Autophobia: How Co-Dependency May Be Attributed to a Phobia

When involved in a destructive relationship, many individuals find they are co-dependent and stay in deteriorating relationship out of love and concern for the partner who has chosen an adverse and difficult life pattern. In actuality, in some of these cases, the co-dependency may be attributed to the one individual suffering from a mental health condition known as autophobia; a fear of being alone.

Autophobia is a mental health disorder, involving both emotional and physiological symptoms, categorized as an extreme fear of being alone or extreme fear of feeling a sense of loneliness. While the autophobia sufferer understands their own physical and mental welfare is not being jeopardized by separation, they simply do not want to be alone. Most commonly, individuals suffering from autophobia have an underlying fear of being unloved or unrecognized. This mentality, in and of itself, leads many autophobics to remain in damaging personal relationships which may be detrimental to their overall health and welfare.

When suffering from autophobia, the individual will commonly experience symptoms associated with anxiety which proliferate at the thought of being alone but, certainly, when actually left alone. When suffering from an attack of autophobia, the sufferer will commonly find it difficult to breath, sweat profusely, feel nauseated and have an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and despair. For many, the anxiety attack is frightening and almost feels as if a heart attack has ensued.

Oddly enough, individuals suffering from autophobia, will generally remain in isolation with a sole purpose to avoid placing themselves in a separation process which may further exacerbate the autophobic symptoms. When involved in destructive relationships, the autophobic will fall on either end of an extreme; stay in the relationship for fear of being left alone or move out of a destructive relationship and into a pattern of total isolation so as to avoid the onset of autophobia related symptoms at any point in the future. Unfortunately, this leave the autophobia sufferer in a quandary as to what steps to take in a destructive relationship.

Treating autophobia involves a comprehensive approach using medication management to control anxiety related symptoms in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy. Because therapy can be difficult in a one-on-one situation, the mental health therapist will often present the autophobia sufferer with weekly challenges which involve positioning oneself into real world situations with an anticipated separation. Hypnosis and relaxation techniques are also taught as part of the comprehensive program.

As with any mental health disorder, including phobia, understanding the cause and origin, while learning to control the mental, emotional and physical symptoms, will provide for a better quality of life. For more information regarding autophobia, visit www.changethatsrightnow.com.