Enochlophobia (Fear Of Crowd): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, & More…

Have you ever met someone who refuses to go to overcrowded places? Well, I used to be one of those people who would avoid going to places where there were too many people. I thought to myself, “Do I have Enochlophobia?”

Turns out I was overanalyzing the discomfort I used to feel in crowded places but some people fear being amidst crowds. The fear is so intense that it becomes impossible for people with enochlophobia to even perform their regular activities.

Being in a crowded place can make anyone anxious because being among too many people does feel overwhelming. I mean there is so much noise, the temperature rises,  it’s all haywire and everything’s just a mess.

Want to know more about enochlophobia – fear of crowds?

Let’s get started…

What Does Enochlophobia Mean?

Enochlophobia is a type of phobia that can be described as an irrational yet intense fear of crowds or overly crowded places. The fear is so intense that people with enochlophobia often avoid going to crowded places even if their life depends on it.

People with enochlophobia suffer from intrusive thoughts about all the things that can go wrong in crowded places. The anxiety makes them so nervous and increases bodily sensations that their mind stops generating practical solutions.

Enochlophobia doesn’t have a diagnosis of its own but it falls under specific phobias. However, many people confuse enochlophobia with either agoraphobia, ochlophobia, or social anxiety disorder. These disorders are very similar but their triggers are different from one another.

Enochlophobia is the fear of crowds, in this condition people refuse to go to any place like movies, festivals, parks, parties, concerts, etc. They experience anxiety and panic to an extreme level when they find themselves in a crowded place.

Enochlophobia v/s Ochlophobia v/s Agoraphobia

Let’s look at the difference between agoraphobia and enochlophobia and ochlophobia;

Enchochlophobia, as we already discussed, is the fear of crowds. People who have developed enochlophobia can easily get triggered by a subsequently large group of people. Irrespective of how intense that mob is, they get anxious even in a library.

Ochlophobia, on the other hand, is a specific phobia where people fear violent crowds. For example, if a person with ochlophobia is attending a party, their condition won’t get triggered but if the party turns into a fight they will probably want to run away from there. Therefore, people who are afraid of aggressive and violent mobs have ochlophobia.

Agoraphobia is another similar phobia, the only difference here is that panic begins when an individual can’t find a possible escape for himself. Agoraphobia is the fear of crowds but only if she/he/they are stuck in a place with no or limited exit. For example, a lift or public transport or an airport, etc.

Enochlophobia Symptoms

The symptoms of any anxiety disorder or phobia are more or less similar. The trigger of different phobias is different but the response is almost identical. Let’s look at the symptoms of enochlophobia;

• Increased palpitation
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking, shivering, trembling
• Increased sweating
• Feeling dizzy, lightheaded
• Detachment from reality
• Fear of losing control
• Feel like you’re about to die
• Chills
• Nausea or stomach cramps/upset

These are some common enochlophobia symptoms. They occur when you find yourself in a crowded place or even think about being amidst the crowd. The fear is so intense that even intrusive thoughts about being in a crowded place can elicit such an intense response.

 What Causes Enochlophobia?

The exact cause of any anxiety disorder or phobia has not been found yet. Mental health experts say that anything can be responsible for someone developing conditions like enochlophobia.

However, there are a few things that can play a role in the development of  enochlophobia. Let’s have a look at them;

• Genetic: if someone in your family has suffered from an anxiety disorder or a phobia can transfer it to you through your genes. Therefore, family history can cause enochlophobia.
• Past experiences: if you’ve had a traumatic experience in a crowded place, you’re most likely to develop a phobia of crowds.
• Modeling: if you have seen or heard someone’s terrifying experience, you increase the chances of modeling similar behaviors of the person who has enochlophobia.
• Comorbid condition: when you are suffering from severe mental health conditions you can develop additional conditions like enochlophobia. For example, schizophrenia, delusional disorder, etc.

How To Overcome Enochlophobia?

The only and best way to overcome enochlophobia is to get yourself treated by a mental health professional. Such specific phobias can interfere with your routine life, therefore it is very important to get professional help.

If you think you might have developed enochlophobia, the first thing you should do is get yourself examined. Self-diagnosing can be very dangerous, therefore, book yourself an appointment and get a proper diagnosis.

Once that is done your therapist will chalk out a suitable treatment plan for you. It might include a combination of different treatment strategies such as;

• Exposure therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Virtual reality therapy
• Desensitization technique
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Medication

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That’s All Folks!

I hope you found this blog about enochlophobia interesting, informative, and helpful. Do share this blog with your friends and family so that we all know what enochlophobia is and enochlophobia symptoms. An early diagnosis means quick recovery.

Thanks for reading.

Take care and stay safe.