Practice

There are many different types of meditation that can be beneficial to someone who suffers from chronophobia. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, has been demonstrated to be effective in assisting people to achieve a more equanimous state.

There are a variety of ways to practice mindfulness meditation, as well as a variety of meditation applications that are designed to make things as simple as possible for you.

Mindfulness has the ability to considerably assist people who suffer from chronophobia by allowing them to divert their attention away from their anxiety by focusing their attention on something else that does not carry any emotional baggage, such as focusing on their breath. This is one of the most fundamental methods for meditating and being present.

Redirecting one’s focus to the varied sensations felt while breathing can actually aid in minimizing the amount of mental suffering experienced during such an influx of worry for someone with chronophobia in the midst of a panic attack.

Pay close attention to how the muscles in your belly and chest contract and relax with each inhale and exhale to use mindfulness meditation to help ease symptoms of chronophobia. You can spend some time thinking about how your chest expands with each inhalation and how it settles in with each exhalation.

You can also focus on the sounds around you, the way your skin feels when you touch particular objects, the way meals taste, and the way specific fragrances smell, in addition to your breathing.

Essentially, focusing on your five senses can help you alleviate some of the tension that comes with chronophobia. Also, keep in mind that being a skilled meditator will require a lot of practice. As a result, practice is essential.

Caffeine consumption should be limited in order to avoid chronophobia.

It is common knowledge that drinking a lot of caffeine during the day might make you feel nervous. When we consider how caffeine affects our bodies’ physiology, this makes sense.

When we ingest a large amount of coffee, our hearts begin to race and we get agitated. Our bodies will essentially enter a “fight or flight” mode of operation. When someone with chronophobia is in this state of mind, they are more likely to have panic attacks.

As a result, eating little to no coffee during the day may be a huge help in reducing your anxiety on a daily basis. While this will not eliminate all of your anxiety, it will assist you in avoiding any unnecessary suffering that you might have otherwise had if you had consumed a substantial amount of caffeine.

Caffeine is commonly found in beverages such as coffee and tea, as well as some energy drinks. Caffeine is present in a variety of foods, including dark chocolate. Being more aware of your daily caffeine intake may help you alleviate some of the symptoms of chronophobia.

Counseling may be beneficial if you believe you are experiencing some of the symptoms of this disorder. Your doctor or a mental health center in your area can help you learn more about your options and see if there is a discount or promo code that can help you pay for treatment. You can also see if your health insurance will pay for treatment costs.

Chronophobia meaning

Chronophobia meaning. Have you ever heard of this term? Chronophobia, or the fear of time, primarily affects prisoners, the elderly, and those who are already suffering from stress or anxiety.

However, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this phobia is spreading faster than ever before. What exactly is it about? What are the causes of chronophobia? This article will go through the symptoms of chronophobia as well as how to treat it.

What is chronophobia, and how does it affect you?

Chronophobia meaning. Chronophobia is defined as a dread of time or the future. Time is represented by the Greek term “chronos,” and fear is represented by the Greek word “phobia.” You might wonder how someone could be afraid of time.

Chronophobia is defined as a persistent, illogical fear that time is going too quickly. It could also be the polar opposite of the impression that time is moving too slowly. People who suffer from chronophobia are unable to make sense of time in either case.

Many famous scientists, writers, poets, philosophers, and mystics have always been fascinated by the mystery surrounding the nature and existence of time. To be honest, mankind has yet to solve the enigma of time, but most of the time (pun intended!), people are uninterested in delving into its complexities.

However, if you are in your senior years, in prison, or in any similar scenario, you may have a different perspective. That is exactly what most people who suffer from chronophobia experience. Their perception of time shifts.

Time is no longer just a “tock-tock tick-tock” inside the clock for them. They begin to obsess over it, and their obsession quickly transforms into a very genuine fear of time in their own lives.

Chronophobia meaning. Chronophobia is classified as a “specific phobia,” which implies that it is an irrational fear of objects or events that represent little to no risk in reality. These phobias produce a powerful psychological reaction that may or may not be accompanied by a physical reaction.

However, the anxiety and restlessness brought on by a specific phobia might last for a long time and have a significant influence on your capacity to operate normally in daily life. Dread of needles, fear of enclosed spaces, and fear of clowns are all instances of specific phobias.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Chronophobia manifests itself in a variety of ways for different people. So, if you and a friend both have chronophobia, there’s a strong possibility your symptoms won’t match.

For example, an elderly guy can begin to worry about “what will happen the following day, what will happen the next day!” However, a young man still in college might consider dropping out to pursue something more exciting because “every day looks and feels the same in his institution,” in his opinion.

As a result, pinpointing the exact symptoms of chronophobia is difficult. However, the following list of symptoms can frequently be detected:

Having a full disconnection from reality.
When you start worrying about time, you have a panic attack.
Breathlessness, profuse sweating, dizziness, and a rise in heart rate are all symptoms of this condition.
Feeling absolutely helpless, helpless, and powerless.
symptoms that are comparable to those seen in obsessive-compulsive disorders.
In social situations, you will experience a blackout.
You’ve lost track of where you are and what day or time it is in reality.
A paralyzing sense of claustrophobia.
A desire to flee from reality.
Crying and trembling that is uncontrollable.
Death and what happens after death are constantly on my mind.
An inability to communicate exactly how you feel.

