What is androphobia?
Androphobia is a social phobia and describes the irrational and exaggerated fear of men. Women in particular are affected by androphobia and perceive closeness and intimate situations as a threat. Being involved in an intimate relationship is usually not possible for these women. The phobia can affect different types of men or be limited to certain situations. Affected women often exhibit avoidance behaviors and try to prevent contact with the opposite sex if possible. However, this behavior proves difficult, especially in everyday life and at work. Androphobia mainly affects women, but not exclusively: men can also suffer from this anxiety disorder.
Fear of men – these are the physical signs
If those affected encounter an “object of fear”, in this case a man, the typical physical signs of panic appear and the body perceives this situation as a danger. In some cases, the thought alone is enough to trigger anxiety or discomfort. Those affected feel particularly threatened in places where there are more men. These include, for example, football stadiums or breweries.
The physical symptoms of androphobia are as follows:
- General malaise
- tremor and palpitations
- Acceleration of the pulse and sweating
- dizziness and nausea
- dry mouth and hot flashes
- difficulty breathing
- fainting