You are with someone with whom you have close or may be intimate relationship but still you are not giving him or her any commitment, you are not ready to take the responsibility of relationship or you are afraid of getting into it, you might be suffering from Gamophobia, a mental disorder.
What is Gamophobia?
Gamophobia is an extreme and irrational fear of commitment and marriage in which people afraid of getting married or being in a committed relationship. Such people are not even able to enjoy the close bond or friendship with anyone due to this fear. Gamophobia falls under anxiety disorders that’s why people with gamophobia often show anxious behavior and resist the change.
People with gamophobia often feel difficulty in forming a lasting intimate relationship. They experience extreme anxiety when they are committed to someone. They love to be with someone but get anxious while seeing other happy couples and sometimes they end the relationship unexpectedly. They are also vulnerable to develop another anxiety disorder. Well, gamophobia can be seen as a protective response from a heartbreak or rejection.
What causes Gamophobia?
Family Medical History – If parents have anxiety disorder or if mother had to suffer with phobia or any anxiety disorder during her pregnancy that can lead to develop gamophobia.
Home Environment – If a child is growing up in an environment where parents fight, if they are not loving or indifferent towards child, it can develop gamophobia because here child is watching their parents fighting with each other and he is not getting love and support from them.
Previous Heartbreaks or Traumatic Experience – If a person has experienced break ups and loss of loved one or watched their parents being separated or divorced then he/she can develop gamophobia.
Any Health Issue – If a person is dealing with any physical or mental health issue, he/she fears of being rejected by loved one that’s why they afraid to get committed.
Personality Disorder – If the person is suffering from any personality disorder, obesity or have the feeling of not looking good may avoid the commitment due to the fear of abandonment or rejection.
Culture – Certain culture does not allow people to choose their partner by themselves even family members choose for them without considering their choices, love and compatibility, this can develop the fear of being committed with a wrong person.
Signs and Symptoms of Gamophobia
When a gamophobic person thinks about making a commitment with their partner or getting involved in his/her own marriage function they may experience dizziness, perspiration, anxiety, hypertension, heart palpitation, nausea, trembling and shaking, or short of breath etc. If any person you know with these symptoms, he/she may be suffering from gamophobia.
Some Other Phobia Associated with Gamophobia
- Philophobia (Fear of Love)
- Genophobia (fear of sex or sexual intimacy)
- Pistanthrophobia (fear of trusting others or being hurt by someone you love).
- Fear of abandonment
What to Do If I diagnosed with Gamophobia?
Well, gamophobia is not very common to identify and there are no such measures available to measure it but if you experience gamophobia’s symptoms you can first discuss it with your closed one and when you feel that it makes your life difficult then immediately consult a psychologist or mental health practitioner to overcome this. Mental health practitioners will assess you and provide help to you with some therapies like Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Exposure therapy, Systematic Desensitization, meditation etc.
Gamophobia Can Develop Other Disorders
- Depression
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Anxiety and Panic Disorder
- Substance use Disorder
- Suicidal Thoughts or Attempts
- Sexual Disorders
- Making Anti-social and Sadism
Charu, Founder of PsychoSafari, is an Assistant Professor at Amity University and have research interest in Positive Psychology. She is a certified Guidance Psychologist and Mental Health Counsellor.