Pagophobia - The Fear of Ice and Frost

What Is Pagophobia? Pagophobia is an intense, irrational fear of ice and frost. The pagophobic individual may fear injuring themselves by slipping on ice or frost. At its most extreme, the person suffering with Pagophobia may refuse to leave their home when ice or frost is observed outside.

Pagophobia derives from the Greek word "paggos", meaning ice and "phobos" meaning fear.

What Causes Pagophobia?

As is the case with all phobias, the person impacted by Pagophobia has a traumatic event at some point in their life. That traumatic experience is then consistently and automatically associated with ice and frost.

Perhaps the pagophobic individual always lived in a warm climate and then suddenly, for whatever reason, moved to a climate where ice and frost is to be expected. Maybe the person coping with this phobia did experience slipping on the ice and being injured or perhaps they were frost bitten at some point. Perhaps others reacted in a negative, fearful way in response to ice or frost and the pagophobic individual learned to imitate that response.

Whatever the cause, the pagophobic person can experience anxiety and emotional turmoil that is completely disruptive to their ability to function.

What Are the Symptoms Of Pagophobia?

The symptoms of Pagophobia are individual and will vary. Some people, when confronted with their fear of ice and frost, may begin to perspire, feel slightly uncomfortable or become nauseated. At the opposite end of the spectrum, other people are so severely compromised by this phobia, that they may experience full-blown anxiety and/or panic attacks.

Other symptoms of Pagophobia may include:

* A Dry Mouth

* Heightened Senses

* Breathlessness

* Feeling Dizzy

* Muscle Tension

* Hyperventilation

* Overall Trembling

* Rapid Heartbeat

* Feeling Out of Control

* Feeling Trapped and Unable to Escape

* Intense Feeling of Anticipated Disaster

How Is Pagophobia Diagnosed?

The vast majority of cases of Pagophobia are self-diagnosed. The individual realizes that their fear of ice and frost is irrational and is severely compromising their ability to function on a daily basis.

The pagophobic person may discuss their phobia with the primary physician. Rarely would the doctor diagnosis Pagophobia based on that initial discussion with the patient. More routinely, after ruling out any medical reason for this phobia, the doctor will refer the person to a mental health professional for comprehensive assessment and evaluation.

How Is Pagophobia Treated?

When the fear of ice and frost becomes intense enough to disrupt an individual's ability to function, there are a number of ways to treat Pagophobia.

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 control their phobia.

* Hypnotherapy.

* Exposure Therapy.

* Self-help techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation.

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

* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Desensitization Therapy.

* Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization.

* In severe cases of Pagophobia, anti-anxiety medication can be prescribed.

Pagophobia is an intense, irrational fear of ice and frost. Sometimes that fear can become so overwhelming as to completely stop a person's ability to function on a daily basis. Unchecked, Pagophobia can become a debilitating condition that interferes with an individual's personal life, their social life and job responsibilities. Untreated, Pagophobia can impact every aspect of a person's life.