Extreme symptoms can sometimes lead to chronomentrophobia, or a dread of timepieces such as a clock or a wristwatch.

What Are the Causes of Chronophobia?

The causes of chronophobia, like its symptoms, differ from person to person. Chronophobia develops as a result of a terrible event, such as the death of a loved one, or the continual battle with stress and anxiety over a lengthy period of time.

There could be a variety of other causes as well-if you already have depression or anxiety difficulties, even a simple phrase like “time is just slipping away” can trigger chronophobia symptoms in you.

If you’re depressed, you’re more likely to develop this phobia. Anyone who frequently feels lost or empty is particularly vulnerable.

Adversities such as loss of employment or business, death of someone we know, domestic troubles, and worry about the future are rather prevalent in today’s scenario while we are in the midst of a pandemic. This is one of the primary causes of the unprecedented surge in cases of chronophobia.

This phobia affects a greater number of people as they get older. Elders who are constantly concerned about their own death and what will happen to their children, enterprises, or properties after they pass away can develop chronophobia.

Women are also more likely to develop this phobia, particularly around the time when they are experiencing menopause symptoms. Hormonal imbalance and certain illnesses, such as high blood pressure, thyroid, arthritis, diabetes, and so on, are sometimes linked to this phobia.

Prisoners are more likely to develop this anxiety because they lose track of time easily. Prison neurosis is the medical term for this illness.

Chronophobia can also be triggered by a traumatic childhood event in rare situations. For some people, it may also be inherited.

How to Get Rid of Chronophobia

Overthinking and becoming overly identified with your mind or its activities are at the heart of this anxiety disorder. As a result, the majority of chronophobia treatments are relaxation and detachment therapies that help you relax and detach from your own psychological clutter. The following are four techniques for treating chronophobia:

Hypnotherapy

Consultation with a trained hypnotherapist might yield remarkable outcomes in a short period of time. Chronophobia hypnotherapy allows you to identify and then use your own inner talents and skillsets to combat the disease. The American Medical Association has authorized this strategy as a therapeutic option for a variety of psychological problems.

Psychotherapy

Chrono-Linguistic Programming, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Brain Working Recursive Therapy have all been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronophobia. All of these types of psychotherapy use a variety of procedures to figure out how you use your thought patterns to build your own world.

These treatments aim to eliminate the “unhelpful thinking patterns” that cause you to feel anxious or tense. To overcome chronophobia, you may need 4 to 12 sessions of this therapy, depending on the severity of your disease.

Meditation and Yoga

Certain components of yoga, such as pranayama and certain types of kriya, can help you overcome chronophobia since they work directly on your energy system. Even Tai Chi can be beneficial in the treatment of this type of psychiatric condition. Meditation can also assist you in calming down, relaxing, and re-entering reality.

This is because, at its core, every meditation technique aims to interrupt your obsessive thinking patterns. So, as you meditate, your goal should be to learn to manage your mind or detach from your psychological structure by taking a step back and gaining some perspective.

Even the most basic forms of meditation, such as mindfulness, breath watching, and Sushanti (progressive relaxation or body scanning), can be extremely beneficial to the patient if done correctly.

Self-advocacy

You can get yourself out of it on your own if your symptoms aren’t too bad.

Start by learning everything you can about this fear, how it entered your life, and what you can do to overcome it (yes, reading this article is a fantastic place to start!) Understand your symptoms and cultivate a sense of awareness so you can catch yourself when you’re tempted to fall into the trap of over-thinking and procrastination.

Maintain a busy schedule and make an effort to be productive. Invest your energy in doing something creative or acquiring a new skill or interest, especially if you work from home or don’t have many friends.

Break some limits and push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Small actions can be taken in this direction, such as changing your diet, beginning a gym regimen, or listening to music that makes you happy. These minor adjustments can assist you in breaking the obsessive thinking habits that cause you to feel worried or depressed.

Chronophobia test

Chronophobia test. By definition, all phobias are irrational, but phobic beliefs cause actual sensations of anxiety and stress for the sufferer, independent of the feared item or circumstances, and Chronophobia is no exception.

While the dreaded object or scenario may appear “ridiculous” or “silly” to others, the person who suffers from Chronophobia is well aware that the anxiety they are experiencing is real and has a negative impact on their lives.

At Wolverhampton Hypnotherapy, we entirely understand this and will take your dread of passing time very seriously.

For many years, psychologists have known that our minds are more than capable of producing a real biological reaction to any given situation, and that the chronophobic sufferer will experience actual terror as long as they “think” that the object or situation they fear is dangerous to them.

The majority of people who suffer from chronophobia are aware that their fear is “irrational,” but they continue to have it nevertheless. This is why merely telling someone to “snap out of it” rarely works!

Online Chronophobia test

The purpose of this test is to give a quick indication of whether this chronophobia is serious, to help you decide what action, if any, you should take. You’d need to see your doctor for a formal diagnosis of Chronophobia.

Go quickly through the questions and trust the first answer that comes to mind. Today it is fairly quick and simple to get over chronophobia – so just take the test and when you’re done we’ll outline some recommendations for you.

There are 7 questions that make up this online Chronophobia test.

How anxious do you feel when you think about time?

