Gamophobia is the fear of marriage or commitment. It is derived from the Greek words “Gamos” which translates to marriage and “Phobos” meaning phobia or fear. While it is rare, it is experienced by some individuals.
When people with gamophobia see something alarming to them, they easily hesitate to get married. If their anxiety attacks, they may act strange such as running away, or not following the plan.
They may like the idea of getting married and agree to be wed. They may follow the procedures and show up at the wedding venue, but, when it is already sinking into them that they’ll be wedlocked and deeply committed, they may experience agitation.
When their panic attacks start, they may try to avoid the ceremony by making impulsive actions or finding ways to gracefully walk out during the event.
No matter how well-planned and almost perfect their wedding is, their anxiety could be triggered anytime they see something that bothers them. As a result, they strategize on how to escape to avoid the ceremony.
Anxiety Coping Strategies
- When anxious, stand in front of an electric fan to keep your cool.
- Chew gum and blow bubbles to release anxiety.
- Talk to people around to divert your attention away from worrying.
- Breathe on a brown bag to ease anxiety-caused palpitation.
- Recommend your preferences to feel more secure and confident.
Helping a person with Gamophobia
- Maintain eye contact to encourage them to continue, and keep them focused on the plan.
- Nod at them to assure they are doing fine, and their decision to pursue is right.
- Speak softly or choose any calming background music to ease their anxiety.
- If the anxious person can hear what you utter, say encouraging words. If not, make gestures that would motivate them.
- Smile at them to help lighten up the tenseness they’re feeling.
- Avoid making any gestures that would make them anxious, or think they made the wrong decision.
Just a reminder, despite that you guided and helped them out, expect that they may still jitter and back out when their Gamophobia emerges.
Even if you stop them from avoiding or escaping, they may still opt to run away. Gamphobic people are aware that their actions could hurt others and feel sorry for escaping but because their anxiety overwhelms them, they flee or avoid settling down.
Possible reasons for their anxiety
Gamophobic individuals may fear that they will be stuck with somebody who doesn’t really know them. But they can overcome this if they feel that they are with someone who truly knows them. Being assured that somebody really knows them makes them feel more comfortable with them. They may also see it as romantic and realize that they are worth spending their life with.
Watch clips from the movie Runaway Bride to see how Gamophobia could look like.
Movie clips courtesy of:
- Runaway Bride (1999) Paramount Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Interscope Communications, Lakeshore Entertainment
Ciele 