Xenophobia may sound like a groovy disco move, but it is a serious anxiety disorder. In this lesson, you'll learn about xenophobia, review its symptoms, and look at some treatment options.
Definition of Xenophobia
Josh had never quite experienced anything like what had just happened to him. He had gone to a function at his son's school and met a fellow parent, who happened to be from India. In the minute he was exposed to this new person he broke out in a cold sweat, his heart raced, and he made up an excuse to leave a function he had been looking forward to for some time. What's going on?
Turns out, Josh is suffering from a medical condition called xenophobia. Have you heard of this? Xenophobia is a mental disorder in which the affected individual experiences an extreme fear upon meeting a stranger, generally one from another country. In extreme cases, this initial fear can sometimes be expressed by verbal or physical assault, but the more common response is for the affected individual to remove themselves from the situation due to their discomfort. Let's take a look at how this disease works.