Some phobias Surprise us because we cannot find that dangerous element in the stimulus that causes them, but in others we can see it perfectly. This is the case of monophobia or fear of mushrooms, a disorder that has an obvious and logical origin in the danger posed by some varieties of fungi. We tell you everything about monophobia in our phobia.
What is monophobia?
Mycophobia is the fear of mushrooms or fungi. The person who suffers from monophobia sees their gastronomic possibilities limited because they avoid any dish that contains mushrooms, whatever variety they are. And they don’t just avoid eating them, since just seeing a mushroom on someone else’s plate, in the field or in a picture, can trigger an anxiety reaction.
We can find certain logic to monophobia, since we know that some varieties of mushrooms are poisonous, and even animals reject them and avoid them because of their danger. The problem with the phobia is that it extends this danger to all varieties, when the truth is that most mushrooms do not pose any danger.
Symptoms of monophobia
A person with monophobia, being in a situation in which the phobia stimulus is also found, in this case mushrooms, experiences a whole series of physical symptoms that coincide with the symptoms of anxiety. Palpitations, nervousness, dizziness, suffocation sensation, tachycardia and can lead to panic attack.
There are not only physical symptoms, but they also experience psychological symptoms that are even more exhausting and stressful. The person with monophobia knows that her fear of her is irrational and excessive, but she cannot avoid it (at least until she receives treatment) and that makes her feel different, isolated and with certain limitations.
Causes of monophobia
As with all phobias, conditioning by traumatic experience is the most common origin. It is not necessary to have suffered from mushroom poisoning in childhood; it is enough to have seen it in another person, or to have heard those stories that seem to be in all families of a distant uncle who died from eating the wrong mushrooms.
In the case of monophobia we also find the cultural factor as one of the causes of its development. The fear can be of being poisoned and dying with a mushroom, but also of those hallucinogenic mushrooms or fungi shrouded in mystery. The sometimes causes us a terror that may or may not be unfounded, but it is there.
Mycophobia treatment
We might think that the fear of mushrooms is not a very limiting phobia, since the stimulus can be easily avoided. A person can spend their entire life avoiding mushrooms without affecting their social life, it’s true. But the presence of a phobia is at the same time a symptom that something is wrong, so it is advisable.
Psychology finds its star therapy for phobias and many other disorders in cognitive it is a treatment that begins by transforming distorted thoughts about mushrooms and ends by modifying this avoidance behavior by eliminating fear.