- The term gamophobia really just means that a person is afraid of commitment or marriage. Gamophobia is essentially a marriage phobia and is one of many specific phobias that someone may experience.
Its effects can vary depending on the person and their individual situation.
How common is Gamophobia(fear of commitment)?
Gamophobia is essentially a marriage phobia and is one of many specific phobias that someone may experience.
It is estimated that around 10%, give or take a few percent, have a particular phobia of people.
This particular phobia has not been examined closely enough to determine precisely how many people are affected by it.
Causes of Gamophobia:
Gamophobia can develop early in life. It may be due to a mixture of things rather than a single cause.
It could be a learned response from observing parents or other close relatives.
Fear of commitment can arise out of a particular trauma, such as witnessing your parents’ difficult relationship or divorce.
Gamophobia could arise from the ashes of a previous relationship that didn’t work out.
Past failed relationships:
Past relationships can also contribute to the onset of gamophobia.
Toxic relationships, previous divorce, and infidelity can contribute to a fear of getting too deep into a new relationship.
Insecure Attachment Styles:
Patterns of attachment in early childhood may also contribute to the development of a fear of commitment in adulthood. Attachment styles are the patterns of behavior and emotional bonds that form between people.
People with insecure attachment styles often have a difficult time forming relationships.
- feel less secure in relationships,
- struggle with fear of ignorance
- fear or reject the idea of commitment.
Connected Distressful Incident:
Gamophobia can also link with any unwanted and distressful occurrence. Because that implanted a negative impact of marriage on an individual’s mind.
These incidents could range from the divorce of parents during childhood, abuse from parents, having seen one’s parents.
Depression:
The fears of marriage and commitment can also happen as a result of other depressive conditions.
A person might actually be willing to marry, but simply scared and anxious to go through it.
Lack of self-belief, poor self-image, lack of sexual confidence, and other forms of depression may also make a person stay away from marriage and commitments.
Signs and Symptoms of Gamophobia:
You can know if you have a true irrational fear of marriage looking at these common symptoms of gamophobia. If you have these symptoms, you are likely going to need to seek outside help to overcome your fear of marriage.
The symptoms to watch for include:
- Anxiety
- Negative thoughts and flashbacks
- Loss of control
- Aggression
- Chest Pain
- Nausea
- Light-headedness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Emotionally unavailable
- Settling for wrong/unsuitable partners
- Repetitive behavior/pattern
The signs to watch for include:
- Feeling anxious to think about marriage
- Avoidance of married couples and weddings
- Unable to cope with the anxiety from commitment
- Muscle tension, weakness, or sweating
- Panic attacks or anxiety attacks
It is possible that even thinking about these symptoms panic you.