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

What is Pyrophobia?

Pyrophobia is the Fear of Fire and, like all other fears and phobias, can cause significant anxiety and stress if you suffer from it.

It has been argued that the fear of fire is a normal human reaction and so it should not be classified as a phobia.

However, this page covers the phobic reaction to fire that goes beyond what might be thought of as normal.

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

• You may have been burnt by fire in the past and have unresolved trauma (PTSD).
• You might have been so severely warned about the dangers of fire in your childhood that your reaction today is rather extreme.

Although phobias are often described as ‘disorders’, there is no valid scientific evidence that Pyrophobia is the result of any kind of biological fault or chemical imbalance as proposed in the biomedical models of mental illness.

On the contrary, Pyrophobia is much more likely to be the result of your own, subjective evaluation (what you think your experiences mean) of what happened to you and is therefore better described as a psychosocial symptom.

Pyrophobia Symptoms & Behaviours

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

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

• Avoiding going near to Fire.
• Feeling hypervigilant about the possibility of fire breaking-out.
• OCD protocols around gas cookers or fires in the home.
• An elevated heart rate.
• A sense of dread about what might happen.
• Worrying that you might pass out.
• Feeling dizzy or disoriented.
• Having heart palpitations.
• Having a dry or sticky mouth.
• Hot sweats.
• Feeling Stressed.
• Difficulty breathing easily.
• Feelings of panic.

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

Furthermore, you should also be aware that many of these somatic symptoms (symptoms felt in the body) listed above WILL subside over time and rarely last for more than 20 to 30 minutes.

What Causes Pyrophobia?

it is likely that your Pyrophobia is the result of either traumatic experiences or adverse situations that you experienced at some point in your life.

You may, for example, have been burnt whilst playing with matches, or perhaps had an accident with fireworks when you were much younger.

You may have lost a close relative or your livelihood in a house-fire.

What’s more, because the Fear of Fire has never been linked to any biological factors, the most likely explanation for your Pyrophobia is the way that you understood and made sense of your earlier experiences.

Counselling and Therapy for Pyrophobia

We can offer you a number of different types of therapy and counselling for your Pyrophobia the Fear of Fire.

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 Pyrophobia on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Pyrophobia
• Counselling for Pyrophobia
• Pluralistic Therapy for the Fear of Fire

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 Pyrophobia 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.