I seem to have developed a phobia of being photographed around ten years ago and have not been able to overcome it. This affected me most of my 20's and now continues into my 30's.

Phobias affect different people in different ways. For me, I am fine up until the last minute, just before the photo is taken, and then I get terrified and basically can't look at the camera when I know the flash is about to fire. I'll either look away (ruining the photo), close my eyes (spoiling the photo), or have a panic attack. This means I will tense up and will either avert or close my eyes, if I try to force myself to look at the camera.

If no people are present, I will not have any anxiety or fear - it's a very specific social phobia that affects me only in this situation... but it's consistent and has been happening to me for many years now.

The phobia only happens if the following three conditions are met:

- there is a flash involved. If there's no flash, I am 100% comfortable
- there are spectators or someone other than me is controlling the camera. If no one else is there, I am 100% comfortable (so it's like a social phobia in this respect).
- I have to look at the camera (think official photographs: drivers license / passport photo, team photo at work, group photos at weddings etc.) If I don't have to look at the camera, I'm 100% comfortable.

So basically, if you take other people, the flash, or me having to look at the camera out of the equation, I am fine. Unfortunately, all three factors are present with driver's license photos, passport photos, team photos at work and many other unavoidable photographs. I feel intimidated by the camera.

How does this affect me? Keeping my eyes open at the instant the photo is taken is the most terrifying thing and many photos will need to be taken before I relax enough to stop closing my eyes in anticipation. Once the photo is taken, I'm fine - it's just the INSTANT that it is taken that is the scary part. I don't have a driver's license and should have renewed my passport two years ago but still haven't.

Sometimes I feel like I could be one of only one or two people in the whole world with this very specific manifestation of a social phobia.

Has anyone here had anything super specific like this or any ideas how to overcome it?

OMG - you've just described me!!! I live in Greece - from UK and my passport needs renewing asap as my parents are elderly. The absolute dread and panic I feel just thinking about having my photo taken is crazy!!!
I remember this starting about 25yrs ago when I was quite an attractive young woman (so it's not about how I looked .... then) The photographer was amazed and said I've seen this happen before but never with someone pretty .... he spent ages with me trying to calm me down but I think his over attentiveness has caused me to dread photos even more.
Just writing this my hands have started to sweat and my eyes are closing shut. I refused to have a photographer at my wedding but the best man insisted. So next week I going to go and see this photographer (hopefully he still does passport photos) and explain to him my fear - then maybe I can calm down enough to have it taken (I will have 10 copies to ensure I don't need another session for 10yrs!) I think if he takes the photo quickly I'll be ok - also I will walk slowly there and not cycle down in a fluster - I will put eye drops in before I go to make sure my eyes feel fresh as tiredness makes me worse and starts my eyes twitching. I will let you know the outcome!

Thought about having alcohol before but that's not the solution, and I'll get a reputation of being a drunk first thing in the morning lol

Know that you are not alone is this crazy fear!