Anatidaephobia is an excessive and irrational fear of ducks. This condition generally occurs in someone who has experienced a traumatic event with ducks.
Anatidaephobia included in one type of specific phobia, namely the phobia of certain objects, animals, or situations. Anatidaephobia it could stem from an unpleasant experience with a duck, for example being bitten, being chased, or attacked by a duck or flock of ducks.
Recognize Symptoms Anatidaephobia
When faced with a situation related to ducks, the sufferer anatidaephobia will usually experience panic attacks or uncontrollable anxiety. In addition, these symptoms may be accompanied by:
- Sweating
- Shaky
- Chills
- Confusion
- Dizzy
- Chest pain
- Quick breath
- Fast heart rate
- Nauseous
- Stomach ache
Handling Anatidaephobia
To diagnose anatidaephobia, first a psychologist or psychiatrist will review the patient's symptoms and discuss his experiences with ducks.
When the therapist diagnoses a patient suffering from anatidaephobia, there are several treatment methods that may be suggested to help manage the symptoms. Among them:
Exposure therapy
Just like any other specific phobia, one treatment anatidaephobia it is best to undergo exposure therapy. This therapy is done to help the patient fight your fear of something, in this case the fear of ducks.
Exposure therapy is done by gradually placing the patient in a situation related to the object or source of his fear. First, the patient may be asked to view a picture or video of a duck.
When you get used to it and can manage your fear, the therapy will be increased. For example, by showing the duck directly and so on until the patient is used to the presence of ducks around him.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that aims to change negative thought patterns and responses to something positive. By undergoing this therapy, patients anatidaephobia is expected to be calmer in dealing with situations related to ducks.
Drugs
If symptoms anatidaephobia severe, sometimes medication will be needed, such as antidepressants or sedatives.
In addition, there are also several ways that patients can do on their own to help deal with and control their anxiety, including:
- Perform relaxation techniques, namely breathing exercises to help the body become more relaxed and calm in dealing with anxiety
- Imagining beautiful scenery or thinking about something that makes him feel calm
- Distracts attention, for example looking at WL or listening to music, if you are faced with a situation related to the object you fear
- Calm the mind when faced with things that cause fear and focus on positive things to help him get through panic attacks
Apply the methods above first if you feel you have a condition anatidaephobia.
If your fear of ducks is so severe that it interferes with your daily activities and has lasted more than 6 months, you should consult a psychiatrist or psychologist to get the right treatment.
