How is megalophobia treated?
Megalophobia can usually be treated with psychological treatment (psychotherapy) such as exposure therapy and/or cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s not very common, but sometimes people need medications that temporarily relieve symptoms of fear and anxiety in order to cope with fear while they are participating in therapy.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is a common form of psychological treatment used to treat specific phobias. People with phobias usually avoid situations that involve the thing they are afraid of. Because of this, they aren’t able to learn that they can manage their fear when presented with their specific phobia or that their feared outcomes often do not happen. Therapists and psychologists use exposure therapy for people who have a phobia to slowly encourage them to enter situations that cause them anxiety and to try to stay in that situation so that they can learn to cope.
If you have megalophobia and participate in exposure therapy, your therapist or psychologist may begin with talking about large objects. They may then gradually move on to showing you pictures of large objects. Next, they may have you look at and be near a large object in person. The process of exposure therapy is slow and gradual. Your therapist or psychologist will tailor the pace of the therapy to your needs.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT is a form of psychological treatment. Through talking and asking questions, your therapist or psychologist helps you gain a different perspective. As a result, you learn to respond better to and cope with the stress and anxiety you feel when you are exposed to things that cause you fear.
What medications are used to treat megalophobia?
Medications aren’t usually used to treat specific phobias like megalophobia. But in some cases, people with megalophobia might take medications to temporarily help them relieve symptoms of fear and anxiety when they are going through psychological therapy to treat their phobia. Medications sometimes used to help treat megalophobia include:
- Beta blockers: Some beta blockers are used to treat or prevent physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a fast heart rate.
- Sedatives (benzodiazepines): Benzodiazepines, which are a type of sedative, help you relax and reduce the amount of anxiety you feel.
Is there a cure for megalophobia?
There is currently no cure for megalophobia, but exposure therapy, a form of psychological therapy, is successful in treating it. Exposure therapy is considered the first-line treatment for specific phobias in general.