Extremely anxious
Very anxious
Somewhat anxious
A little
Not at All

Here, give your first, instinctive answer to the question: Out of 10 how serious is your chronophobia?

9 or 10
7 or 8
5 or 6
3 or 4
1 or 2

How bad are your symptoms of chronophobia?

The symptoms are really bad and I have used drugs
The symptoms are really bad but I’ve avoided using meds
The symptoms are uncomfortable and I’ve used drugs
The symptoms are uncomfortable but I’ve not used meds
I don’t really experience significant symptoms

Do you dramatize situations involving time in your mind… Do you see pictures or movies, or hear self-talk or other dialog in your mind?

Yes, all the time and the feelings are powerful
Sometimes and the feelings are bad when I do
Sometimes, but the feelings aren’t that bad
A little
Never

To what degree has this issue impacted your relationship with your family, friends & co-workers. Do you find it difficult to explain what you are going through, or even keep it a secret?

Extreme impact on relationships
Significant impact
It has made things difficult at times
A little, not too bad
None

Overall, when you think about the impact this is having in your life how bad is the problem?

It’s ruining my life
It has considerable impact and has to be dealt with
Life would be a lot better without it
Its not great but I’m OK
No impact really

In our experience, clients who overcome this experience benefits in many areas of their lives, not just in situations that used to make them chronophobic. Even if you were only to get rid of chronophobia, how much better would things be?

Dramatically better. This will be a huge change for me
A very big improvement
A significant relief. These situations are very uncomfortable for me
Better
It wouldn’t really make much difference

If you’re not sure if you have chronophobia, then the online test below might help you determine which phobia you do have.

Please carefully consider each statement and select the one associated statement that best expresses how you’ve been feeling over the previous month. This online phobia test is a screening tool that can help you figure out if you have a specific phobia that needs to be addressed by a specialist.

For the most accurate results, be truthful.

Please keep in mind that these results are not a diagnosis, and this quiz is not a diagnostic instrument. If you are having problems in your daily life, though, you may benefit from a visit with a registered mental health expert. Only a licensed mental health practitioner should diagnose mental health issues.

Too often, people are hesitant to seek treatment because they believe their problems aren’t serious enough to warrant expert assistance. After taking our online phobia test, we strongly advise you to seek help from a licensed expert.

Please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255 if you need help right away.

Please choose the extent you’ve experienced each of the following symptoms of a specific phobia:

When I am triggered by a specific object or situation, I become highly anxious almost immediately

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

I have been very afraid of a specific object or situation for 6 months or longer

False
True

I find myself going out of the way to avoid the specific object or situation

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

My reaction to my fear is way over the top to what it should be

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

I feel like my life (school, work, personal life, etc.) is strongly impacted by fear of a specific object or situation

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

I have unreasonable, excessive fear that is triggered by a specific object or situation

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

I find myself in extreme distress if I am unable to escape conversation about, thoughts of, or being near a specific object or situation

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very Often

Chronophobia heater

Chronophobia heater. Since I can remember, I’ve been plagued by a fear of time. It all started when I was a toddler and overheard my grandmother tell her mother, “The most unfathomable thing was when I discovered I was thirty years old.How?! ” I’m still young! “Can you tell me when this happened?!”

I was startled because I’m already seven and a half years old and have completed first grade. What a plethora! Since then, my life has become a race; it is a pity there was no time for school, lessons, a bath, or sleep.

Furthermore, it was not a fear of growing up, old age, or death—no, it was just a panic over the idea that I did not have time, that I would not be able to accomplish something truly significant in this life.

I once wondered if I was truly unusual or if similar feelings were shared by others. And it came out that this was not the case. Many young people, as Google has plainly demonstrated, mention comparable concerns in their online diaries and forums in some form or another.

High school students express their fears of having accomplished nothing in life; young people admit that they are unable to sit down to rest because they are consumed by thoughts that they are wasting valuable minutes; that the transition to the next class causes panic due to the transience of time; and that time seems to flow faster than expected.

And, most crucially, they scream for assistance, asking, “What is happening to me, what is it called, and how can I survive?” This inspired me to describe how I overcame my fear of time and began to appreciate each and every moment of my life.

I feel compelled to add that an exacerbated sense of time is frequently communicated in a way that many individuals who reject holidays, birthdays, and even the changing of seasons are familiar with. That was the case with me. Yes, it’s crazy to think that I didn’t like winter until recently.

Chronophobia heater. I was frightened of her. Autumn, on the other hand, is a beautiful season. Each time they visited, they reminded me that time was passing, that another year had passed, and that I had so little time to do so much in my life.

And it grew frightening in the evenings as I realized that another day had passed and that I had no time for anything. My only prayer at the time was, “God, give me time—only time. I can manage the rest.”

Every year, it seemed like just a little longer-and the happiest years of my life would be over: a happy youth would pass, freedom would pass, and I’d have to put my favorite ripped jeans away for good and become “serious.” It’s impossible, it’s not proper, and it’s indecent at your age…

Only normal, repetitive labor, a salary on the twenty-fifth day, traditional feasts on holidays, and a two-week vacation in July seemed to lie ahead, along with vacuous discussions with neighbors on the bench-and boredom, boredom, tedium… and raising children who will follow in their footsteps.

