A 71-year-old Rwandan man, Callitxe Nzamwita, suffering from gynophobia [an intense and irrational fear of women], has spent the last 55 years inside his fortified home.
His condition is known as the irrational fear or aversion for women which made him to live in self-imposed isolation.
Medical experts say gynophobia is a psychological condition that manifests as uncontrollable anxiety or discomfort in the presence of women.
It is also considered a rare type of phobia — a disorder characterized by an intense and unreasonable fear of a particular object or situation.
The man, who was reported to have bordered himself with a formidable 15-foot fence around his home in Rwanda to wade off any female contact, confessed to being “genuinely scared” of women approaching his home, which led to his self-imposed isolation.
According to medical experts, it is important to note that some individuals may experience discomfort or fear around women, so it becomes essential to distinguish between genuine phobias and more general social anxiety or interpersonal difficulties.
Surprisingly, it is the very women that Nzamwita fears that have been helping to sustain his solitary lifestyle. Local women from the community said they have been regularly helping him to purchase and deliver groceries which they often tossed into his compound without getting any closer to him in person.
For this type of a situation, his phobia involves a very intense and specific fear reaction to a particular stimulus, in this case, women.
And when someone experiences such symptoms, it may be beneficial to seek help from a medical health professional, as there are treatments available, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy that can be effective in addressing specific phobias.
Reports also say that whenever Nzamwita spots a woman in the vicinity of his property, he promptly retreats inside, locking the door behind him, and thereby reinforcing the severity of his condition.
Medical experts also posit that his symptoms can be triggered by merely thinking of women.
His condition makes him feel sudden panic attacks, chest tightness, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.
He could also feel faint and experience stomach troubles when in the presence of the opposite sex. Whichever case, Nzamwita’s extreme measures to avoid women highlight the profound impact that specific phobia has on his life and his ability to engage with the world around him.
With proper medical attention to redress the phobia, Nzamwita still has the chance to lead a proper life, according to medical experts.
