Psychology Facts

▼ Selaphobia ▼

》Selaphobia (from Greek selas, "light") is the fear of flashing lights, a branch of photophobia.

》People with epilepsy are more prone to suffering this phobia, while sufferers with migraine are more prone to panic attacks.

》People who suffer from fear of light flashes. At most times are purposely avoiding coming into contact with what it is that triggers them to experience fear or anxiety in the first place.

》Selaphobic symptoms can be mental, emotional and physical. The anxiety and fear can go from mild feelings of apprehension to a full-blown panic attack.

》There have been a lot of cases in which an individual has develop a phobia from light flashes where they become fearful of experiencing anxiety itself because it would make them feel very uncomfortable in the moment they are in contact with any of those.

》A person doesn't necessarily need to be in a situation exposed to light flashes to experience Selaphobia. The brain doesn't have to be in that situation to experience the symptoms of panic.

》A persons brain is capable of creating a reaction to fearsome situations even when the subject is not actually in that situation.

》Mental Symptoms:

Obsessive Thoughts

Difficulty thinking about anything other than the fear

Really bad images and/or movies of light flashes

Feelings of unreality or of being detached from yourself

Fear of losing control or going crazy

Fear of fainting

》Emotional Symptoms:

Anticipatory Anxiety: Persistent worrying about upcoming events that involve light flashes

Terror: A persistent and overwhelming fear of the same

Desire to Flee: An intense instinct to leave the situation (which is tough when its purely in the mind)

Anger, Sadness, Fear, Hurt & Guilt

》Physical Symptoms:

Dizziness, shaking, palpitations.

Shortness of breath or smothering sensation

Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

Chest pain or discomfort

Trembling or shaking

Feeling of choking

Sweating

Nausea or stomach distress

Feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded, or faint

Numbness or tingling sensations

Hot or cold flashes

》It is important for someone to always seek professional help when possible.

》Talking treatments or talking therapies, which include counselling, might be very effective at treating fear of light flashes or Selaphobia.

》There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to:

help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to).

help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them

help you make sense of things and understand yourself better

give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won't judge you