It was frightening, it was empty, and there was uncertainty in my heart: how, where, and why exist if there is nothing ahead? Perhaps there isn’t one. Or, to be more accurate, it doesn’t have me…

Where, by what whim of nature, could such a gloomy view of the world emerge in the mind of a twenty-year-old girl? That isn’t a big deal anymore. But, whatever the case, this anxiety overtook me with particular power in the winter, when the days grew shorter, the clothes were even more uninteresting, and I had to conceal my favorite bike until spring because of the snow.

Winter was, without a doubt, my least favorite season. “I don’t live in the winter; all I do is sleep and wait for the summer,” I explained. And I despised time because I was frightened of becoming an adult and witnessing this… well, it was just the end of my life. Winter, my perpetual nightmare, was the personification of adulthood for me—a time when there was no more life.

For numerous years, I’ve been a part of such a world. Until it dawned on me that I couldn’t go on like this; there had to be another way! ( The year of the hunt, the year of the throw. I tried to accept a lot of things that my soul didn’t want to accept. Attempts to grossly exaggerate Reconcile with a large number of people.

Chronophobia heater. The sensation that the disparate parts of myself and my surroundings are starting to come together to form something complete. New acquaintances, new pursuits… A new start. A genuine, adult existence that isn’t gray at all, but bursting with color! Former acquaintances were astonished by the pick.

Into the hole in the winter, and into the sky with a parachute in the summer.

I probably act “weird” at times, and I dress strangely at others. But I’m in a good mood. And here’s what’s surprising: it appears that those around me regard me as an intriguing, self-sufficient, and unusual person, rather than the eccentric from my youth.

It was then that I realized what I was terrified of was not age or maturity, but rather adulthood and maturity. This is the result of growing older. Indeed, many people “jump” from youth to old age, never having experienced the peace and wholeness of maturity, just recognizing a small part of the world and themselves—and not the brightest.

Winter stopped being a pause in my life for me on the day I first jumped into the ice hole, finally opting to “become friends” with winter. It turned out to be just as vibrant and fascinating as the summer. just a little different. And now, no matter what time of year it is, I understand that there will be no winter.

Everything will remain the same as it is now: joy, life, movement, love, and summer. Yes, there will be an ice hole instead of the beach this summer, and mountain skiing instead of boats, despite the fact that it may snow on the ground.

So it is with aging. In old age, “I must” and “it is no longer for me” become synonymous. Adulthood is when you recognize that each year you live adds information, understanding, hobbies, friends, and possibilities to your life, rather than taking anything away.

When your life is filled entirely with the things you truly enjoy, the older you get, the more you realize how ridiculous it is to waste your time on all of these worthless “essential” and “acceptable” activities.

When you understand that the world is vast and limitless and that it belongs to you, Everything is feasible and available, including the wildest ideas, the most perilous undertakings, and the most ambitious aspirations.

When you aren’t frightened to take a step out into the world and welcome the new, When you give yourself permission to be “different” and “different from everyone else,” When you simply unleash yourself, spread your wings, each day you are pushing the borders of your world further and further, and when you live, you live completely. Then there’s eternity for you…

Once upon a time, I was a senior citizen. It turns out that it wasn’t going to last forever. And it’s not even required.

Winter will not exist.

Chronophobia reddit

Chronophobia reddit. Chronophobia is a condition suffered by many. Many of whom have gone on reddit to speak about their experiences with chrophonobia. We have compiled a couple of their experiences to share with you.

Posted by

u/Funk-Master-Spunc

2 years ago

Chronophobia

I fear that time passes way to fast. I make very good use of my time I stay active, I travel a lot, I hangout with a lot of diffident friends throughout the week, but I still fear the thoughts of things coming to an end.

If I’m on vacation for a week I’ll enjoy the first 2 days with no anxiety, but by the 3rd day I start seeing the end of the week and start thinking “shit there’s only x amount of days left in this vacation” instead of only concerning myself with the present moment.

I’ll enjoy the first month and a half of summer and then by the end of July start fearing the end of summer even though there’s still a full month or more of good weather. I’ve been trying to meditate and it helps a little but I was wondering if anyone else has some tips about how to focus on the present, what kind of things do you say to yourself to stay grounded?

Posted by

u/fitter_h4ppier

9 years ago

Chronophobia, anyone?

Chronophobia reddit. Every single day I get extremely anxious about the passing of time. I don’t like to engage in something that will take up a lot of time or keep me from looking at a watch for a long while because it makes me feel like time is flying by too quickly.

I’m always looking at the clock, like I’m trying to figure out how to just make it slow down, but in that process I’m keeping myself from accomplishing anything at all.

In 2011, my husband and I had to move back to my hometown due to financial issues. We lived there for about a year and I hated the idea of being back there so much that I would keep myself extreeeemely busy and then sleep 10-13 hours per night, so that the days would fly by until we could get out of there.

Now we live in a different state, across the country, and there are so many awesome things to explore and do around here, but spending so much of the previous year trying to speed through life has totally screwed with my mind and my perception of time. It’s like I literally made time speed up and now I can’t slow it down.

I have lost just about all concept of chronological order. If something happened more than about 6 months ago, it’s extremely hard for me to place when it did happen. I can remember events from my childhood, but have no idea if I was 5 or 15 when they happened. It seems like most of my past is just this jumbled wad of events.

Well, now that I feel completely insane for writing all of that, anyone else have chronophobia or thoughts on the subject?

