Counterphobia

Counterphobia is defined as the preference for fearful situations. While this may be confusing, at first glance, it infers that the counterphobic person searches out those things or situations that cause them apprehension.

While most phobic individuals will take drastic and extreme measures to avoid what they fear, the person coping with Counterphobia will actively and purposefully seek out fearful situations. This preference, for that which is fearful, is assumed to be the individual's attempt to cope with some kind of internal anxiety. In other words, the counterphobic person is trying to focus their fear as a way to overcome it. The consequence of this leads the individual to exist in an almost constant state of "fight or flight."

It is of interest to note that studies have concluded that individuals with counterphobia have higher IQs, are fiercely independent, self-assured and emotionally stable. One might logically assume that counterphobic individuals are the risk takers, the daredevils or adrenalin junkies. These are the people who jump off buildings or back flip from walls without protection.

Counterphobia comes from the Latin for "opposed to" or "against" and the Greek "phobos", meaning fear.

What Causes Counterphobia?

There appears to be some debate as to how a person might develop Counterphobia. Some camps state that childhood abuse or post traumatic stress syndrome are the causes. Others claim that brain chemistry might pre-dispose and individual to purposefully seek out that which they fear. Perhaps the least complicated explanation is that the counterphobic individual simply enjoys the adrenalin rush associated with the automatic response of "fight or flight."

What Are the Symptoms of Counterphobia?

It is important to remember that Counterphobia is unique in that the individual prefers and then seeks out fearful situations or experiences. This then results in a heightened sense of "fight or flight." Therefore, the symptoms of Counterphobia can include:

• Muscle tension
• Sudden, Intense Surge of Adrenalin
• Increased Heartbeat
• Rapid Breathing
• Feeling of Exhilaration

How Is Counterphobia Diagnosed?

Counterphobia is rarely a formal diagnosis assigned to an individual. At its extreme, Counterphobia is diagnosed by mental health professionals, when an individual consistently and irrationally puts themselves into potentially life threatening situations. Otherwise, the counterphobic individual will typically refer to themselves simply as a thrill seeker or adrenalin junkie.

How Is Counterphobia Treated?

The vast majority of counterphobic individuals are not so severely impacted as to require formal, professional intervention. However, when the person coping with Counterphobia does require treatment, it is vital that the person be taught to recognize their preference for the feeling of "fight or flight."

It is further imperative that the counterphobic individual learns to recognize that their preference for that which is feared could become life threatening. In this case, the individual would learn to differentiate and then choose less dangerous activities, situations and experiences.

Counterphobia is unique in that it typically does not debilitate an individual. However, the preference for and the purposeful seeking out of fearful situations can become an individual's sole focus. When this happens, the counterphobic person should seek professional intervention and assistance.