Kopophobia

Kopophobia (from Greek kopo, "fatigue") is the fear of becoming fatigued or exhausted, either mentally or physically. It is especially suffered by people who have debilitating illness like chronic fatigue syndrome. It is mainly suffered by the ones who had poor experiences in the past that often gave them fatique and stress. An individual may feel that they cannot manage the stress and the fear can develop as they obsess about living through experiencing fatigue again.

Individuals will avoid strenuous exercise, stressful jobs and outdoor adventures. They would tend to have rest, practice good health practices and may resist friendship with those who speak positively about the benefits of a little fatigue. As a result, this could lead to social anxiety.

Symptoms of kopophobia include shortness of breath, panic, tremors, increased heart rate, increased body temperatures, nausea, screaming, weeping, loss of control and urge to flee.

To overcome kopophobia, one must understand that fatigue is normal and experiences by everyone. A kopophobe may need the help of a therapist to understand the fear they experience. The therapist can also get to the root cause of the fear and learn how to manage it and get the desired response of gradually overcoming it.