If all of us have violent irrational thoughts regarding someone, luckily they don’t have any consequences. In the case of impulse phobia, the fear of taking action is so important that the person experiences ordeal.
What is an impulse phobia?
About 1 in 500 adults are affected by impulse phobias. They are part of the anxiety disorder family, in particular Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCDs). Even if there is never an act, the phobic is convinced that he will hurt someone, sometimes his own children or his spouse.
If impulse phobia can be scary, it is because it gives the impression of losing control over thoughts and behavior. In most cases, the fear relates to driving or assaulting someone with or without a tool.
What to do to get out of it?
The shame and guilt of having this type of fear often locks the phobic into itself. However, talking regarding it with your doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist is the first step in taking a step back and lowering the anxious load of this type of thinking.
Certain medications, such as antidepressants from the serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) family, can be helpful in better managing phobic thoughts, but always combined with psychotherapy, preferably CBT type (cognitive behavioral therapy) that brings back the question beliefs, emotions and thoughts to relieve the phobic.
Find out more: “Knock or no knock ?: Recognize and cure obsessive-compulsive disorder”, by Franck Lamagnère, Odile Jacob.
