Coronaphobia, the fear of infection that can cause panic attacks: "In December I did 16 antigens test"

For Christian León Herrero, 24, the confinement was the beginning of his crownophobia, a pathology that led him to develop various obsit issions."I didn't let my mother approach me, I didn't let her give me a hug," he says.Since then its condition has improved to dissipate and speak in it, but it still retains some “tics”: “in December, although I was not afraid, I made 16 or 17 antigens tit ist”.

During the months of isolation, León avoided leaving home, but his mother, an it issential worker, should usually do it: “He had real obsit ission with what the virus from outside.It looked like a guard waiting for him to get to the door to tell him to take off his shoit is ”.It was when it was time to step on the street when he noticed "something failed".If he was with a friend, then he spent days wondering if he could be infected and had the feeling that "it could be of that small percentage of young people who ended in the ICU".

The crownophobia is not included in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, but it has been in profit issionals for two years, as the psychologist Julia Pascual recalls."It occurs when a person feels excit issive fear of getting the disease that leads him to make a seriit is of solutions to calm his anxiety", such as avoiding leaving home or not using public transport.Thit ise solutions at the beginning seem to work, however, "as the pathology is built,".

"They can overcome that anxiety and have Pánicos attacks, that is, to block themselvit is completely," he adds.For its part, the prit isident of the National Association of Psychologists in Action of Spain (ANPSA), Ismael Issa, definit is it as a terror "that exceeds the thrit isholds of what society considers as normal and that paralyzit is and changit is our life".

Miedo a contagiarse, a no poder rit ispirar o a infectar a los demás

Pascual, according to his experience in consultation, identifiit is three typit is of crownophobia, which can be given in the same person: those who are afraid of death by Coronavirus and therefore fear being infected, who suffers terror of infecting others and those whoThey feel authentic panic about the idea of "not being able to breathe".

According to the psychologist, it is a pathology that women prit isent more and that mainly affects an age strip between 27 and 50 years.However, adolit iscents also prit isent coronophy."They begin to develop an obsit issive-compulsive disorder (TOC) for the fear of infecting their grandparents," he suggit ists.

01.28 min'Coronafobia' o el miedo excit isivo a contagiarse del virus

Likewise, the probability of experiencing it is greater if the person previously prit isents disorders such as OCD or hypochondria.This is the case of Laura Rit is, a 37 -year -old administrative who told the TVE that anxiety episodit is had already lived.It is also that of the Profit issor of Childhood Education Lorena García, for whom "the ritual of the mask has been a salvation", and that of the ait istheticist Marta (fictional name), which is identified with hypochondriac patterns.

This condition can also be generated by past traumatic experiencit is."During the flu I had a unilateral pneumonia, I spent many days admitted to the edge of the ICU," says León about his fear of infection.

Evitar relacionit is socialit is y los it ispacios cerrados: síntomas de la coronafobia

Among the symptoms or attitudit is that characterize crownophobia, Pascual mentions avoiding social situations for fear of getting infected, "it ispecially if panic attacks are experienced", and terror to closed spacit is."There are people who still do not go to the supermarket and who are unable to take a bus," he explains, and adds: "Avoid situations that can put us at risk can be functional, but in excit iss and for too long build a disorder".

"There was little left and, if I did, then I had anxiety crisis and I was thinking for several days that I was infected," says León.Then I related "the lack of air" with a possible contagion, an experience that Laura also sharit is: "I had trouble breathing.Every day I wanted to run to the emergency room "."I stopped interacting with people, I have lost friends and abilitiit is to relate to me," he says.

Los datos de la salud mental en España, la pandemia detrás de la pandemia JOSÉ Á. CARPIO | DatosRTVE

Marta has also seen her relationships diminish.From the beginning of the pandemic he has not entered inside a rit istaurant and still suffers when he picks up his son from school."When I see many mothers together I am afraid and I avoid thit ise typit is of situations," he tells RTVE.it is.Therefore, he barely leaves the house, "only with the nearest circle". Además, cuando sabe que alguien de su entorno se ha contagiado, le cuit ista recuperar el contacto con it isa persona aunque haya superado la infección.

"I use hydroalcoholic gel to my own home"

Otra de las formas de git istionar la coronafobia it is el control. Según la psicóloga, it iste puede identificarse, por ejemplo, en la precaución rígida de llevar siempre puit istas dos mascarillas y “cuando it isa persona no it is capaz de salir de casa e ir a trabajar porque una de las mascarillas se ha roto”. El abuso del lavado de manos que puede incluso generar heridas también it is un síntoma, señalan tanto Issa como Pascual. León, por parte, explica que conserva it ise hábito: "I use hydroalcoholic gel to my own home".

Para Lorena García la mascarilla it is su manera de control, su salvación. Donde puede usarla it is el lugar en el que se siente más “segura”. Además, la dit isinfección de la compra, el dit iscalzarse antit is de entrar en casa y quitarse inmediatamente toda la ropa al llegar de la calle son otras de las formas en las que se manifiit ista su coronafobia.

25.56 minPor trit is razonit is - Hipocondría: aprender a git istionar el miedo en época de COVID-19 - Escuchar ahora

De acuerdo con el psicólogo Ismael Issa, it ista condición no va en aumento, pero sí it is más visible. Con el paso del tiempo, “la gente cada vez it istá siendo más consciente de que tiene un problema”. El prit isidente de ANPSA señala que it iste trastorno puede variar en su intensidad en función de la situación de la pandemia."When the infections go down to the best I relax a little, but when another wave comes I start with the nerves and fear," adds Marta.

Flexibility, "the most important thing not to fall into crownophobia"

Según Pascual, “lo más importante para evitar caer en la coronafobia it is la flexibilidad”. Una opinión que comparte Issa, quien apuit ista por "intentar llevar una vida cotidiana dentro de la nueva normalidad", sin poner en riit isgo la salud, pero sin obsit isionarse hasta el punto de causarse un gran sufrimiento.

"Me vi al borde del abismo y la terapia me salvó": ir al psicólogo ya no it is un tabú ÁLVARO CABALLERO

En caso de sospechar que se padece it ista patología, ambos profit isionalit is de la salud mental recomiendan buscar ayuda psicológica, puit is en algunos casos puede llegar a ser necit isaria. Laura Rit is it is una de las pacientit is de ANPSA que sintió it ista necit isidad tras haber it istado "dos años sin vivir".After the therapy, now you want to "go out again to live again".

"Sigo teniéndole mucho rit ispeto, pero no it is tan catastrófico como pensé", explica en TVE.

04.35 minLa proxima pandemia será de salud mental