The word Cacomorphobia – the fear of fat or obese people is derived from Greek caco meaning ugly, morpho meaning shape and phobos meaning fear or aversion. Thus, Cacomorphobia stands for the irrational fear of fat people.
To an extent, the fear of fat people could be related to body image issues which are usually media or culture induced. No one wants or likes a fat body; fat people are rarely shown in movies or on TV unless it is to make a joke about their weight. Cacomorphobes are terrified of fat or obese people; they simply cannot control the terror they experience around such individuals. They often realize that they are being judgmental (often downright mean), and yet they are unable to control the panic attacks they experience at the mere thought or sight of fat people. The phobic might also realize that weight has got nothing to do with a person’s nature. Still, s/he is unable to control the negative thoughts or feeling of dread, revulsion or anxiety around one. Cacomorphobia is a relatievly rare phobia, the intensity of which varies from individual to individual.
Causes of Cacomorphobia
Like in case of other specific phobias, Cacomorphobia also stems from negative or traumatic episodes related to fat/obese people in one’s early age. Most fat people are unable to walk fast or do activities quickly. An obese person might have intimidated a child unknowingly. Many fat people generally tend to suffer from body image issues due to which they overeat or binge. Most are lonely and have depressed mindsets that cause them to be rude to others. A phobic, as a child, might have experienced violence or rudeness from a fat person and this instills a lifelong fear of fat people. A fat or obese kid in school might have bullied the Cacomorphobic which might have induced the phobia.
Sizeism or size discrimination is often confused with the fear of fat people phobia. Size discrimination, however, only leads one to discriminate against a fat person. Many doctors, for example, are known to be ‘disgusted’ by fat people and often refuse to accept them as patients. Cacomorphobia, on the other hand, is the extreme and constant fear of overweight or very large people, and is normally seen in anxious high strung individuals. Their anxious minds make them believe that all fat people are “evil” and out to attack or cause harm.
As stated before, the media also plays a very important role in how people should look ideally. Models, celebrities, and athletes are often showed to have “perfect bodies” and this might lead to a ‘disgust’ response at the sight of fat person. Many phobics, for example, reveal feeling nauseated upon seeing fat people eating or bingeing on high calorie foods at restaurants.
Symptoms of fear of fat people phobia
Cacomorphobia tends to cause various physical and emotional symptoms in the sufferer. These include:
- Accelerated heartbeat, rapid and deep breathing
- Experiencing chills, shivering/trembling
- Experiencing a full blown panic attack-wanting to flee or hide
- Avoidance behavior-going to great lengths to avoid fat people.
- Irritability, depression and agoraphobia are also seen in these phobics.
Mental symptoms include having obsessive thoughts, having difficulty in thinking of anything else other than one’s fear, having mental images about death, dying or being attacked- in general having an exaggerated response but being powerless to control it.
Emotional symptoms of extreme fear of fat people phobia include anticipation anxiety where the person might worry obsessively about encountering fat people. As a result, s/he tries to avoid malls, public places, and restaurants etc where there is greater possibility of seeing them.
Overcoming Cacomorphobia
Medical/drug intervention is often the only way to overcome this phobia, especially when the fear is interfering with one’s day-to-day life. Sedatives, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines often help overcome the symptoms of fear of fat people phobia. However, most psychiatrists avoid prescribing these, owing to their negative side effects like extreme drowsiness etc. Besides, the drugs do not get to the bottom of the Cacomorphobia; rather they provide only symptomatic relief.
Hypnoanalysis or hypnotherapy is a proven therapy known to help the mind attach to different feelings and responses that the phobic has towards fat people.
Behavior and desensitization therapies are two other effective techniques that can help one overcome Cacomorphobia. They include changing one’s response to fat people through gradual exposure in the form of situations, images, pictures and so on.
Rene says
See I don’t “fear” obese people, but I experience a revulsion to seeing obese people. Particularly morbidly obese people. Which is why I was trying to find an answer for that. And I feel absolutely dreadful for this and typically I keep it a dark secret because I honestly don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings what so ever. But I have such a physical response of disgust towards morbidly obese people that I can’t ignore it and I wish I didn’t have this thing. I cringe if someone touches me by accident who is obese. I feel like a monster. I wish I could just get over this.
Suzy says
I was looking for a reason why i seem to have the need to create a long string of compliments and excessive flattery to large/obese women. I think it’s because I either feel vulnerable and scared next to the person because of their sheer size coupled with a more authoritative or dominant personality or because i know it isn’t socially acceptable to shame them.
Lem says
As long as I can remember. Total panic.
Dee D. says
I have this phobia and I feel bad I do relate in the sense that I know I shouldn’t feel this way towards people, but just something is making it really hard to stop this feeling.
Diana says
I think I have it too, but I’m not so much afraid of overweight people, it’s more like I just get extremely uncomfortable and anxious around them. It probably stems from the fact that I was once obese, but now that I am not anymore, I get very nervous and upset when I am around someone who is very overweight. It makes me even more sad that I feel this way because it is irrational, and it makes me feel like I’m a bad person, because I can personally relate to how bad it feels for someone to get uncomfortable around you because of your weight, but I can’t control it. Which puts me in a vicious cycle of anxiety and depression.
J says
That’s Fatphobia not cacomorphobia. You’re uncomfortable not phobic there’s a difference. Some of us have an incredible fear that impacts our life in a big way. Not judging you at all a lot of people who were overweight struggle with Fatphobia just like gay people can struggle with internalized homophobia.
May says
You are all being insensitive. Fat people do live happy lives too, I know many who do and a fear of them is irrational. We should all learn to accept one another.
J says
It’s called a specific phobia and it’s a mental illness. Don’t shame people. It’s not about not wanting to accept people.
Shahzeb says
I have been doing research on “Fear of Fat (Lipohobia)”.
And I end up here and came to know about “Cacomorphobia”. It increased my knowledge.
Thanks for the info.
The Funk says
Surely it should be cacomorphophobia? It doesn’t make sense otherwise lexically.
Mary says
How sad it is to read this well written very informed article . Sad because in my experience people with phobias tend to think they are fine and the rest of the world is wrong. They all generally refuse to accept that they have a problem and totally refuse treatment or dont stick with it. Everyone suffers because of it.
Lois says
You guys are crazy you think you are better but you are worse.
Kody says
chill
Matt says
OMG I have this phobia! Fat people make me sick.
Kelly says
I definitely do not like the disposition of the average overweight individual. You have heard a semi can’t stop on a dime. Once overweight people start in motion it’s like it’s out of control, like they are operating the Death Star for the first time.
Layla says
Oh my god. I have been wondering for years why I am scared of fat people, and why I have had nightmares about them since I was like 8. Now I know why! Thanks heaps for this!
jordan says
Fat people are scary..
Lem says
Same.