Chronophobia is the fear of time or time passing by. It can result in low mood, anxiety and the feeling of dread. Individuals who are elderly or housebound are more likely to develop this issue. In this article, we explore chronophobia as well as its diagnosis and management.

A fear of time 

Chronophobia is essentially a form of anxiety in a person, and it leads to feelings of intense dread and worry about the time passing away. Patients may become increasingly concerned about their lives and anxious about becoming older. This can cause patients to develop rapidly racing thoughts and may behave in ways that indicate that they are obsessed with time. These include marking off days in a calendar or diary and constantly watching the time. This issue can be particularly debilitating as it can lead to anxiety attacks and social isolation.¹

What is a phobia disorder?

A phobia is an irrational fear of an object or situation which is not necessarily harmful. Phobias are very subjective and individuals will often have unrealistic fears and unusual behaviours and habits to cope with such an issue. Phobias have a significant effect on one's life and can lead to a change in lifestyle as patients will usually do whatever possible to avoid the source of their fear to prevent discomfort.²

Chronophobia is particularly problematic as it is a specific phobia and deals with the passing of time which cannot be stopped.¹

Prevalence of chronophobia

It is estimated that approximately 8 million in the UK suffer from anxiety-related illnesses and approximately 10 million people in the UK have phobias.  However, the exact number of sufferers of chronophobia is difficult to assess as it is such a specific issue. Therefore, it is important that anyone who may be suffering from an irrational fear of time or any phobia must seek medical attention as soon as possible.^,5

Who is at risk of chronophobia?

Certain individuals are more at risk than others, these include:³

• Elderly patients: Those who are older can be more concerned with the passing of time as they feel that death is near and can become fixated on the number of days, months or years they have left
• Ill patients: Individuals with illnesses particularly those with terminal medical conditions such as cancer may also be worried and may become chronophobic and worry about the exact number of days or months they may have
• Prisoners: Those who are incarcerated can suffer from chronophobia and worry about the time left for their sentence or parole and may count down till this time or may feel time is passing too slowly or quickly
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) sufferers: Those who have undergone a traumatic incident may feel as if they do not have control over time as they did not during their traumatic incident and may become obsessed with tracking time
• History of mental illness: Those with a history of anxiety such as anxiety attacks, depression or drug or alcohol abuse may be at a higher risk of developing such issues

What causes chronophobia?

The exact cause of chronophobia is unknown, research suggests that it is likely due to a combination of genetics and environmental reasons. Individuals may carry genes which may predispose patients to this issue, but environmental issues such as having a terminal illness or PTSD from a traumatic event or becoming older may increase the risk. Those with a medical history of mental health issues are more likely to develop phobias in general and there may also be a familial link. As mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia often run in families, this also applies to phobias. Therefore, family history can also play a part.^4,5

There also may be certain triggers that can lead to chronophobia.⁵ Certain milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries or reunions can trigger this phobia as these can trigger concerns that there is no control over the time that is passing, or that time is passing too slowly. Patients may also have a fear of dying or thanatophobia.⁵

Symptoms of chronophobia

Typical symptoms of chronophobia are like those in other anxiety states and phobias and include:

• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations
• Excessive sweating 
• Tremors
• Indigestion

Chronophobia can result in patients feeling as if they have suffered an out-of-body experience as they may think that time is not in their control. 

Diagnosis of chronophobia

There isn’t a specific diagnostic test for chronophobia. A healthcare professional will take an adequate medical history including a background of a patient's current medical symptoms, their family and social history including smoking and drug or alcohol abuse and housing situation. Mental health history covering any previous mental health concerns which may have formed as a trigger to a patient developing chronophobia is very significant as well.^6,7

What are the complications of chronophobia?

Chronophobia can affect a patient’s quality of life significantly. People with severe chronophobia can become socially isolated and develop problems in relationships which may result in further mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and further phobias. 

Management of chronophobia

There are many ways to deal with chronophobia after a thorough assessment is made by a health professional these include:^6,8

• Counselling: This helps patients as they can talk to healthcare professionals such as a mental health nurse and the healthcare professional can counsel them on ways to deal with this issue
• Cognitive behavioural therapy: Helps patients as it provides techniques on how to control the anxiety related to chronophobia and teaches the patient to think about the phobia differently
• Mindfulness: Helps to control anxiety as it is a form of meditation which helps patients to think about their thoughts and sensations in the present time. This may be useful as patients are worrying constantly about the passage of time
• Support group sessions which can be held both in person or over video calls, can allow patients to meet individuals who are suffering from the same issue. This can help patients not feel alone whilst suffering from chronophobia but allow them the opportunity to make friends and gain support
• Medication: Although not a mainstay of treatment, medications used for depression and anxiety can help to reduce the symptoms associated with phobias as it can help to prevent panic attacks and low mood that may be associated with the phobia

Summary

Chronophobia is a fear of the passing of time and is a phobia. Certain individuals are more likely to develop this than others. These include those with a history of a traumatic incident or mental health issues or older individuals or those who are incarcerated. If untreated chronophobia has the risk of causing further issues such as panic attacks and depression, therefore, patients who think they are suffering from this issue must seek medical attention as soon as possible and prevent further complications. 

Treatments for chronophobia include counselling, mindfulness, help via support groups and medication which can help control the symptoms associated with anxiety and phobias which may be present in chronophobia.