What would you call this type of fear?

Question

I know this isn't paranoid schizophrenia b/c the person does not hear any voices. But how would you classify being afraid of ordinary situations a lot? For example, walking into the local grocery store and feeling that if one looks tired, upset or sick or is not smiling and professional enough and this is caught by an overhead camera, one may be asked to leave the store. Or being constantly afraid of being watched, even in bathrooms, and accused of something at store or other places. It is to the point where person imagines scenarios of talking to accuser but not being listened to, or being afraid something bad will happen when going to normal places or seeing everyday people and sometimes seeing things people or places and panicking or being very jumpy? I guess it is some fear of persecution and some feeling of having to be perfect or all will be lost and feeling no way to be perfect like that. It is like an everyday defeat and fear of tomorrow.

Answer 1

Sounds like you're describing Agoraphobia.
This phobia may or may not include panic/anxiety attacks.
Agoraphobia-Irrational anxiety about being in places from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing.

It also sounds like Social phobia-Irrational anxiety elicited by exposure to certain types of social or performance situations, also leading to avoidance behavior.

There are many kinds of excellent therapies for these phobias including 'exposure' and/or 'flooding'. I don't want to suggest any treatment for you as you need to see a professional and be diagnosed properly. Then you can consider therapies for yourself.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

What you have is a real chemical imbalance happening. It is not related to what you are actually doing, so it is coming from inside. They body is firing the wrong chemical reactions to outside stimuli or you don't have enough of a chemical for the body to be able to complete your response properly. You definitely need medical help. I had some of your symptoms once. And what a difference the right medication makes! There is no substitute for the right medicine. All the right thinking in the world will not make these symptoms go away. It's something in the body that's out of whack interfering with your perceptions. Don't suffer any longer. Go see a doctor. It may take a few tries till you find relief, but don't give up. No one needs to feel like that! You're wasting your life trying to put up with this! It won't work, so get help fast!

Answer 3

I don't know what it is called maybe paranoia, it happened to me even when I was old already. I would often fear the insides of a mall for fear that I might be accused of shoplifting. We were in High School of an exclusive boys school and my classmates dared me to shoplift a letter opener with casing like a miniature samurai. They did without my knowing and we were frisked in front of everyone, I have taken nothing yet the humiliation made me paranoid. I got over it when I was married and the constant malling and thinking I have a job and money to sue them if ever they will accuse me again wrongly.

Answer 4

Atychiphobia is the fear of failure. Xenophobia is the fear of people. Sounds like you're just overly anxious though (sorry got no term for that). If you see it being a real problem go see a psychiatrist. If you have a lot of time and money (or great insurance) go see a psychologist or a therapist and they can talk to you. I would still recommend going to a psychiatrist and getting hooked up with some xanax or some other anti-anxiety med.

Answer 5

bipolar or high social anxiety
Get to a therapist dear. A mild anti anxiety medication will make your life a wonderful place. It will reduce all these symptoms.

I am not a doctor- a minister.
I have seen, heard and witnessed wonderful recoveries in days.
Find a Clinical Physiologist (Dr. Phil is one-no joke) they are medical doctors that can prescribe medicine and therapy to help with all the above.

Tomorrow is Friday- Call ASAP. Insurance covers this.
Best wishes

Answer 6

Hallucinations, such as hearing voices, are not an absolute dignostic criteria for schizophrenia. The levels of delusional paranoia are certainly consistent with that diagnosis -- with anxiety.

It sounds like a visit to a doctor or therapist is certainly in order for further evaluation.

Answer 7

Missing information: timing (how often, how long, episodes or permanent...., when and why)
Substance use (6 cups of coffee a day probably won't help)
Any other feelings
Overall functioning (work, social life impaired?)

It could be generalized anxiety disorder (likely), panic disorder, or even OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)

Whoever you describe would benefit greatly of some medication and psychotherapy. Valium is good but better go to the pros in this.

Answer 8

Call it whatever you want to call it. I'd prefer to focus on discovering the underlying causes of the hypervigilence. Listening as an uncriticizing helper will yield insights into the repressed fear that is displacing itself onto a variety of objects and situations. However, if you intend to be the helper, be aware of boundaries and limits.

Answer 9

Sounds like panic attacks, it can controlled with therapy to find the root of the problem and sometimes medication to help calm the person.

Answer 10

There is a great website to go to called WebMD and you can look up all of the "phobias" you wish. I am not a psychiatrist and have not ever worked in that field I don't know what to tell you but this particular website can help find just about any medical disorder/syndromes/etc. Hope it helps.