What Phobia Is the Fear of Turtles?
Chelonaphobia is the fear of turtles. There are many possible causes for this anxiety, including a lack of familiarity with the reptiles or a frightening exposure to them. It is also possible that phobias like chelonaphobia are due, in part, to genetics.
Exposure therapy is a type of cognitive-behavior treatment that is sometimes used to overcome strong fears like those associated with chelonaphobia. Through this process, an affected person has safe and repeated interactions with the source of the fear. The therapy consists of several sessions.
A faster response is sometimes seen with “flooding,” which is a treatment that involves surrounding the individual with the source of the fear, often through verbal descriptions, for hours until the fear is resolved.