Chronophobia

Question

Does anybody else here have an intense anxiety related to the passing of time? I am always catching myself ruminating on the best use of my time (ex. Is what I’m doing now meaningful?

Could I be doing something else more fulfilling with this free time?) or performing mental rituals such as mentally documenting/recalling what I was doing at a certain time over the course of the day. I can’t fully focus on the present and whatever activity I am doing at that moment because I am far too cognizant of time passing and this fear that I am wasting it.

upper-airway

6m ago

Hahahahahaha yesssss. My goodness.

Chronophobia reddit. And I can remember myself sort of “training” myself to do this. I got caught up in how I was behind at school, and then I would review how I spent my time. For awhile, I was so obsessed I planned my day out to the finest details, of course to no avail because I would never be productive enough.

I still freak out when I realize how much of the day has past. 2 feels like the day is already over. 4 feels like I wasted the day. 6 has me dreading my sleep procrastination and having to wake up again. An in general, I have a hard time enjoying weekends because by Saturday morning, it kinda feels like it’s almost over lol.

I realized I had this problem at my last session with my therapist, so we’ll see what we find out next.

cynicalromanticist

OP· 6m ago

Pure O

What did your therapist suggest? I’d be interested to hear. I think some of my anxiety is related to the desire to do everything all at once (and the understanding that this is impossible), as well as the fact that I work in healthcare and I’m regularly exposed to death/dying.

Posted byu/[deleted]

2 years ago

Chronophobia.

Is there anyone out there who also suffers co-morbid chronophobia? There isn’t a sub reddit for it and I want support for it badly, just someone to talk to who experiences what I am experiencing.

If you do experience it you aren’t alone, I am experiencing it badly and I want a companion on this journey of thanatophobia and chronophobia. It is all very scary but there is someone here (me) who knows what it is like and we need each other’s help.

Anyway my experience: Chronophobia is the fear of time passing. Any minute (sometimes it can effect people down to the second) that passes is terrifying. Also the effect of time and the internal biological clock become disturbed by anxiety and depression which in fact increases the pain associated with chronophobia.

I obsessively check time and think about it, how long it has been and if it actually feels like the amount of time I feel like it has been has passed. If it doesn’t it causes anxiety. Over the past 9-10 days or so I’ve been suffering from this and it is absolute hell. It is absolutely related to my thanatophobia (every minute gone is a minute of my precious existence finished) but I find the chronophobia to be more disturbing as I can grapple with the thanatophobia sometimes. This is my experience with it.

Chronophobia facts

Chronophobia facts. Chronophobia is an irrational fear of time or the passage of time. On occasion, it’s also called “time anxiety.”

People who suffer from chronophobia may be concerned that their time is running out or that they will not be able to complete all of their tasks. When they ponder the future or are fascinated with the clock or calendar, they often feel anxious.

They may become so worried about the passing of time that they purposefully shun social gatherings or significant occasions in order to avoid a panic episode.

Learn more about the fear of time (chronophobia), including its characteristics, symptoms, causes, and how to get help if you need it.

Definition

The fear of time or the passage of time is known as chronophobia. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not list it as a particular diagnosis (DSM-5). Chronophobia, on the other hand, could be classed as a specific phobia within the greater category of anxiety disorders. 1.

Weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays, for example, can make someone with chronophobia uneasy. Because they avoid checking times or dates, individuals may have difficulty meeting deadlines at school or at work. If their fear of time gets really severe, they may completely withdraw themselves from others.

Chronophobia facts. Derealization might happen to someone who has a strong fear of time. A sense of detachment, a skewed sense of time, and a sense that the things and people around them aren’t “real” are all part of this “out of body” experience.

Symptoms

Because chronophobia is an anxiety illness, many of its symptoms overlap with those of anxiety in general. These signs and symptoms could include:

Anxiety attack
Sleeping problems
My mouth is parched.
Nausea
Dizziness
Hands and/or feet that are sweaty
heart rate that is quite fast.
Nervousness, panic, uneasiness, and terror
A person’s dread of time might also manifest itself in more particular time-related symptoms, such as:
Time seems to have sped up or slowed down, causing disorientation.
A sense of foreboding regarding the future
Feeling as if time is passing you by too swiftly or too slowly?
Avoiding significant occurrences that mark the passage of time
Planning for the future is avoided.
Making plans or fulfilling deadlines is difficult.
Thoughts on the race
Worrying about the future on a regular basis is
fears of it being “too late” or that their time is running out.

Diagnosis

A skilled mental health provider will ask you about your time-related anxiety and how it affects your everyday life if you feel you have chronophobia. They’ll probably ask you about any past traumas you’ve experienced, how you feel when time passes, and how you avoid thinking about the past or future.

Your fear of time must match the following requirements to be classified as a particular phobia according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria:

For at least six months, I’ve been terrified.

Other parts of daily life, such as social interaction, work, and school, are hampered by a fear of time.

Any reference to time or the passage of time causes immediate and intense anxiety.

