Phobias By:

What is a Phobia? A phobia is a persistent, strong fear of a certain object or situation. Phobic individuals spend too much time worrying about their fears & are often too frightened to carryout normal activities. Psychologists and Psychiatrists classify phobias as a mild psychological problem. Also known as an Anxiety Disorder.

Animal phobias are caused by an animal or insect Animal phobias are caused by an animal or insect. Examples include fear of snakes, fear of spiders, fear of rodents, and fear of dogs. Situational phobias are triggered by a specific situation. Examples include fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), fear of elevators, fear of flying, fear of dentists, fear of driving, fear of tunnels, and fear of bridges. Blood-Injection-Injury phobia involves fear of blood, fear or injury, or a fear of shots or another medical procedure. Natural environment phobias are fears cued by objects found in nature. Examples include fear of heights, fear of storms, fear of water, and fear of the dark.

Causes of Phobias: Genetics :: Research has shown that some phobias may run in families. Cultural Factors:: Some phobias occur only in certain cultural groups. Life Experiences/Traumatic Events:: Some phobias are based off real-life events that may or may not be consciously remembered.

Symptoms: *Feelings of panic, dread, horror, or terror. *Extreme measures taken to avoid the feared object of situation. *Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, overwhelming desire to flee the situation. *Reaction that are automatic and uncontrollable; practically taking over the person’s thoughts.

Symptoms of Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia The symptoms of blood-injection-injury phobia are slightly different from other phobias. When confronted with the sight of blood or a needle, you experience not only fear but disgust. Like other phobias, you show an initial increase in heart rate and blood pressure. However, unlike other phobias, this acceleration is followed by a quick drop which causes nausea, dizziness, and fainting. Although a fear of fainting is common in all specific phobias, blood-injection-injury phobia is the only phobia where actual fainting occurs.  

Treatments for Phobias: Psychoanalysis and Behavior Therapy which are based on different ideas about the causes of these fears. In Behavior Therapy, the person that has the fear would meet with a therapist and confronts the feared object or situation, and plans to gradually control the physical reactions to their fear. Treatments for Phobias:

Types of Phobias: Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666. Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic Chronophobia- Fear of time. Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers. Acrophobia- Fear of heights Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Pyrophobia- Fear of fire. Xanthophobia- Fear of the color yellow or the word yellow.