Clark Griswold from the movie favorite “National Lampoons Vacation” was a guy who had a schedule and he had a felt need to maintain that schedule no matter the personal of family costs involved. He obsessed about the perfect vacation to the point where he sapped the joy from any potential familial enjoyment. There are those on the other side of the fence who actually find a well developed schedule a thing to be feared. These individuals are said to have Teleophobia.
Some may consider these individuals to be free spirits who take everything in stride and resist a schedule simply because it doesn’t allow them the freedom to take life as it comes. The truth is the restriction they feel when observing a tight schedule is similar to an individual who fears confined spaces yet finds themselves confined.
What Causes Teleophobia?
This fear can be related to a fear of commitment. The fear can feel as if you are being strapped down against your will and forced to comply with a mandate you didn’t agree to.
The fear can be passed on by observation. This can be something observed in childhood, but is not restricted to that time in life. You can observe the frustration in another who struggles with this fear and empathize to the point where their fear becomes your own.
Experiencing this fear can also be related to an experience in a religious setting. If you are forced to observe certain ceremony or ritual as part of a religious observance this can also lead to the exact same fear.
Many may be reluctant to assign a fear to a religious experience, but for a person who fears a schedule a religious ceremony is filled with scheduled observances that can ignite the underlying fear.
Symptoms of Teleophobia
Teleophobia may be observed as air hunger. While this can be a symptom assigned to all phobias it may be more so because when the individual recognizes order they may suddenly feel they are out of control.
Other symptoms may include…
- Trembling
- Elevated heart rate
- Nausea
- Panic Attacks
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Weeping
- Screaming
Another common denominator for this fear is avoidance. This individual may not wear a watch and may struggle with work when a specific schedule or deadlines are imposed.
How to Overcome Teleophobia
The key to overcoming this fear may be a renewed appreciation for order in the midst of chaos. An understanding that order is important to the successful functioning of a society can be an important element in enticing the logical part of our minds to consider the need for order.
A therapist will be a great help in allowing the phobic personality to understand the fear and allow that fear to find a reasonable outlet for creatively addressing the issues that may play into the development of the phobia.
Interestingly this fear may also struggle with anything that might be considered obsessive compulsive behavior.
Just to maintain consistency for the “also referred to as” section, please use this format:
The fear of definite plans or rituals is also referred to as:
- Definite plan fear
- Fear of religious ceremonies
- Teleophobia
