Are you generally picky about people? Is it challenging for you to develop intimacy or even friendships? If you have been betrayed, you might have trust issues. Trusting a person is not easy in a romantic relationship. We all have different trust issues that may take a long or a short time to trust someone. For some, it is very easy, while for others, it might take ages. However, there is also a different category of people who do not hope to trust anyone romantically. A clinical word can describe intense fear of trust or trust issues. It is termed pistanthrophobia. Let’s discuss a detailed overview of this specific Phobia!

Quick Overview of Pistanthrophobia Meaning

It is a psychological disorder that is often described as a fear of trusting others in terms of love or friendship. It usually comes about as a result of emotional trauma, betrayal, or lack of trust issues.  

Pistanthrophobia derives from the Greek terms ‘pisteuo,’ which means ‘to trust,’ and’ Phobos,’ which translates to ‘fear.’ Together, it means an irrational behavior of trusting nobody. 

This condition also has “cautious” levels. It focuses on a pathological fear of building trust and an inability to connect intimately and emotionally with another person.

Causes of This Severe Psychological Disorder

The most significant cause of fear of trusting others is caused by trusting someone before and having painful experiences. Below are the major causes:

1. Betrayal in Relationship: Trust issues occur when your partner cheats or lies. It can lead to an end to a relationship and leave you traumatized.
2. Childhood Trauma: Young children who get abused or neglected by things that have severe effects on their psyche eventually grow up and develop trust phobias.
3. Fear of Loneliness: People who get emotionally abused have this extreme fear of being left alone, which makes standards shatter.
4. Emotional Manipulation: The use of gaslighting affects the brain and eventually leads to a person not being able to trust as a means of self-protection.

Symptoms of Pistanthrophobia

Pistanthrophobia is a severe psychological disorder characterized by specific features. It can significantly impact a person’s social and mental health. Some of the symptoms may include the following:

• You might feel hesitation in revealing personal feelings or emotions.
• Reading too much into someone else’s words or actions.
• Refraining from engaging in relationships for the fear of pain.
• You may always feel nervous when attempting to make a new connection.
• Suspicion of being let down by a partner, even without proof.

The Psychological Roots of This Illness

The mind has learned to associate trust with pain and suffering. Therefore, the brain responds as a reflex, a defense mechanism against future emotional distress. In this instance, the defense mechanism becomes problematic as it limits and hinders an individual’s growth. The fear response is more intensely triggered in the brain. It leads to the individual perceiving the mental boundary as unbreakable.

Pistanthrophobia and the Challenges of Everyday Life

It would be a mistake to think that pistanthrophobia is only related to one’s relationships, as it reaches into every area of life. It can completely change someone’s perception of everyday life. Some of the challenges a pistanthrophobia patient can face:

Emotional Disengagement

In general, such people tend to be quiet sociopaths. Since they tend to be overly cautious regarding their feelings, such children tend to be lonely and depressed.

Relationship Building and Maintaining

Even the most fundamental relationships would be harmed because the individual would always think everyone is out to betray them. 

Feeling Worthless

Without trust, individuals feel self-doubt. With time, feelings of worthlessness worsen, and rebuilding trust seems impossible.

Pistanthrophobia vs. Philophobia

Trust and dependence are relations that pertain to different feelings since both pistanthrophobia and philophobia revolve around the need to love and be loved. Pistanthrophobia refers to a fear of trusting people, while philophobia means fear of loving.

Those people who have philophobia seem to have a broader and somehow more generalized. They diffused fear regarding the outcomes of love. Perhaps love is an aspect of their fears, but even the thought of trusting is a limitation for these people.

Strategies That May Help You Overcome This Psychological Disorder

Some strategies can help you or your loved one who goes through this severe psychological disorder. The patient must adopt these strategies, and they will surely get the most out of them. Here are a few basic steps that may help you overcome this in its early phases: 

• Accept Your Fears: The first step toward overcoming this illness is admitting and accepting that it exists in your life. Accept the fears as they are and understand that these trepidations may result from a bad encounter that made you feel this way. By acknowledging this fear, you are provided an opportunity for reflection and rehabilitation. It is a rewarding process. 
• Know the Cause of Your Anxiety: Anxiety disorders are often diagnosed when an individual’s anxiety is excessive. Consider the past moments or incidents that are the source of your trust issues. Let those experiences be there, but do not label yourself based on them or reserve your trust in future relationships’ unsuspecting nature.
• Challenge Negative Beliefs: One of the profound ideas expressed through pistanthrophobia is being hurt, betrayed, or abandoned. Others internalize messages such as “I will never be loved, or someone would never be loyal to me.” Many assume such pessimistic beliefs and actions to be true. However, this should not be the case. People are different and have a right to a trustful and loving association. Positive self-affirmation can help you overcome self-doubt.
• Open-Up Decent Communication: All relationships require trust. And it can be developed through healthy communication. If you are afraid or worried, tell your partner, friends, or family who have shown concern or support in the past. 

Seek Professional Help to Overcome Your Disorder

You should consider engaging the help of a professional to overcome this severe psychological issue. You can get help from a counselor or therapist in rehab.  We can all solve physical and psychological obstructions, but substantial support systems are required. 

If necessary, look for a therapist or counselor with professional training and experience in trauma, trust issues, or relationships. They can help by recommending practical solutions and providing support. You can visit the Islamabad Rehab Clinic to get the best possible professional help. Experienced therapists and friendly staff will help you overcome your issues.

I hope you found our blog post informative. If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease, we wish you a speedy recovery.

Pistanthrophobia