Catoptrophobia – Fear of Mirrors
This is a specific phobia that is characterized by an overwhelming persistent fear of 
mirrors. A person suffering from this abnormal fear of mirrors or one’s own reflection may have underlying self apprehensions.
In addition, personal life will also suffer as the person becomes self limiting in habits, and will avoid places where he or she feels uncomfortable.
Left without treatment, symptoms are known to slowly worsen and have a negative impact on a phobic’s physical & mental well being.
Know Catoptrophobia Causes
The fear may be the product of a traumatic event or experience involving mirrors in the past, often during early childhood. Or it can possibly be a result of a person’s superstition of being watched by someone through the mirror.
In some cases, the sufferers have low self esteem associated with personal physical looks or appearance. This makes one to shun mirrors so as to avoid looking at one’s own reflection.
A catoptrophobic may fear that an event involving breaking of a mirror may bring bad luck. In some cases, catoptrophobia causes one to fear an entity walking out of a mirror or fearing existence of ‘other things’ inside the mirror.
Identify Catoptrophobia Symptoms
A number of symptoms can be suffered by those with catoptrophobia. Reactions may differ from one person to another and this is mainly due to the amount of fear one has in relation to the object of fear.
Here are some of the catoptrophobia symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Rapid pulse
- Shaking
- Panic
- Trembling
To those having severe form of this phobia, it would not be out of place to state that a panic attack may also occur, coupled with an increased level of anxiety.
Catoptrophobia Treatment
When catoptrophobia starts to intervene with personal life, it’s time to seek professional help.
A healthy, inner motivation for change is one of the most powerful means to overcome one’s fear.
Some of the effective options available for catoptrophobia treatment are exposure therapy, systematic desensitization techniques and behavioral therapy.
In all these options, the main focus is to help the patient overcome his or her fear so that one can live a life free from anxiety & fears related to the phobia.
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