There are phobias that you can easily overcome in life and almost go unnoticed while other phobias can be very limiting. This is the case of cainophobia or fear of new experiences, a disorder whose consequences go beyond vital immobility. In our dictionary of phobias we talk about cainophobia.
What is cainophobia?
Kainophobia is the fear of the new or novel experiences. By extension it is also a fear of changes, whatever occurs in life, from a promotion at work, to buying a house, to changing. And not to mention taking a trip.
As you can see, cainophobia is very limiting and can affect all areas of life. Here the comfort zone is something more than a safe haven and the person who suffers from it cannot move forward in life, they remain static avoiding any novelty in their life. Can news be avoided? The truth is, no.
Symptoms of a phobia
Precisely because it is not always possible to avoid the stimulus that produces fear, and less so when it comes to something as general as living a new experience, it is for this reason that treatment must be sought as soon as possible. The symptoms are also worrisome, which are the same as those of anxiety to which other psychological problems are added.
Not being able to start that new course, not daring to change jobs, not wanting to take that trip, causes self and life becomes a spiral of insecurity, obsessive thoughts and irrational ideas about oneself. We insist that it is very important to treat cainophobia.
Why are you afraid of the new?
Kainophobia is a kind of fear of failure. The person who suffers from this phobia does not want to do anything new for fear of the unknown and, above all, for fear of failing. This leads us to think that one of the causes that originate it is one’s own low self-esteem, a cause and a consequence at the same time.
But like all, anxiety disorders can be behind this problem, as well as a traumatic experience or learned behavior in childhood. Sometimes, the overprotection of the parents can cause this fear of the new.
How to overcome cainophobia?
To overcome this phobia you have to seek psychological help. In the case of concepts such as novelties, new experiences, changes or failure, it is evident that cognitive will be the most effective to start by banishing distorted thoughts that prevent you from acting.
We must not rule out hypnosis to find a specific origin to this irrational fear of the new. And in any case, relaxation techniques are essential as tools to reduce the anxiety that is always associated with a phobia.