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

What is Gephyrophobia?

Gephyrophobia is the Fear of Bridges and, in common with 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 Gephyrophobia, for example:

• Negative experiences associated with Bridges in the past.
• You have a fear of heights – Acrophobia.

Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence that Gephyrophobia 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, Gephyrophobia 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.

Gephyrophobia Symptoms & Behaviours

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

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

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

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

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 Gephyrophobia?

It’s possible that your Gephyrophobia may be the result of traumatic events or adverse situations that you experienced at some point in your life.

If you tend to catatrophise then you may experience anxiety when crossing a bridge that you believe is going to fall down or has poor structural integrity.

However, because a Fear of Bridges is by no means universal, the most likely explanation for your Gephyrophobia 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 Gephyrophobia

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for Gephyrophobia the Fear of Bridges.

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 Gephyrophobia on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Gephyrophobia
• Counselling for Gephyrophobia
• Pluralistic Therapy for the Fear of Bridges

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 Gephyrophobia 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.