Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTechnology PhobiasReligious PhobiasThe Role of Pop CultureDoomsday Phobia or Mass Hysteria?Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Technology Phobias
Religious Phobias
The Role of Pop Culture
Doomsday Phobia or Mass Hysteria?
Treatments
Doomsday phobias are a broad category of phobias that can encompass any fear of the end of the world. Some people fear plague, others nuclear winter, while other people are afraid of Armageddon.
Doomsday phobias occur in some form in virtually every corner of the world. Like many specific phobias, thesephobiascan be loosely categorized into several types. Two of the most common are technology phobias and religious phobias.
It is unknown how prevalent doomsday phobias are, but an estimated 12.5% of US adults will experience a specific phobia at some point in their lives.
The increase in extreme weather events and other climate change-related phenomena may well contribute to more recent instances of this kind of phobia, with many worrying about what kind of world we may be handing off to future generations.
Doomsday Technology Phobias
Nuclear anxiety. sometimes called nucleomituphobia, has persisted since the Cold War and the early years of nuclear innovation.It can certainly be stressful knowing that there are stockpiles of weapons around the world that are powerful enough to level a city in one strike.
More recently, the global panic over what was termed the Millennium Bug or Y2K was another example of a potential doomsday phobia based in technology. People of all walks of life, including some highly respected scientists and engineers, became convinced that the world’s computer systems would be permanently halted or destroyed on January 1, 2000.
The science behind the dilemma seemed sound. The theory was that early computers were programmed to accept only two digits rather than four-digit dates. Meanwhile, 00 is not a recognized entry in binary computer language, leading to system failure in many cases. According to this theory, then, when the year rolled over from 99 to 00, the computers would crash.
Of course, the Millennium Bug did not come to fruition. Most high-powered computer systems already accepted four-digit dates, and those that did not were mostly reprogrammed well in advance, preventing any kind of large-scale crash.
So what was the Y2K scare really? Was it a collective outpouring of a primitive doomsday phobia, or a simple case of mass hysteria?
The latest example of widespread technology phobia surrounds the atom-smasher, which was turned on in September of 2008. Prior to its successful launch, many predicted that the device would create black holes and strangelets, simultaneously choking and collapsing the entire planet.To date, no such catastrophe has happened.
The rise in AI technologies in 2023 may signal the beginning of a new wave of doomsday phobias.
Technophobia and the Fear of New Technology
Doomsday Religious Phobias
In the modern world, most people have chosen to balance religion with science, seeking interpretations of sections such as Revelations that make sense against a larger frame of reference. However, many people believe that these sections are meant to be taken literally. If this is the case, then the End Times will be extremely scary. It is easy to see how a belief in the literal interpretation of religious writings could develop into a phobia.
Doomsday phobias with a religious bent could be related todeath phobias(thanatophobia), particularly in those who are questioning their faith.
Someone who is from a religious background but has begun to question its teachings could easily develop a phobia of finding out the truth through death.
The Link Between Religion and Fear
Since doomsday phobias are relatively common, they are often exploited in popular culture. The best-known example is the 1938 radio broadcastWar of the Worlds. This live broadcast claimed to follow an alien invasion that was occurring in New York City. The broadcast was heard across the United States, and mass panic ensued. Nearly 60 years later, the made for television movieWithout Warning, with a similar premise, caused another minor breakout of fear and panic.
Doomsday fears continue to be exploited today. The 2008 Universal Pictures filmDoomsdayfocuses on the aftermath of a deadly virus outbreak, preying on our collective fear of unstoppable illness transmission.
It can be difficult to differentiate a legitimate doomsday phobia from the effects of mass hysteria.Groupthinkis a documented phenomenon that occurs when members of a group begin to conform to the majority opinion without critically evaluating information for themselves. In a panic situation, this can lead to an evolving hysteria.
Mass hysteria generally subsides when the feared situation passes.
In the above pop culture examples, the panic eased when information was disseminated explaining that the threat was not real.
If you have a legitimate doomsday phobia, it will not be limited to a specific event or situation. Instead, your fear will persist. You will become afraid whenever any situation arises that involves yourspecific phobia. You may find yourself dwelling on the topic of doomsday and going out of your way to seek comfort or protection.
Treatments for Doomsday Phobias
If you have a doomsday phobia, it is important to seek professional help. The phobia is treatable but can worsen over time.Cognitive-behavioral therapyis a popular treatment for phobias. The goal of this type of therapy is to help you replace your fearful self-talk with more positive messages.
If your phobia is severe, you may also be prescribed medications. A variety of medications are used to treat phobias, including antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines. Your mental health professional will work with you to develop atreatment planthat is right for you.
6 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.
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Lincoln D.The Large Hadron Collider: The Extraordinary Story of the Higgs Boson and Other Stuff That Will Blow Your Mind. Johns Hopkins University Press.2014.
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