Phobia: Are You Really Afraid Of?

WHAT IS PHOBIA?? A phobia is defined as the unrelenting fear of a situation, activity, or thing. These are largely under reported, probably because many phobia sufferers find ways to avoid the situations to which they are phobic. Statistics that estimate how many people suffer from phobias vary widely.

Different Types of Phobias There are several types of phobias, including social, situational, animal, and specific phobias. While the list of phobias is almost endless, in this slide show we will discuss some of the popular types of Phobias. Contd….

 Social Phobia First we will discuss about the Social Phobia. Also known as social anxiety disorder, social phobia is an excessive fear of embarrassment in social situations that is extremely disturbing and can have devastating effects on personal and professional relationships. This type of Phobia includes speaking in public, meeting new people etc.

 Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating. Although agoraphobia is caused by a number of factors, some time it has genetic effect too.

 Claustrophobia Claustrophobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of closed spaces, of being closed in or being shut in, as in elevators, tunnels, or any other confined space. The fear is excessive and quite common

 Acrophobia Acrophobia is an abnormally excessive and persistent fear of heights. Sufferers experience severe anxiety even though they usually realize that, as a rule, heights pose no real threat to them.

 Zoophobia Zoophobia, as the name suggest is the fear realted to animal. It encompasses fears of specific types of animals such as spiders (arachnophobia), snakes (ophidiophobia), birds (ornithophobia), and bees (apiphobia).

 Aerophobia An abnormal and persistent fear of flying is called aerophobia. This phobia generally develops after a person witnesses a plane crash or loses a family member in a plane crash or accident.

Signs and Symptoms of Phobias? Symptoms of phobias often involve having a panic attack -- in that they include feelings of panic, dread, or terror, despite recognition that those feelings are excessive in relationship to any real danger -- as well as physical symptoms like shaking, sweating, rapid heartbeat, trouble breathing, and an overwhelming desire to escape the situation that is causing the phobic reaction. Also, extreme measures are sometimes taken to escape the situation.

How Are Phobias Treated? Helping those who suffer from phobias by supportively and gradually exposing them to circumstances that are increasingly close to the one they are phobic about (desensitization) is one way phobias are treated. Contd…

A second method is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has been found to significantly decrease phobic symptoms by helping the phobia sufferer change his or her way of thinking. CBT uses three techniques to accomplish this goal: Didactic component: This phase helps to set up positive expectations for therapy and promote the phobia sufferer's cooperation. Cognitive component: It helps to identify the thoughts and assumptions that influence the person's behavior, particularly those that may predispose him or her to being phobic. Behavioral component: This employs behavior-modifying techniques to teach the individual with a phobia more effective strategies for dealing with problems.

Why You Should Visit Psychiatrist If you are suffering from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, addictions, eating and sleeping disorders, you should visit Psychiatrist When relationships and work is affected because awareness of oneself and surroundings is defective When behavior is bizarre or uncontrollable When treatment fails When distress is triggered by an external event like loss or trauma, or is caused by another person’s behavior. And ultimately to lead a happy life

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