Mythophobia is commonly represented at Halloween events around the country. For example, it takes center stage in one of the haunted houses at 2008’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando. The event’s theme is Phobias and the premise is that a twisted psychiatrist is using “immersive therapy” to treat phobia patients. According to the official HHN website, a particular female patient suffers from mythophobia that is centered on the legend of the Headless Horseman. She is treated by being locked in a room with a freshly severed head. Needless to say, the treatment does not end well.
Of course, a stylized presentation of mythophobia is designed to inspire terror in Halloween visitors. Mythophobia is a real phobia, but both its symptoms and treatment are much less perverse. Here is a guide to the real-life psychology behind the scare.
What Is Mythophobia?
Mythophobia is not well-documented in medical literature. However, anecdotal evidence shows that it is a reasonably common specific phobia. Mythophobia actually has two definitions. The most common is a fear of myths or stories, while the secondary definition is a fear of making an incorrect statement. Mythophobia plays a large role in the popularity of urban legends.
Symptoms of Mythophobia
Mythophobia may focus on a single legend or story. It might be a story that scared you as a child or an urban legend that makes you feel vulnerable. In more extreme cases, you might fear an entire category of stories, such as ghost stories or tales of murder. Mythophobia tends to be strongest in the dead of night, especially when you are alone. We all have a bit of mythophobia, as evidenced by the popularity of horror movies. However, it is easy for this natural tendency to grow out of control.
If you have severe mythophobia, you may be unable to sit through a particularly terrifying tale. Like Ichabod Crane listening to Brom Bones’ tale of terror in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, if forced to listen you may sweat, shake and shrink into your seat.
Mythophobia Treatment
Mythophobia is generally treated through cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or anti-anxiety medications. The “treatment” laid out by the psychiatrist at Halloween Horror Nights is based on the legitimate cognitive-behavioral technique known as flooding. Of course, real life flooding is much less perverse. The goal is to help the client learn new ways of thinking about the feared myth or legend, not to expose him to something horrific or gruesome.
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Source:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