Chronophobia is frequently associated with other mental health issues, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (PTSD). When someone has a hard time recuperating from a scary incident, they are said to have PTSD. Your therapist may also assess you using diagnostic criteria for mental health disorders like PTSD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Chronophobia

Many doctors feel that time anxiety and PTSD are inextricably related. According to a 2014 study, a “sense of foreshortened time”—the feeling that one has no future or that one’s life would not follow the traditional timeline of establishing a profession, relationships, and family—is a crucial indication of trauma. 5sTreatment

Treatment with psychotherapy from a trained mental health specialist is frequently used to treat chronophobia. The following are the most common types of effective treatment for a severe dread of time:

CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. This is the most common treatment for a severe dread of time. CBT can assist someone suffering from chronophobia in confronting their distorted or negative ideas and behaviors regarding time and the passage of time.

Medication: Benzodiazepines or antidepressants may be used to alleviate the symptoms of specific phobias. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is usually the first line of defense. 7. Coping In addition to seeking mental health care, there are a number of different options for dealing with your severe fear of time. Chronophobia coping strategies could include:

Relaxation techniques and tools are beneficial to anyone suffering from anxiety, panic, or sleep issues. Deep breathing exercises, white noise devices, and adult coloring books are examples of these.

The following are eight mindfulness techniques: People who suffer from chronophobia may find it difficult to live in the present. Mindfulness exercises like yoga and meditation can help you redirect your thoughts and remember to stay in the present moment. 9.

Future-oriented planning: Setting realistic goals for the future can assist you in confronting your dread of time. Make planning a positive and enjoyable experience. A vision board, bullet journal, calendar software, or anything else that helps you perceive time in a more positive way can be helpful.

10 Peer support groups: There are several online and in-person peer support groups that might help you feel less alone about your time-related anxiety. Meeting people who share your anxieties might help you locate resources and assistance.

Summary

Chronophobia is a fear of time or the passage of time that lasts for a long time. According to the DSM-5, this fear is classified as a particular phobia, which is a type of anxiety disorder. When presented with reminders of the passage of time, those with chronophobia experience panic and anxiety.

As a result, they may develop avoidance tendencies, such as avoiding social meetings or significant life events.

Chronophobia facts. Chronophobia is more common in older people, as well as those who have experienced trauma, serious terminal disease, or natural disasters, or those who have other mental health issues. Psychotherapy and, in some situations, drugs are effective remedies.

If left untreated, chronophobia, like other particular phobias, can cause severe distress and potentially interfere with various aspects of your life. A strong dread of time, on the other hand, is extremely treatable with the intervention of a trained mental health practitioner.

Chronophobia causes

Chronophobia causes. Chronophobia is a specific phobia that affects approximately 12.5% of adult Americans at some point in their lives.

Chronophobia is a less common phobia that has been linked to a number of risk factors. It typically includes a general sense of having a truncated future and/or not enough time left to complete your goals, in addition to the fear of time passing.

The passage of time may become associated with death for the elderly and those suffering from terminal illnesses. In addition to restlessness, anxiety, panic, and claustrophobia, a long jail term may cause convicts to fear the passage of time. “Prison neurosis” is another name for this illness.

Those who have experienced acute stress, such as a natural disaster, are another group at risk for chronophobia. They may be concerned about their future and the amount of time they have left.

Chronophobia causes and Risk Factors

Specific phobias have causes and risk factors spanning from genetics and family history to personal experience and awareness of traumatic experiences, as with other specific phobias. The majority of phobias arise as a result of a traumatic personal experience. There is some evidence that having a family member with a specific phobia or generalized anxiety increases the risk of developing a phobia.

The following are nine possible causes and/or risk factors for chronophobia:

The experience of being diagnosed with a terminal illness and being told that one’s life expectancy has decreased.
As one grows older, they begin to consider how many years they have left, their inevitable mortality, and their fear of dying.
Participation in a natural disaster (earthquake, flood, tornado, etc.) results in a long-term worry of one’s life being at risk and the future being unclear.
Anxious personality (anxious individuals are more prone to developing phobias)
Receiving a lengthy prison sentence or not being able to keep track of time while inside are both possible outcomes.
Learning about other people’s horrific experiences, such as plane crashes or shipwrecks,
Any involvement in a life-threatening situation is unacceptable, particularly if it lasts for several days.
Growing up with a family member who suffered from distinct phobias resulted in a taught fear.
Having a parent that suffers from a certain phobia and inheriting that trait

More Chronophobia Causes

While anyone can develop chronophobia, certain events and contextual circumstances increase the likelihood of acquiring a severe dread of time. Here are a few possible reasons for chronophobia:

People who are detained or otherwise confined to a tiny location for an extended period of time, particularly alone (as in solitary confinement), acquire an extreme fear of time. They may lose track of time, becoming increasingly disoriented, uncomfortable, and anxious. This has been dubbed “prison neurosis” on occasion.

Natural disasters, pandemics, and other disasters can occur at any time.

People who have experienced or are experiencing various types of long-term trauma, such as natural disasters or pandemics that necessitate protracted quarantine, are at risk of developing chronophobia. Their perception of time has frequently been distorted as a result of their odd, intense, or isolating situations.

Illness or disability: People who have had life-altering injuries or who have chronic or terminal illnesses often develop a strong aversion to the passage of time. They may believe that each milestone is a reminder of what they’ve lost out on as a result of their illness or injury. Others may be concerned that their time is running out or that they are wasting valuable time.

Due to their worries about mortality or a restricted future, some older people may develop chronophobia. People who live in “closed environments,” such as nursing homes, hospitals, or hospice care, are more likely to be afraid of the passage of time.

