Pyrophobia
Fear of fire
Definition: an excessive and irrational fear of fires, flames, or blazes.
Pyrophobia may be caused by a traumatic experience associated with fire in the past. Although this is the most common cause for pyrophobia, other causes include being told about the danger of fire too often, having a tragic incident caused by fire, or have heard of someone else's traumatic experience caused by fire.
Symptoms:
- May feel dizzy, perspire, or queasy whenever they see fire no matter how small and tame the fire is
- May also begin to tremble, lose his/her breath, feel nauseous, feel trapped, have his/her mouth dry, or even faint when around fire
- Wish to stay as far away from fire as possible, and only feel safe when they have done so
Life with Pyrophobia
Things that someone with pyrophobia would be afraid of include birthday candles, fireworks display, grills, stoves, fireplaces, and bonfires.
Treatment of Pyrophobia
People with severe pyrophobia may need to seek help from a professional to get rid of their phobia.
One common treatment is Exposure Therapy. Exposure includes first starting with an illustration of fire and then smaller flames such as a lit cigarette and larger flames including a fire in the stove or grill.
Another treatment is finding the root of someone's pyrophobia through talk therapy.
Aside from these other methods, some people with pyrophobia find help by speaking with others who share the same phobia and share their problems as well as their experiences with fire.
One last treatment would be through breathing and hypnotic therapy. Medication can also be used to treat pyrophobia as well as other phobias.
Works Cited
"Pyrophobia: Fear of Fire." Phobia Fears. Phobia Fears, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.
N.d. Wikimedia. Web. 2009.
N.d. Deviant Art. Web. 1 Nov. 2010.
N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 23 May 2012.