Phobia: A Psychological Analysis of Fear, Decay, and Helplessness
With Reference to the Story
“Khalo and Teshaleh”
Kamali, N. (2025) – naserkamali.com
1. Introduction
Phobia, or specific phobia, is classified in the DSM-5 as an anxiety disorder characterized by intense, persistent, and disproportionate fear toward a specific stimulus (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Although the stimulus itself is usually not objectively dangerous, individuals experience uncontrollable emotional and physiological reactions.
The story “Khalo and Teshaleh” offers a narrative-literary example of how phobia emerges in individuals with histories of trauma, exile, loss, and socio-economic pressure. It demonstrates how seemingly minor triggers can activate deeply rooted fear schemas.
The gradual sinking of Teshaleh functions as the phobic stimulus that reactivates Khalo’s historical fear of loss.
2. The Nature of Phobia
Psychological research identifies three core components of phobia:
2.1 Cognitive Component
Cognitive distortions—particularly catastrophizing—lead individuals to exaggerate the perception of danger (Beck, 1976).
2.2 Emotional Component
This includes intense fear, anxiety, anticipatory worry, and heightened physiological arousal (British Psychological Society, 2020).
2.3 Behavioral Component
Avoidance behaviors or freeze responses occur when the individual confronts the phobic stimulus.
Thus, phobia is not merely fear, but a maladaptive pattern of emotional and behavioral responses that restricts life and reshapes the individual’s experience of the world.
3. Etiology of Phobia
3.1 Traumatic Learning
Clinical studies suggest that phobia often represents a logical continuation of past traumatic experiences (Leahy, 2002).
In the story, the following experiences are embedded in Khalo’s memory:
- Death of comrades
- Exile
- Imprisonment and powerlessness
- The gradual decay of loved ones
Teshaleh becomes the signifier that reactivates these unresolved psychological wounds.
3.2 Learned Helplessness
Seligman’s theory of learned helplessness (1975) demonstrates that repeated exposure to uncontrollable events generates a sense of permanent powerlessness.
Khalo witnesses the sinking of Teshaleh but feels incapable of acting—an exact behavioral manifestation of learned helplessness.
3.3 Cognitive Distortions
According to Beck (1976), individuals with phobia perceive the world through a lens of imminent catastrophe.
Khalo anticipates each wave as a possible moment of destruction, exemplifying catastrophic thinking.
4. Socio-Economic Factors in the Development of Phobia
4.1 Migration, Insecurity, and Instability
The World Health Organization reports that economic and social insecurity significantly increases the risk of anxiety disorders and phobias (WHO, 2021).
Khalo’s life in exile, homelessness, and isolation elevates his baseline anxiety.
4.2 Lack of Social Support
Social support plays a protective role against anxiety disorders (British Psychological Society, 2020).
In the story, Khalo is alone—this absence of relational buffering intensifies his fear.
4.3 Embodied Memory
The body retains memories of loss and decay.
For Khalo, witnessing Teshaleh’s deterioration activates embodied memories of years marked by pain and deprivation.
5. Symptoms of Phobia and Their Narrative Representation
5.1 Emotional Symptoms
- Intense fear
- Catastrophic anticipation
- Anxiety
- Anticipatory grief
The line from the story—
“A quiet grief for something that has not yet happened”—
precisely captures the concept of anticipatory grief.
5.2 Behavioral Symptoms
- Inability to leave the situation
- Compulsive observation
- Freeze response
Khalo neither escapes nor intervenes; he simply remains and watches.
5.3 Somatic Symptoms
- Muscle tension
- Shortness of breath
- Chest heaviness
- Deep sighing
These manifestations correspond to somatic anxiety.
6. Application of Psychological Concepts in Narrative Analysis
6.1 Teshaleh as a Phobic Stimulus
Each wave → anxiety trigger
Each subsidence → reminder of past loss
6.2 Suspension Between Staying and Leaving
Individuals with phobia often remain trapped between two poles:
- If I stay, I will break.
- If I leave, I will lose everything.
The story articulates this state through the phrase:
“The border between resistance and acceptance.”
6.3 The Role of Damam, Senj, and Shervah
These elements function as external emotional regulation mechanisms:
- Damam → reduction of tension
- Senj → modulation of anxiety intensity
- Shervah → activation of safe memory networks
This parallels emotion-regulation strategies used in cognitive-behavioral therapy.
7. Conclusion
Khalo and Teshaleh presents a precise and analyzable portrayal of phobia—
a phobia rooted in:
- Past trauma
- Learned helplessness
- Cognitive distortions
- Socio-economic pressure
In this narrative, fear of decay is not merely a psychological reaction but an existential condition of the exiled individual.
Through waves, silence, estuaries, and the gradual sinking of Teshaleh, Khalo-writing articulates this lived experience with profound psychological resonance.
References (APA 7th Edition)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. International Universities Press.
British Psychological Society. (2020). Understanding fear and phobic responses. BPS Publications.
Leahy, R. L. (2002). Anxiety disorders: Cognitive-behavioral perspectives. Guilford Press.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness: On depression, development, and death. W. H. Freeman.
World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health and the pandemic: Social determinants of anxiety. WHO Publications.
Kamali, N. (2025). Psychological analysis and narrative publication. Retrieved from https://naserkamali.com
Naser Kamali
London – 10 December 2025