Other mental health issues include: Chronophobia is frequently associated with other mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or mood disorders such as depression.

Chronophobia Treatment

Normal anxiety is usually transient and does not interfere with one’s regular activities; however, phobia-related anxiety is intense and long-lasting. When it becomes difficult to carry out typical everyday tasks, it’s essential to seek medical help. Exposure treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, and medication are among the possibilities for treating phobias.

Exposure Therapy is a type of treatment that involves exposing

Specific phobias are commonly treated with exposure therapy. It entails mastering relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation.

It often entails a systematic desensitization procedure in which the subject is gradually exposed to increasingly stressful events until the fear response is unlearned. The exposure could be done in real time or solely in the mind’s eye (guided visualization).

Because chronophobia frequently lacks a specific frightened “thing,” exposure therapy would include replicating the circumstances of passing time. These events would be classified in order of least to most anxiety-inducing, and faced one at a time until they became manageable.

In addition to exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be used as a supplement. Specific ideas, such as imagining the worst-case scenario, may be contributing to the anxiety.

A person who fears time going too quickly, for example, may imagine that they will never complete all of their goals in their lifetime. Anxiety is reduced by replacing this notion with a more realistic one, such as, “I will achieve some of my lifetime goals.”

Support groups and one-on-one counseling are both available.

A support group, on its own or in conjunction with therapy, can be beneficial. A support group is made up of people who have similar problems and symptoms and meet once a week to talk about what has helped them and offer encouragement. For less common phobias like chronophobia, it may be easier to find an online support group than an in-person support group.

Another alternative is to seek one-on-one assistance from a supportive relative or friend. Talking through a phobia can often help someone recognize how unlikely the dreaded consequences are. Friends or family members that you trust may be able to provide the encouragement you need to identify and pick a therapist who can help you overcome your fears and anxieties.

Medication

When therapy alone isn’t adequate to control symptoms, medication may be explored. Any medication should be recommended by a doctor, psychiatrist, or other medical professional. Benzodiazepines are one of the most widely prescribed anxiety medications. However, because they’re highly addictive, they’re normally only administered on an as-needed basis.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are two more regularly prescribed anxiety drugs (SNRIs).

Changing Your Way of Life

Certain lifestyle adjustments can also aid in the reduction of anxiety caused by chronophobia. Common-sense behaviors like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced diet are among them. Maintaining social ties and avoiding solitude are also beneficial. Social connections with helpful people can aid in stress reduction and mental health improvement.

Another beneficial lifestyle adjustment is to start practicing mindfulness for anxiety, which helps to reinforce the mental habit of being fully present in the moment.

It’s especially good for dealing with chronophobia because it focuses on the present moment rather than stressing about how much time is left. Focusing on the senses (hearing, touch, taste, smell, and/or sight) is one technique to cultivate mindfulness.

Timeline and Expected Treatment Outcome

The goal of chronophobia treatment is to reduce or eradicate the anxiety linked with the passage of time. If there are any additional phobias or difficulties, such as self-isolating behavior or despair, the timeline will differ. Treatment usually consists of eight to fifteen 90-minute sessions spread out over eight to fifteen weeks.

How to Feel Less Worried About Time Passing

Practical solutions can be used in conjunction with treatment and lifestyle modifications or on their own to help minimize anxiety over time passing. Specific abilities, like deep breathing or guided imagery, are used in some of these. These skills are simple to master, but they do take some practice in order to reap the greatest benefits.

The following are four helpful hints for dealing with chronophobia:

Talk to a trustworthy friend or relative about your feelings; voicing an illogical worry out loud can help you recognize and handle it. It enables a person to acknowledge the reality of their feelings and choose to actively cope with them.

Make a list of tasks you can do when you’re feeling overwhelmed, such as “taking the dog for a walk,” “listening to your favorite music,” “calling a good friend,” or “cleaning your room.” Practice awareness when doing any of these tasks.

Deep breathing exercises might help you relax your nervous system by focusing your attention on the pattern of your own breathing.

Try a guided visualization exercise (also known as guided imagery exercises): there are several of them available online. Guided visualization is frequently linked with deep breathing.

Chronophobia statistics

Chronophobia statistics. Chronophobia is a disorder in which a person is afraid of time passing or of losing track of it. Many of us have spent a large period of time cooped up in our houses due to lockdown limitations, and you may have direct experience with chronophobia as you yearned to escape the constraints of your flat.

According to Choosing Therapy, approximately 12.5 percent of adults in the United States will experience a specific phobia at some point in their lives, with the elderly and terminally ill being especially vulnerable to chronophobia.

A sensation of imminent demise is most likely at the root of the phobia. Chronophobia is also more prevalent in prisons, where it is commonly referred to as “prison neurosis.” For inmates, chronophobia is more likely to be associated with emotions of claustrophobia and a sense of untapped potential.

People who have been through a painful and potentially deadly experience may develop chronophobia as a result of their increased awareness of their death and the passage of time. Even after hearing about terrible events that have occurred to others, some people develop chronophobia.

Chronophobia statistics. Chronophobia can affect everyone, not only those who live in severe environments. Fear can also arise in those who believe that their ambitions are slipping away from them and that they may never realize their dreams due to the inexorable passage of time.

