"Eisoptrophobia" is derived from the Greek "eis" (into) and "optikos" (vision, image, sight). It is an abnormal and persistent fear of mirrors. Sufferers experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational.
"I must say it is certainly not one of our most common phobias," says Catherine O'Neill of charity AnxietyUK.
Actress Pamela Anderson is probably the most well known eisoptrophobic. "I have this phobia – I don't like mirrors," she is quoted as saying. "And I don't watch myself on television. If anything comes on, I make them shut it off, or I leave the room."
Mirror Superstitions
According to Catherine O'Neill, "A fear of mirrors seems to be similar in its nature to something like a fear of the number 13 in that it may have some superstitious basis." Indeed, of all objects in our culture, the mirror seems to have garnered a bewildering array of negative connotations.
The Romans were the first to make glass mirrors says Myrriah Lavin ("The Mirror," Obsidian, Issue 1, 2009). They attributed the seven years bad luck following the breaking of one to their belief that life renewed itself every seven years. "Breaking one's health," as it were, would not be remedied for seven years.
Other superstitions revolve around the idea of the mirror acting as a receptacle for the soul. So, if someone dies, the mirrors in the house should be covered to prevent the soul entering the mirror ("Death and dying in central Appalachia: changing attitudes and practice", J. K. Crissman, University of Illinois Press, 1994).
It follows that receiving a mirror from a deceased person's home is considered to be a bad omen. Haunted mirrors are said to fall off the wall and break, apparently due to the trapped ghosts attempting to make an escape.
Candles often featured in mirror superstition. Some superstitions hold that people are warned never to look into a mirror by candlelight - doing so will reveal a plethora of otherworldly inhabitants.
Alternatively, staring into a mirror between two tall white candles is said to present the spirit of a loved one who has passed away. In the absence of candles, saying "Bloody Mary" three times into a mirror will produce a ghost of the same name, according to superstition.
Possible Explanations for Mirror Phobias
The enduring idea that misfortune will befall those who break a mirror may simply be a myth invented by parents. Before silver lining was invented, flawless mirrors were an expensive luxury – their replacement producing an unwelcome deficit in the household income.
Another reason can be attributed to the fact that mirrors used to be backed with mercury. Mercury exposure can damage the heart, kidneys, lungs, brain and immune system and result in death.
Indeed, the Centre For Disease Control (CDC) has released a study citing the dangers of mercury poisoning from broken or damaged antiques, and it's possible antique mirrors may ultimately land on the list of dangerous substances.
Treating Eisoptrophobia
Whatever the reasons may be for the mirror's enduring place in cultural history, for some people it is an object of fear that seemingly logical explanations will not easily remove.
"For eisoptrophobics I would recommend both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Hypnotherapy, depending on the preference of the individual," says Catherine O'Neill of the possibilities for treatment of mirror phobias.
O'Neill concluded, "CBT has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of anxiety and works by gradually exposing you to the thing you fear, along with work on the thoughts that may be driving your fear. Hypnosis uses visualisation, deep relaxation and suggestion to help alleviate fears and phobias and we have had a lot of positive feedback about it for specific phobias."
The easiest thing would, of course, be to avoid developing the phobia in the first place. To do that it would seem necessary to negate the superstitions surrounding the mirror. Given that so few actually understand the mechanisms by which mirrors work, this doesn't seem likely to happen any time soon.
Justin Schamotta - Justin was born in South Africa, raised in the Welsh Valleys and now resides in Brighton. He has been co-editor of Bulb magazine, deputy ...
