Syphilophobia

Syphilophobia is an unaccountable obsessive fear that a syphilitic infection will affect a specific person. The concept of “syphilophobia” was introduced by academician Terentyev in 1912. The term arose in connection with a number of clinical cases when venereologists could not connect objective signs of syphilitic infection with the patient’s refusal to be examined and treated. Currently, syphilophobia is also called “psychophobia.” Syphilitophobes are sure that they were the ones who became infected with syphilis. Therefore, they often visit the anonymous office of a venereologist, especially after having had physical contact with a patient. The fear of contracting syphilis occurs in both men and women. Fear of infection has a scientific basis. The difficulty of diagnosing syphilis is due to the fact that at the beginning of the disease it is completely asymptomatic, so it is important to be tested for syphilitic infection even in the absence of manifestations of the disease. To understand the cause of psychophobia and try to solve the problem, the patient has conversations and is prescribed psychotherapy. The therapy is based on relaxation and meditation methods. They also help avoid situations that may cause extreme anxiety. Social adaptation is important - constant contact with people, attending social events. This way you can avoid stressful situations. An effective method of getting rid of fear is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get rid of neurosis on your own. If symptoms appear again and again or they interfere with the performance of daily tasks, you should seek qualified help from a psychiatrist or psychologist.