As of December 2019, COVID-19 has been reported to be affecting over 200 nations, with more than 1.500.000 cases and a 20% death rate.

Although the psychiatric effects of COVID-19 have yet to be systematically studied, it is very likely that the terrifying experience of such a severe viral pandemic, coupled with a sense of uncertainty and the dissemination of a great deal of misinformation via social media, would have a significant impact on the mental health of those who were afflicted, household contacts, and those who witnessed this extraordinary event (Xiang et al., 2020).

Covid-19’s psychiatric effects can range from adjustment/coping problems to exacerbation/relapse of existing psychiatric conditions to generating de novo psychiatric disorders. Many elements appear to be at play.

Viral infection may play a direct role in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, as has long been shown in schizophrenia (Kneeland and Fatemi, 2013). In genetically predisposed populations or mentally ill patients, proximal events can include quarantine, self-isolation, lockdown, economic hardship, and so on.

Chronophobia statistics. Anxiety-filled reactions that normally accompany shuttered basic assumptions (regarding personal invulnerability, viewing ourselves in a positive light, perceiving the world as wholesome and meaningful, etc.) when they fail to be assimilated into pre-existing experience are among the psychiatric fallouts.

Panic attacks with a fear of losing control or impending doom and becoming housebound, thanatophobia (fear of death), hypochodriasis (morbid preoccupation with becoming infected with COVID-19 at first sneeze), flare-up of OCD regarding contamination with ablutomania (compulsive washing) or otherwise needless compulsive hoarding of groceries, to name a few.

The result is a hysterical contagion (mass hysteria). Chronophobia, or the fear of time passing, is a common sensation for people in quarantine; it is a neurotic fear of time that is commonly described in prison neurosis, in which the length and vastness of time is horrifying to the prisoner, and the passage of time causes him to panic.

People eventually become phlegmatic automatons who live by the “clock,” wondering when the 14-day isolation, curfew, and, most importantly, this agony will be done. ICU psychosis and deliria are well-known for requiring ventilatory assistance and monitoring in deteriorating patients.

Some people may only be able to cope in a dysfunctional fashion by abusing alcohol and other substances. When it’s finished, folks who have been seriously traumatized may endure PTSD, which includes flashbacks and nightmares as though they’re reliving the situation at the slightest reminder. It’s also possible that long-term personality changes will occur.

In schizophrenics, psychotic breakthrough symptoms such as media “conspiracy” explanations, as well as lack of freedom, sensory deprivation, and ego-fragmentation for those on self-quarantine, tend to fuel persecutory delusions. On top of MDD, some people may experience it as “Armageddon,” “Day of Final Judgement,” and “End of the World,” with nihilistic delusions (Cotard syndrome) and enosimania of committing unforgivable sins that deserve retribution. Those with Sebastomania, on the other hand, may experience it as “Armageddon,” “Day of Final Judgement,” and “End of the World.” unio mystica, and “oceanic sensations” of bipolarity may seek solace in spirituality.

Suicide as a release or relief from “incurable illness” (coronaphobia, or a sense of bereft and desolate future) could be the ultimate tragedy.Suicides linked to COVID-19 have lately been recorded in India.

All of this emphasizes the critical role that a psychiatrist can play in this situation. Psychiatrists have a societal responsibility in addition to professionally addressing these psychiatric issues.

They are in a unique position to provide a balanced perspective on the condition in order to improve understanding, attitudes, and practices, as well as alleviate generalized fear and apprehension.

Chronophobia Conclusion

Chronophobia Conclusion. Perhaps E. M. Cioran’s renowned lines from his 1964 book “The Fall into Time” adequately encapsulate everything a chronophobic goes through. Chronophobia is the fear of the future or of time passing that is persistent and frequently unjustified.

Chronophobia is classified as a distinct phobia since time can be regarded as a “specific object.” Chronophobia is formed from the Greek words “chronos” (time) and “phobos” (fear).

The nature of time has always perplexed humans, and many writers, philosophers, scientists, and social critics have attempted to understand it. The sufferer of persistent chronophobia develops an acute dread of time passing in that he or she suddenly feels that the present moment will be in the past soon, and this notion can scare him or her.

The phobic obsesses about time; he or she is excessively anxious to the point where it interferes with daily functioning. The fear primarily affects inmates, the elderly, and people who may already be suffering from anxiety issues.

Many self-help strategies and specialized treatments are available to aid with Chronophobia’s intense anxiety. Hypnotherapy is one such therapy that has been shown to be effective and has even been approved by the American Medical Association for the treatment of a variety of mental problems.

NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is another type of psychotherapy that has been shown to help people overcome their fear of the future. A skilled practitioner can assist the phobic in “correcting” his or her preconceptions about time and the future.

Yoga, meditation, pranayama (the ancient Hindu practice of deep breathing), and Tai Chi are some of the more mind-body techniques for dealing with this phobia.Prisoners who have taken part in Art of Living/Vipassna guided meditation classes have reportedly benefited immensely from them.

Chronophobia Conclusion. Having a pet or two is also recognized to be beneficial. Phobics are also encouraged to live as active a lifestyle as possible in order to increase endorphins, or “feel good hormones.” Social work, gardening, teaching, volunteering for social issues, and other activities might make one feel “more valuable” and divert one’s attention away from the fear of the future phobia.

Further reading

Treat your inbox