How to Overcome the Fear of Crowds

Fear of crowds or enochlophobia is a phobia, which is an intense fear of something that poses no real threat. Symptoms of phobias include shortness of breath, pounding heart, chest pain, trembling, sweating, nausea and dizziness. Get treatment for your fear of crowds if it interferes with your normal functioning. If you live in a big city and must face big crowds often or if your phobia is chronic or excessive, seek help for your condition.

Instructions

• 1

  Set up an appointment with a health care provider. Therapy for phobias helps you determine the real fear behind the phobia or what about being in crowds is frightening. Effective therapy may include an effective type of cognitive-behavioral therapy called systematic desensitization or exposure therapy. In this type of therapy, you gradually face your fear of crowds in the imagination and in reality, helping you realize that the situation is not harmful. A psychiatrist may prescribe medications.

• 2

  Use self-help strategies to overcome your fear of crowds. Learn as much as you can about phobias, recommends HelpGuide.org. Phobias are common and can be treated.

• 3

  Challenge your phobia, recommends the Moodjuice website, developed by Choose Life Falkirk, a suicide-prevention program in Scotland, and the NHS Forth Valley Adult Clinical Psychology Service. Find out the facts. Remind yourself that your fear is unrealistic. People face crowds every day without any harmful consequences.

• 4

  Plan what you would do if a problem occurred while in a crowd. Decide on a response to feel more confident in an anxiety-producing situation.

• 5

  Tell yourself what you would tell a friend who had the same fear. Understand that your fear is unrealistic.

• 6

  Practice relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation and muscle relaxation are effective treatments for anxiety because they calm you down quickly.