Siderodromophobia, or the fear of trains, is a broadly encompassing diagnosis that includes all concerns related to trains. Some people fear crashing, while others are afraid of the lack of control. Still, others do not directly fear trains but find them to be a trigger for otherphobiassuch asclaustrophobia,agoraphobia,travel phobia, orgerm phobia.

This article will explore the underlying reasons for the fear of trains, as well as ways to cope.

List of Phobias: Common Phobias From A to Z

Understanding Siderodromophobia

Siderodromophobia comes from the ancient Greek wordsidero- meaning iron, anddromos- meaning racetrack. This fear of trains can be rooted in many other phobias.

Depending on the severity of your phobia, symptoms like shaking, sweating, nausea, heart palpitations, or choking sensations may begin long before a scheduled train trip.

Anticipatory AnxietyAnticipatory anxietyis a common experience for the time period leading up to the trip, and in some cases, may be even worse than the fear experienced during train travel.

Anticipatory Anxiety

Anticipatory anxietyis a common experience for the time period leading up to the trip, and in some cases, may be even worse than the fear experienced during train travel.

If you have siderodromophobia, you might be afraidonlyof traditional railroad trains, or your fear may encompass subways, monorails, and trollies as well. Some people fear only subways or monorails butnottraditional railroads, which is believed to be more rare.

Your fear may be rooted in other fears, such as:

But what about people who are afraidnot of trains, but of their tracks only? Do they technically have siderodromophobia, or is it an entirely separate fear?

These fears often encompass not only railroad tracks, but subway tracks as well. Many people report that subway platforms are particularly terrifying, as they worry about being pushed or falling onto the tracks below and unable to escape in time.

Rational Versus Irrational Fear of TrainsOf course, train tracks and subway stations can be risky, and it only makes sense to use caution. Crowded platforms carry an increased risk of being accidentally jostled or pushed as everyone struggles to get onto an already full train or subway car.Likewise, it is never a smart idea to stop on railroad tracks. Before proceeding, it is prudent to make sure there is enough room to get all the way across.The phobia of siderodromophobia, however, goes far beyond simply using an abundance of caution.

Rational Versus Irrational Fear of Trains

Of course, train tracks and subway stations can be risky, and it only makes sense to use caution. Crowded platforms carry an increased risk of being accidentally jostled or pushed as everyone struggles to get onto an already full train or subway car.Likewise, it is never a smart idea to stop on railroad tracks. Before proceeding, it is prudent to make sure there is enough room to get all the way across.The phobia of siderodromophobia, however, goes far beyond simply using an abundance of caution.

Of course, train tracks and subway stations can be risky, and it only makes sense to use caution. Crowded platforms carry an increased risk of being accidentally jostled or pushed as everyone struggles to get onto an already full train or subway car.

Likewise, it is never a smart idea to stop on railroad tracks. Before proceeding, it is prudent to make sure there is enough room to get all the way across.

The phobia of siderodromophobia, however, goes far beyond simply using an abundance of caution.

Common Causes of siderodromophobia

The fear of being stuck on railroad tracks is often, though not always, related to a previous negative experience. If you have ever had a car stall on the tracks and felt yourself panicking, you may be at increased risk of developing a phobia. However, the negative experience need not have happened to you.

Urban Legends

Whether legends and ghost stories are true or not, it demonstrates how pervasive stories about railroad tracks have become.

Coping With the Fear

Overcoming fear is challenging but do-able! There are several strategies you can try on your own, and if needed, seek professional counseling.

How to Face Your Fears When You Want to Tackle Them Head-On

Self Help Methods

If your fear is mild, you may be able to contain it with self-help methods. Purposeful and mindful breathing,visualization, and meditation relieve stress and can help ease panicky feelings. Simply spending time at a railroad track or subway station near your home can help dissipate some of the fear.

Support groups for phobias can also be helpful, even if those in the group don’t share the exact same fear. Having a ‘shared experience’ with other people can help normalize your feelings. You will also learn how others have found strategies to overcome their fears that can be helpful and motivating for your own face-your-fear journey.

Resources and Support for Coping With Phobias

Therapy

For some people, this fear becomes life-limiting and a source of distress. If fear of trains (or train tracks and other train-like features) severely impacts your life, it is best to seek professional assistance. If your fear is severe enough, you might find yourself engaging in the following behaviors to cope:

The good news is that train phobia is highly treatable, with good rates of success. One of the most popular treatments iscognitive-behavioral therapy.In this treatment, you will be taught to stop andredirect your negative thoughtsabout trains. Some elements of exposure therapy would be used to help desensitize you to the sights and sounds of trains so you can relax and regain your ability to function normally. You will also learn to change your unhealthy coping behaviors regarding trains.

With proper treatment, this phobia can be successfully managed or even overcome!

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2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Eaton W, Bienvenu J, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.The Lancet Psychiatry.2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XThng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: A rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Eaton W, Bienvenu J, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.The Lancet Psychiatry.2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XThng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: A rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Eaton W, Bienvenu J, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.The Lancet Psychiatry.2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XThng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: A rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1

Eaton W, Bienvenu J, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.The Lancet Psychiatry.2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-X

Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: A rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

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