1. Gamophobia, Fear of Marriage
What is Gamophobia?
Gamophobia (from the Greek word gamos – wedding and
phobos – fear) is a phobic fear of entering into marriage and
weddings. Some people have a fear of the wedding
ceremony, while others have a fear of marriage or of both.
Men, more often than women, are unaware of the fear of
intimacy, which is an obstacle to marriage. This fear arises in
early childhood, as a consequence of unresolved conflicts
(similar to pedophobia, obsessive compulsive personality
disorder and avoidant personality disorder – Avoidant
Personality Disorder Test we wrote about before).
Intimate attachment to another person is perceived as
dangerous, because it marks the separation from the mother.
In another case, intimacy is equated with the desire to achieve a close relationship with the
oedipal object, which also scares. There are opinions that the fear of intimacy is a form of
developmental delay that occurs in people who have not built a basic trust in their parents, the
first closest beings, and remain unable to trust others.
In such situations, partners can be successful in unobligated sexual relationship, until the
intimacy comes near the border that they can bear. Thinking of a marriage or a discussion
about it leads to unsuccessful sexual behavior. Gamophobia may be also conscious state that
arises as a consequence of adverse emotional experiences in the primary family where the
parents because of their disagreements created an aversion to marriage in child. Then people
consciously avoid situations in which they find a possible marriage.
Gamophobia Treatment, Fear of Marriage
Fear of marriage in the last fifteen years, according to
psychologists, has reached a very high yield in the world and
especially among men. According to international experts,
today more and more young men are declared as
gamophobic. Psychologists believe that the fear of marriage is
a real phobia, much more serious than just fear, while the
opinions of sociologists is that the low rate of marriage among
young people is the result of entering into community life
before the fateful legal saying “Yes.” However, regardless of
gamophobia, marriage much more benefits to men. One study
discovered that married men, compared with single people or
unmarried, are 135 times more likely to say they are very satisfied with their lives. When the
percentage of married women is half the size.
Gamophobia treatment, like other phobias, can be overcome with psychotherapeutic
techniques.

2. The most efficient method proved are cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic methods, such
as REBT, transactional, and gestalt psychotherapy, which is working to change the beliefs and
meanings that bind people to the situation of marriage. However to understand gamophobia,
we must understand the true causes and they are sometimes well hidden in childhood. The
child may also develop a fear. Therefore, gamophobia is also known as a fear of marriage. We
recommend an amazing article from our doctor Jonathan Samson on this subject – how to help
a child. There a many family psychotherapists in United States and around the world, which can
help people overcome gamophobia.