In Greek, the word ‘Chronophobia’ can be divided into two parts; ‘chrono’ meaning time and ‘phobia’ meaning fear. So, as its meaning illustrates, chronophobia is the fear of time.
But, what is so scary about time? Why could it give you anxiety?
Chronophobia is related to a rare kind of phobia known as chronomentrophobia — the irrational fear of timepieces like watches and clocks. It is defined as an irrational yet persistent fear of the passing of time and time itself. It is a state of constant hyper-awareness regarding the passing of time. An individual with chronophobia, a chronophobe, might fear the future or simply experience time anxiety. It is important to remember that this fear felt by chronophobe does not originate from a particular event or incident in the future but rather it is about the passing of time itself and fixating on the uncertainty of what the future holds.
You might have heard the phrase ‘fear of missing out’ or ‘FOMO’. The phrase is used by youngsters and popularly on social media to indicate that they do not want to miss out on nothing life has to offer. Believe it or not, FOMO might be a less intense kind of chronophobia where one becomes anxious over losing time.
In most cases, the anxiety and tension a chronophobe experiences surrounds the notion that every human has limited time on Earth and it is within this limited time, one has to accomplish everything they want and live their best life. This also comes with an idealized image of the kind of life one ought to be living, sometimes fueled by social standards and social institutions. Thereby, this can often lead to heavy regret regarding past opportunities that one might feel they had wasted or had not made the best out of.
Time is an abstract concept. Usually, it is because individuals fear that their time on Earth is limited or because they have difficulty keeping track of the passing hours and days i.e. they lose track of time, that they come to develop anxiety towards the concept of time. Although time has no physical existence or material presence, some experts consider chronophobia as a kind of “specific phobia” similar to how one would fear dogs, spiders, cats or snakes. A specific phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by a powerful, unwarranted fear of something that presents little or no actual danger, but instigates avoidance and anxiety. Usually, the fear is of an object, situation, activity, or person.
Can You Reduce Anxiety About Time?
Chronophobia is not an incurable condition. It can be reduced and in some cases, completely eliminated with time and effort and by adapting to various lifestyle changes. These techniques involve a lot of self-care and taking time for oneself to stabilize their minds.
1. Know What You Are Afraid Of:
It is very easy to be afraid of feeling emotions or experiencing anxiety you do not understand. It is also very easy to get caught up in a wormhole of never ending anxiety and fear. Hence, when you can understand why you are hesitant to think about the future or what it is about time that gives you anxiety, it might help to rationalize the situation and calm yourself down when necessary.
If there are moments where one fails to understand what their mind is telling them, implementing the ‘stream of consciousness’ writing technique can provide some insight and act as a form of meditation. Here, you simply write down what you feel or think or what naturally comes to you without thinking about grammar or if it makes sense to someone else.
2. Know Your Phobia:
Aristotle famously wrote, “The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know”. Doing your own research to understand your chronophobia and explore what gives rise to time anxiety let’s you know what goes into fueling and triggering your phobia. Even if the information you find does not directly relate to your experience, knowing how your phobia works will help familiarize it and make it less scary. Additionally, understanding what your triggers are can help to handle the situation more effectively and rationalize your reactions.
3. Concentrating On What You Can Control:
Anxiety is fueled by things we cannot control. As such, the future is something we cannot see or dictate. So, why focus on that? It might help to concentrate on things that one has influence over. Simply by controlling what you do with your day and how you spend it or having a routine or checklist can help reinstate a sense of control.
4. Meditation And Yoga:
Meditation and yoga are more powerful than one might think. The human mind can be overjoyed or overwhelmed with emotions. Taking an hour or a few minutes to clear one’s head and trying to declutter the mind allows for more emotional clarity and mental space to think. With a spacious mental well-being, it is easier to control anxiety and fear and take life one day at a time.
This habit does not only mean practicing mindfulness daily and engaging in breathing exercises but also includes any activity which might provide some clarity. Like reading stories and poetry, drawing or cooking, gardening etc. These practices keep one grounded in the present rather than worrying about the future.
5. Push Yourself:
Like any other phobia, to overcome chronophobia, you have to place yourself in a situation which is challenging. However, that does mean confronting your fear head-on. Rather, taking baby steps and addressing uncomfortable questions like why does the thought of the future seem so nerve wracking or to allow oneself to accept that time is something no one can control and embracing one’s mortality is a beautiful part of what makes us humans, could provide ground from improvement.
Being afraid of something the human mind cannot conceptualize or visualize is indeed a valid fear. Time is not the only abstract entity which persists among us. It may be difficult, but it is important to understand that mortality and the uncertainty of the future is what makes us human and drives our ambition to live a fulfilling life and to one’s own satisfaction. All in all, fearing time is something we ought to try and look past because time will keep passing regardless. So, why not make the best of it?
