The Dread Files – Theatrophobia

The Dread Files - The Haunted Pen
Theatrophobia is the fear of theaters. The origin comes from the Greek word theatron (mean place of seeing) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear). Theatrophobia is considered to be a specific phobia.

What are the causes?
There may be many things that cause the fear of the theater. For instance a person may find themselves fearful when the lights go out and it is difficult to see to leave the theater if they need to.

They may be fearful of confined spaces. This can be a huge trigger if the movie they go to see is full. The other trigger could be that the movie itself elicits fears that may be separate from the dark or small spaces.

Some may believe that the bad things that happen on screen might follow them from the theater. They may be convinced the horror flick they saw will come true in real life. The fear may be related to large crowds or loud noises. There are many reasons a person may find themselves afraid to visit the theater – and some of those reasons have been observed in others first.

What are the symptoms?
A person who fears the theater may or may not struggle with watching movies at home, but chances are strong they will express extreme apprehension if they encounter a theater. As with any phobia, the symptoms vary by person depending on their level of fear. The symptoms typically include panic attack, trembling, air hunger, weeping, screaming, nausea, loss of control, irrational behavior, dread and anything associated with panic such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, inability to articulate words or sentences, dry mouth and shaking.

Can I take medicine?
Medicine can be prescribed, but please note that these medications can have side effects and/or withdrawal systems that can be severe. It is also important to note that medicines do not cure phobias, at best they only temporarily suppress the systems. However, there are treatments for phobias, which include counseling, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and Neuro-Linguistic programming.