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Ochlophobia is an abnormal and intense fear of crowds, mobs, or any environmentwith a large crowd
of people. Many people with ochlophobia have agoraphobia, which can involve fear of being in places
or situations in which escape may be difficult or embarrassing (as when someone is in a crowd) or in
which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected or situationally predisposed
panic attack or panic-like symptoms. While it is normal to sometimes be uncomfortable in crowded
places, a fear of crowds becomes pathological when it significantly limits the person’s daily functioning
and/or causes harm.
Ochlophobia can develop in response to a prior traumatic that a person or someone close to that person
had with crowds, such as trying to escape from an emergency in a crowded area, being injured in a
crowd, or getting lost in a crowd. People with ochlophobia have an overwhelming sense of wanting to
get away from the crowd. People with ochlophobia may also experience trembling, sweating, feeling
clammy, racing heart, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness,
lightheadedness, shaking, crying, chest discomfort, fear of loss of control, fainting, feeling sick, and
other signs of symptoms of anxiety when exposed to crowds. A psychological technique that is very
helpful in treating ochlophobia is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in which people learn to change
their thoughts to change their resulting feelings.
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The person learns not to over-estimate the risk of being harmed by crowds by understanding that not all
crowded situations are harmful or will lead to negative outcomes. In this way, thoughts become less
intrusive and anxiety-provoking. CBT is the most common form of treatment.
Another technique is a method known as desensitization in which a person is taught how to relax when
being exposed to progressively more intense forms of the feared stimuli (e.g., a crowd of 5 people, 10
people, or 15 people). The person is exposed to more intense forms of the stimulus as they master the
fear at the less intense level.
Sometimes, the more intense form of the stimuli is based on the amount of the stimuli whereas in other
cases it may be based on the duration of exposure (e.g., one minute, two minutes, three minutes, etc,
such as the length of time that elapsed remaining in a crowd). CBT is often combined with
desensitization and typically works within a few months.
Another treatment technique is a behavioral method known as flooding in which the person is immersed
directly in the feared stimulus (e.g., a large crowd) to demonstrate that the fear is irrational. The fear is
replaced by realization of this and the application of relaxation techniques. Flooding is a faster but more
traumatic form of treatment than desensitization. A more insight-oriented technique involves exploring the
original cause of the phobia (e.g., a traumatic childhood event) and trying to resolve issues surrounding
this. This may involve use of CBT techniques and/or other counseling methods. Ochlophobia can be
treated by an anti-anxiety medication designed to decrease anxiety. Sometimes, antidepressant
medications may be used because some anti-depressants are useful for treating anxiety as well as
depression. Ochlophobia comes from the Greek word "ochlos" meaning "glass," and the Greek word
"phobos" meaning "fear. Put the two words together and you have "fear (of) crowds."
Ochlophobia