Page 57 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Febrary/March 2020 Edition

Coping with ASTROPHOBIA 57

Coping With Astrophobia If you have astrophobia, you aren't just uneasy panic. Types of treatment for astrophobia
with the thought of space, stars, or alien life. You include:
or have a persistent fear and anxiety related to it • Cognitive-behavioral therapy: In this

The Fear of Outer Space possibly affecting your life. treatment, your therapist works with you to
The symptoms of astrophobia are similar gradually change the way you think,
to those of other common phobias, which counteracting your automatic thought
by By Lisa Fritscher include: patterns that connect stars or space with
• Shortness of breath danger.
• Anxiety • Psychotherapy: Traditional analysis with a
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block,
• Feelings of terror therapist.
MD
• Panic • Behavioral therapy: Reinforcing desirable
• Rapid heartbeat behaviors and eliminating unwanted ones.
The mysteries of outer space are intriguing for • Exposure therapy: Gradually reducing
many Earthlings. But for some people, it turns to Examples avoidance of stars and space and increasing
fear. Astrophobia is a severe and irrational fear exposure.
of stars and space. It is one of the specific Depending on the exact nature of your phobia, • Relaxation techniques: Focusing on healthy
phobias that are related to a defined object or you may find yourself unable to watch films habits that reduce anxiety.
situation. about aliens. You might be preoccupied with • Meditation: You can use this as a relaxation
For many, astrophobia is strongly locations such as Roswell, New Mexico or Area technique.
connected to a fear of aliens. Films such as Alien 51 in Nevada. Obsessions with these places stem • Medications to treat anxiety: These may help
play into the fear that hostile intelligent life may from conspiracy theories about unidentified in conjunction with other forms of therapy.
exist outside of our own planet. Many of these flying object (UFO) sightings and claims of a []
films involve doomsday scenarios, in which life government cover-up of alien interactions. You
as we know it is threatened by an extraterrestrial may retain a healthy skepticism about those
attack. theories, but worry about what it could mean if
they were true.
Connections to Other Fears Exhibiting an interest in such a topic
doesn't mean you suffer from astrophobia. But if

Astrophobia may also be connected to fears of the interest turns to an obsession that can prove
the dark, being alone, or being away from home. life-limiting, you should seek help from a
Movies such as Gravity address the cold mental health professional.
emptiness of outer space. Astrophobia can also
stem from a fear of space exploration, triggered Treatment
by real catastrophes as the explosions of Space
Shuttles Challenger and Columbia. The film Astrophobia can be treated in the same way as
Apollo 13 exposed the real danger that is any specific phobia. The focus of treatment will
associated with the space program. be helping you to unlearn your negative beliefs
about space. You will be taught healthier
Symptoms messages and coping skills to help you avoid