Barophobia: The Fear of Gravity

What Is Barophobia? Barophobia is an overwhelming, irrational fear of gravity. The barophobic individual may have a completely distorted view of the force and/or consistency of gravitational pull. Individuals coping with this phobia may fear that they will be crushed by the force of gravity were it to become too great. These people may fear falling, for no reason, except for the pull of gravity. On the other end of this spectrum, there are barophobic individuals who may fear that gravity could fail and that they will simply float away. Barophobia derives from the Greek word "baros", meaning weight and "phobos" meaning fear.

What Causes Barophobia?

As is the case with all phobias, the person coping with Barophobia has experienced a traumatic event at some point in their life. That experience is then consistently and automatically associated with gravity.

Perhaps this person fell from a considerable height and did sustain an injury. Maybe the barophobic individual has personal knowledge of someone falling from a great height, but with devastating consequences. Perhaps this person has read science fiction books or watched movies about the loss of gravity and the consequences of it. Maybe the person coping with Barophobia is simply under-educated about the nature of gravity.

Whatever the reason, the barophobic person can experience anxiety and emotional turmoil that completely disrupts their ability to function on a daily basis.

What Are the Symptoms of Barophobia?

The symptoms of Barophobia vary from person to person. Some people, when confronted with their fear, may feel slightly uncomfortable, become nauseated or begin to perspire. At the opposite, extreme end of the spectrum, other people are so severely impacted by this phobia, that they may experience anxiety and/or panic attacks.

Other symptoms of Barophobia can include:

* Heart Palpitations

* A Dry Mouth

* Trembling

* Rapid Heartbeat

* Heightened Senses

* Breathlessness

* Feeling Dizzy

* Muscle Tension

* Hyperventilation

* Numbness

* Feeling Out of Control

* Feeling Trapped and Unable to Escape

* Overwhelming Feeling of Disaster

How Is Barophobia Diagnosed?

The vast majority of cases of Barophobia are self-diagnosed. The individual realizes that their fear of gravity is irrational and that it is severely compromising their ability to function.

The barophobic person may discuss their phobia with their primary physician. Rarely would the doctor make a diagnosis of Barophobia based on that initial discussion with the patient. More routinely, after ruling out any physical reasons for the phobia, the doctor will refer the individual to a mental health professional for further assessment and evaluation.

How Is Barophobia Treated?

When the fear of gravity becomes so intense as to disrupt a person's daily functioning, there are a variety of ways to treat Barophobia.

These can include:

* A referral from the primary physician to a therapist who specializes in the treatment of phobias.

* Traditional "talk" therapy that will teach the person to recognize and cope with their phobia.

* Exposure Therapy.

* Hypnotherapy.

* Self-help techniques such as purposeful and progressive muscle relaxation.

* Support groups with other people coping with this specific phobia.

* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Desensitization Therapy.

* Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization.

* In extreme cases of Barophobia, anti-anxiety medications can be prescribed.

Barophobia is an intense, irrational fear of gravity. Sometimes that fear can become so overwhelming as to completely halt a person's ability to function. Unchecked, Barophobia can become a debilitating condition that interferes with an individual's personal life, their social life and job responsibilities. Untreated, Barophobia impacts every aspect of a person's life.