All About Chiroptophobia, the Fear of Bats, and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is Chiroptophobia?

Chiroptophobia is the Fear of Bats and, like all other fears and phobias, can be a cause of significant anxiety and stress if you suffer from it.

There may be a number of reasons why you developed Chiroptophobia, for example:

• Negative experiences with Bats in the past.
• Growing up with a parent who suffered from Chiroptophobia.

Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence that Chiroptophobia is the result of any kind of biological fault or chemical imbalance in spite of the traction that biomedical models of mental illness are given in the media.

On the contrary, Chiroptophobia is much more likely to be the result of your own, subjective evaluation (meaning-making) of what happened to you and is therefore better described as a psychosocial phenomenon.

Chiroptophobia Symptoms & Behaviours

All phobias, including Chiroptophobia, create feelings of anxiety because phobic objects or situations are always perceived as a threat.

Consequently, the symptoms of Chiroptophobia are both specific and generic and may include:

• Fear or anxiety about being in the presence of Bats.
• Panic attacks or anxiety attacks in situations where Bats are present or anticipated to be present.
• Avoidance of situations that may involve Bats, such as visiting old buildings or ruins.
• Physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath when faced with Bats.
• Feeling of helplessness or being out of control in the presence of Bats.
• Intrusive thoughts or nightmares related to Bats.
• Depression, irritability, or other mood changes related to Bats.

You may have all, some or even different symptoms to these listed here and this is due to the subjective nature of Chiroptophobia.

However, it is important to be aware that your symptoms WILL subside over time and rarely last for more that 20 to 30 minutes.

What Causes Chiroptophobia?

It’s possible that your Chiroptophobia may be the result of traumatic events or adverse situations that you experienced when growing-up.

For example, you may have had a bad experience whilst visiting the bat house at a zoo or perhaps seen a horror movie containing bats which left an impression on you.

Some people find the unpredictable nature of the flight-path of bats (and birds) cause them to to feel very nervous.

However, because a Fear of Bats is by no means universal, the most likely explanation for your Chiroptophobia is the way you understood and made sense of your earlier experiences around which you have built a set of beliefs.

Counselling and Therapy for Chiroptophobia

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for Chiroptophobia the Fear of Bats.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had your phobia.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your phobia is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for Chiroptophobia on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Chiroptophobia
• Counselling for Chiroptophobia
• Pluralistic Therapy for the Fear of Bats

Although all forms of psychotherapy use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Furthermore, research also suggests that the therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about overcoming Chiroptophobia or recovering from related mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular phobia and the different types of mental health counselling we offer without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.