Surely you’ve heard of the supermoon, when the Earth’s natural satellite appears larger and brighter than normal in the night sky. The supermoon, eclipses, the ‘red moon’ … our satellite fascinates us and we love to go out to observe it at night. However, it is not a spectacle for all audiences , because a minority of the population can have a very bad time: those who suffer from the so-called selenophobia or persistent and unjustified fear of the moon.
As stated by Mar Gómez, a meteorologist at Eltiempo.es, this type of psychological disorder “does not understand whether something is more or less beautiful, and what is very striking for some, causes anxiety for others” . In this case, panic increases on full moon days, and can manifest itself with physical symptoms such as sweating and palpitations . Those affected get upset just by hearing the word “moon” or seeing a simple photo of it , and avoid leaving the house when the sun goes down. They can close the windows tightly to prevent our satellite from being reflected, especially on nights with a full moon.
Selenophobia usually develops around the age of five, sometimes as a sequel to a traumatic episode related to our satellite or because a relative has suffered it. If you suffer from it or know someone who suffers from it, it is best to put yourself in the hands of a specialist, since beyond the mere anecdote, this phobia can seriously affect the quality of life of those who suffer from it.
Progressive exposure techniques – for example, gradually going out into the street at night and starting to observe it when it is dim – and cognitive therapy – gradually convincing the affected person of the irrationality of their fear with objective information – are the methods most used to overcome this phobia.
