Gamophobia is the fear of commitment or marriage, which makes it the opposite of anuptaphobia, the fear of being or remaining single. 12.5 percent of Americans have reported experiencing a certain form of phobia during their lifetime, but how many people fear commitment, abandonment, or intimacy is tough to tell because it’s rarely ever reported.

What Gamophobia Looks Like

Millions of people have commitment issues, which likely accounts for couples electing to enter into relationships labeled ‘friends with benefits’ or ‘open relationship’. The most common symptoms associated with gamophobia are anxiety, panic attacks, nausea, emotional instability, dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of control, or repetitive patterns. These symptoms have been linked to “self-destructive tendencies,  fear of abandonment, depression, unhealthy parental attachment, or insecurity.

Unaddressed advanced stages of gamophobia can result in permanent isolation, which can potentially damage other relationships and make it necessary for the individual to receive interventional support. The interventional process may include behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and targeted individual counseling.

Behavioral Therapy

This helps replace negative reinforcements with positive ones — for example, it may help reverse self-destructive patterns or undesirable behaviors. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is recommended for people with poor impulse control.

Hypnotherapy

This form of therapy generally works for individuals who are in denial of the underlying problem or suppress their memories consciously. However, medical health practitioners may recommend medications to treat gamophobia.

Counseling

The most effective treatment for gamophobia is counseling, as it utilizes the least intensive energy while remaining non-invasive. Patients can bring their feelings, fears, and experiences from the past or present to the table while the therapists suggest alternate mind exercises.

You can go into therapy as an individual to address your fears associated with being committed to another, or you can go to counseling as a couple to strengthen the bond you share with your partner/ spouse. Getting to the root of the problem will help you understand why people choose to commit to other people.

Healthy marriages and relationships are the building blocks for any community.  If you have problems being in a committed relationship, personal coaching may be beneficial in helping you work through some of your commitment concerns.

Freda R. Wilson is a certified relationship and life coach in San Diego, conducting relationship coaching programs and divorce recovery sessions for singles and couples. She believes in building healthy lifelong, mutually fulfilling relationships that last.

Freda R. Wilson has published two #1 bestsellers on Amazon: Building Relationships That Last and Healing the Wounds of Divorce, to share her insights on relationships. She has curated a coaching program to help individuals identify and conquer emotional hindrances to moving on with developing healthy, satisfying, and fulfilling relationships. Right to schedule an initial FREE consultation or begin the development of a tailored coaching program to address your concerns click here.