How to diagnose and overcome autophobia.

Picture going out for a night on the town but it’s just you and your thoughts. You can take in what the world has to offer as your senses check out your surroundings. You are at peace and enjoy the time you spend by yourself. Having a meal at a table alone as you observe the people around you. Your mind wanders to different thought and you are content. Does this sound like something you fear? IS this something you might be interested in? Does autophobia prevent you from having this peace?

What you have is autophobia or the fear of being alone. Autophobia or the feel of being alone isn’t as rare as you think. Many people just like you fear of being on their own. This is also one of the biggest fear when your partner dies. That sudden reality that you must do everything on your own. This will cause many different problems, but we are here to help you. Throughout this article we will point out the different problems and solutions having autophobia can create. We also will have offers to seeking professional help for you.

First let’s talk about why you have a fear of being alone. Even in large crowds you can feel this way. There are many cases when the fear of being alone is so strong they think about being alone and their anxiety increases from that particular fear. High anxiety mixed with a fear will definitely put you in the wrong state of mind really quickly. The thought of having no one around is scary.

Here are some symptoms of autophobia

• Feeling ignored or alone in large crowds. We aren’t saying you need to be the center of attention but this feeling of being by yourself even when you are surrounded by people can be crippling
• Anxiety when spending time alone. In some cases, these are the people that will have to be on the phone or in a conversation with someone to eliminate that empty feeling
• Difficulty breathing. This is sort of a panic attack when you are alone. This is when a deep breathing exercise can help get your breathing pattern under control
• Chest tightness. The anxiety you are feeling will elevate your heart rate and your body will then try to counter act this with going sort of into survival mode.
• Yes, you can set yourself into such a panic that create nausea and can even lead to fainting.
• Jumping into a toxic relationship. The need for companionship can be so strong that you enter a relationship from autophobia, and it can be a toxic environment for you to live in.
• Staying in a toxic relationship. The fear of being alone can overpower the being in a bad relationship.

There are many reasons for people to have autophobia most commonly it stems from the youth of the person. When you have separation from your parents or loved ones as a child you don’t have the coping mechanisms you gain as an adult. This usually happens during the divorce of your parents. That is when you start building the fear of being alone.

Autophobia is irrational. It is a self-inflicted fear you set upon yourself. There are many treatments for autophobia which we will list below.

• Seek a professional therapist. To have a specialist to help talk through your problems and start to see your triggers is one of the ways they help treat autophobia. A professional counselor will also give you meditation and breathing techniques to help calm you down when you start to feel anxiety. Having a great deal of anxiety can spark other health issues in your future.
• Do your own research by reading books and other reference material on your autophobia issue. Remember a lot of the fear of being alone is in your own mind. Finding ways to cope with this condition is key.
• Take small steps into helping cure you of this condition. After making little steps record this information in your journal so you have a reference point to build on. Remember to be vulnerable when writing in your journal so you have a reference guide to go back on.
• Practice being alone even for a few minutes. Control your breathing, try to clear your mind, and see how you can control your feelings in short spurts.
• Keep yourself busy. Read books or podcasts that can entertain you. Do this in short spurts and see if you can start beating your time alone without anxiety. Keep practicing with the help of a therapist and a strong will this autophobia can be a thing of the past.

Is it being lonely or Autophobia

There is a difference separating being lonely or autophobia. With being alone you might miss social interactions or just don’t like having that time away from people. Autophobia is a fear of being alone. It triggers anxiety and stress with even the thought of not being around anyone. This can cause problems in social settings as well as in a relationship. The fact of not letting go to avoid your fear creates overly attached partners. This can also create trust issues when not helped by a professional therapist.

We highly recommend therapy since a professional has experience dealing with people who fear to be alone. Make sure you are completely honest with your therapist and take notes of things you need to work on. Be committed to helping yourself with autophobia and make statements to yourself like “I am willing to make changes”.

I am willing statements.

These are powerful statements you can make to yourself. When you are willing to do something, you own the statement. If you are a person who believes in their word your subconscious will make the necessary adjustments to help you become successful. It’s not just a statement you say once. You must constantly say this statement to yourself.

When you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed is a start. Repetition is the key to your subconscious. Since we are people of habit make it a habit to use, I am willing statements all the time.

A good I am willing statement is “I am willing to do whatever it takes to stop the fear of being alone”. If you repeat this statement with the help of your therapist autophobia can be a thing of the past.

The final thought is you are not alone with these issues. It is more common than you think. Don’t feel unmotivated to change you got this. Our mental health including my own is always at jeopardy in the world we live in today. Seek the help you need and keep on the path to happiness.

Seek mental health therapy or as I like to call it life coaching. You will be surprised how powerful your mind is and how easy it can be to fix what you think is a big problem. Airing out or discussing your deepest fears with a trusted professional will give you such an incredible peace of mind. People have different examples like “weight off your shoulders” or “elephant off your back”. There is no shame in having mental health problems the real shame is not seeking the help you need.  You got this; I believe in you!