Fear of being photographed: a description of the disease and how to get rid of

There are people who love to be photographed, take selfies, share pictures with others, and there are those who are almost impossible to see in the photo - they diligently avoid photographs, driven by subconscious fear.

The fear of the camera and the prospect of being photographed can have different origins. In most cases, we are talking about dysmorphophobia, in which a person believes that he has defects in appearance, so he does not want them to be noticeable to others and to himself, remaining a reminder in the form of a photograph.

Sometimes the fear of photographing is associated with a fear of the camera lens (a fairly common phobia, especially among the older generation, which is called autogonistophobia). In this case, people are frightened by the very situation of being in front of the camera. With photophobia, people are afraid to be photographed with flashes, since this mental disorder is closely related to the fear of flashes of bright light.

Sometimes a person has signs of all three phobias. In any case, the fear of being photographed is a serious problem. After all, photographs are not only funny selfies on social networks, but also a necessity (when you need to take a photo for documents), memory (memorable photographs of a class, an institute group, family photographs). If a person diligently avoids photographing, it can have a significant impact on their life.

A person of any age can have a fear of photographing, but more often - in adolescents and adults. But the predisposing reasons for the development of a phobia are usually laid in early childhood - in the period from 3 to 7 years.

The person is not sure what looks the way it should be, what most people look like. He believes that his appearance is worse, there are defects in it. And even if it is a small mole on the cheek, the person suffering from this disorder himself perceives it as a giant spot that everyone around will definitely pay attention to. He is shy, public opinion about him is very important to him, he is afraid of condemnation, ridicule.

Sometimes fear is based on superstition, religious beliefs. If a child has heard that a photograph can take away a soul, take a life, then irrational fear will not allow him to do what is simple and natural for many - to stand in front of the lens of a photo or video camera. Fear can be linked to negative personal experiences - once the child turned out badly in the picture, so peers, classmates laughed at him, he became a victim of pressure. Next time, the very fact of the upcoming photo session will be very alarming.

The reason for the fear may be the peculiarities of upbringing in childhood. Most often, such a problem is faced by people who were brought up in an atmosphere of aesthetics and beauty - the parents demanded that everything be beautiful, criticized the appearance of the child. The other extreme is the lack of attention from adults. At the same time, the child tried to attract attention to himself, decorated himself, but did not achieve his goal and was finally convinced that he was the way nature created him, that no one was interested and needed.

The genetic theory of fear has not been adequately supported. There is no gene that is responsible for transmitting the fear of photographs from mom to daughter or from dad to son. But it has been noticed that children can copy the behavior of their parents, therefore in adults with a fear of being photographed, children often grow up with the same fear. Certain character traits predispose to the development of fear - suspiciousness, anxiety, increased excitability, anxiety. Shy people are also at risk.

“I’m afraid to be photographed,” is often said, especially by women. Does this mean they have a phobic mental disorder? Not at all. Often such statements are a sign of shyness, coquetry, a desire to receive a compliment, because in response any photographer will answer exactly what he wants to hear - “Well, what are you! You look wonderful!".

A real fob does not ask for praise, does not need approval, he is just scared, and sometimes - in panic... If the majority of healthy people can pull themselves together and still agree to take a photograph, then fobes cannot do this in principle.

If there are events within the framework of which photographers will work, or a collective photograph, a photo session (conference, concert, competition, any event) is coming, then the fob starts to feel anxiety in advance, sometimes several days in advance.

Anxiety grows as an important date approaches, a person can literally lose sleep and rest, appetite. All his thoughts may be busy with the upcoming unpleasant occupation - the need to be photographed. There is nothing surprising in the fact that, as a result, fobes are likely to find a lot of reasons and grounds not to appear at the event.

If the photographer takes the fob by surprise, then the symptoms become noticeable to everyone around. A person suffering from a fear of being photographed instantly experiences all the "delights" of the adrenaline rush into the blood, namely:

• blood pressure rises, heart rate increases sharply;
• palms sweat, back, drops of cold sweat appear on the forehead;
• hands, lips begin to shake;
• pupils dilate;
• there is a feeling of nausea;
• in a severe case, there may be a short-term loss of consciousness, fainting.

He ceases to control the situation around, only he and the dangerous situation exist (need to be photographed), as well as a frightening object (camera lens). All these changes take place in seconds, others only have time to notice that the person has changed in his face, he is extremely worried. In response to danger, the brain gives one of two commands - the fob either stays in place rooted to the spot, refuses to stand where the photographer is pointing, does not respond to external stimuli, or runs away in order to quickly find a safe space in which it will again be able to find harmony and tranquility.

After the attack, the person feels ashamed.... He is embarrassed that he will have to answer the questions of others, he is ashamed that he behaved inappropriately. He makes a promise to himself - be sure to deal with the excitement before the next photo shoot. Unfortunately, without proper treatment, the next photo session will end in complete failure.

It is not surprising that a person with a phobia begins to avoid any situations in which, even theoretically, there may be a need to appear in front of a photographic lens. Often in companies, such people are volunteered to be photographers, and when they are offered to replace them, so that they can be captured for a long time, they are categorically refused.

If we are talking about a pathological fear of being photographed (about a phobia), then it is impossible to get rid of such fear on your own. If you manage to calm your anxiety and take a photo, then you are definitely not a fob. In the case of a phobia, a visit to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist is recommended. There is no need to be ashamed of these specialists, they, like no one else, have a good idea of ​​how hard it is to live with a phobia, what unpleasant consequences it is fraught with.

For treatment, it is prescribed psychotherapy course. The doctor establishes the true causes of the problem - either it is dissatisfaction with oneself, low self-esteem, or photophobia (photophobia), or a traumatic experience that had a strong impact on the psyche. To eliminate the consequences of a harmful cause, hypnotherapy, neurolinguistic programming method, cognitive-behavioral therapy, rational therapy.

There is usually no need to prescribe medications for fear of being photographed. But in some cases it can be recommended antidepressants (with severe depression), and sedatives, which will help to avoid overstimulation of the nervous system.

Gradually, the psychotherapist begins to introduce a person to photographs - first he asks to photograph what he liked around, and then he himself becomes a participant in the photo sessions. The prognosis for this phobic disorder is pretty good. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is possible to completely get rid of fear with professional help.