Index
A loud and unexpected sound can cause anxiety attacks in a person suffering from this phobia.
The word phonophobia has its roots in the Greek word ‘phonous’ which means ‘voice’ or ‘sound’ and the word ‘phobia’ comes from the Greek word ‘phóbos’ which means ‘fear’. Phonophobia is also known as ligrophobia .
People with phonophobia may be afraid of devices that can suddenly make loud sounds, such as alarms.
This can even include the fear of one’s own voice or a specific fear of telephones, speakers, among others.
This phobia is related to ligyrophobia, which is the fear of loud or squeaky noises, and telephonephobia, which is the fear of telephones.
Causes of phonophobia
- Phonophobia is a specific (or “isolated”) phobia and is focused on key non-social factors.
- A prior childhood trauma and physically damaging.
- Parenting, such as parental warnings of imminent threat.
- Genetics and hereditary factors.
- Other people’s experiences, the news, on television, or in the movies can reinforce or develop fear.
Medical causes may underlie fear of some sounds due to hyperacusis, which produces unusual sensitivity to certain types or ranges of sounds.
Risk factor’s
The following factors are some of the characteristics of individuals that can increase the risk of phonophobia or fear of loud noises:
- A person’s age is a risk factor. The risk of developing phonophobia or fear of loud noises is higher in children under the age of 13.
- If someone in the family has a phobia of snakes, spiders, among others, then the risk of developing a phobia in children increases. This happens because children grow up watching those members react awkwardly to such situations and can also adopt the same fears.
- Temperament can be a risk factor for phonophobia or fear of loud noises. The appearance of phonophobia can also depend on the temperament or mental strength to face the fears that the person has. A sensitive person is more at risk of developing phonophobia.
- A traumatic event in the past can be a risk factor for phonophobia. The phobia can also be the result of a traumatic event that can have a lasting effect on the mind. Past events can develop a permanent fear in the mind transforming into a phobia.
- Phonophobia increases, and sensitivity to sound is often painful. Phonophobia is a very common symptom of a migraine attack .
Symptoms of phonophobia
The level of fear of sound can vary from one phonophobia patient to another.
Therefore, different patients would show different types of signs and symptoms that vary in nature and intensity.
Some may show an urge to escape the noisy environment, while others may reveal mild symptoms such as sweating, fainting, etc.
People who suffer from phonophobia usually show extreme reactions.
Symptoms of phonophobia may include one or more of the following:
- The desire to flee.
- Intense fear of loud sounds.
- Excessive sweating.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Nausea or dizziness.
- The panic attacks .
- Fainting.
- Severe mood swing after hearing the loud sound.
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing.
- Confusion and inability to articulate clearly.
- Lack of concentration.
- Feelings of helplessness.
- Obsession with the topic of phobia.
- Fear or feelings of loss of control.
- Avoidance behavior.
- Headaches.
Diagnosis
Phonophobia or fear of loud noises cannot be determined by any type of laboratory analysis.
There are specific diagnostic guidelines that include clinical interviews to detect phonophobia or fear of loud noises.
The interview consists of questions related to symptoms and medical history.
Phonophobia or fear of loud noises is diagnosed based on the diagnostic criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association in the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The manual functions as a standard to help physicians determine the condition of patients.
Treatments for phonophobia
Phonophobia or fear of loud noises can be treated with clinical therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy .
The therapy helps the patient to learn and become aware of their fear of sound and to face their fears.
The choice of treatment depends on several factors, including the severity of the phonophobia, and the patients’ preference for what makes them feel most comfortable.
Counseling sessions with experts can help the practitioner understand the source of the fears, which can be used to help the patient face their fears. Among the most common treatments are:
Exposure therapy which is a form of cognitive therapy also shows good results in treating phonophobia.
The best remedy for phonophobia or fear of loud noises is to ensure that there are no such sources or events in the immediate environment of the patient that could cause noise and trigger their fear, for the duration of the treatment.
In this therapy, a person is intentionally exposed to their fear under controlled circumstances to help them learn to overcome fear progressively.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is related to the fact that our mind perceives things as real.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming helps to reprogram our minds to differentiate between the real world and the virtual world and eliminate phonophobia or fear of loud noises. It is an effective technique with quick results.
Some professionals also recommend self-help techniques such as hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy can help treat phonophobia. Hypnotherapy is used to delve into the subconscious mind to find the possible reasons for fear and then try to remove those fears from the brain.
It is an effective therapy that can significantly reduce the symptoms of phonophobia or fear of loud noises.
However, some patients are not very comfortable with the idea of allowing someone to control their mind.
It also helps to cope with phonophobia, when friends and family are informed about the fears or phobias that the patient presents, so that they can help create a pleasant environment when the crisis occurs.
In addition to cognitive behavioral therapies, there are therapies or formation of habits to relax, group therapies, meditation and as a last option medications.
Another mode of treatment for phonophobia or fear of loud noises is energy psychology.
Energy psychology is increasingly becoming a popular therapy for treating various types of phobias, including phonophobia or fear of loud noises.
It is an effective and safe therapy with long-lasting effects.
It has been established after about 2000 years of studies and is based on the same foundation as acupuncture. However, needles are not used in this therapy.
It is like a mental acupuncture therapy that works directly on the mind.
Energy psychology for phonophobia offers several advantages to patients without causing any kind of side effects.
Some of the advantages of energy therapies are the following:
- A rapid change in the patient’s behavior may be experienced.
- You can have better self-control.
- You can respond or take other therapies more effectively.
- You can get a better approach to face your fears.
The main objective of treatments for phonophobia is to help the patient manage and treat their phobia or fear of loud noises effectively so that they are not controlled by their fears.
You can also develop some techniques on your own to cope with your fears.
You should not flee from phonophobia or fear of loud noises, it is necessary to try and face the fears instead of avoiding them. Support groups should be sought.
Support groups allow the patient to meet other people who have the same phobia or fear of loud noises.
Being able to interact with them and exchange ideas and strategies is key to coping with fears of loud noises.
