Phobia By: Honzoda Abidjanova

TABLE OF CONTENTS WHAT’S PHOBIA ? COULROPHOBIA AGORAPHOBIA AGATEOPHOBIA NYCTOPHOBIA HARPAXAPHOBIA BIBLIOGRAPHY THE END

A phobia is when used in the context of clinical psychology, a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational.

FEAR Feeling anxious when flying through turbulence or taking off during a storm Experiencing butterflies when peering down from the top of a skyscraper or climbing a tall ladder PHOBIA Not going to your best friend’s island wedding because you’d have to fly there Turning down a great job because it’s on the 10th floor of the office building Difficulty breathing Racing or pounding heart Chest pain or tightness Trembling or shaking Feeling dizzy or lightheaded A churning stomach Hot or cold flashes; tingling sensations Sweating

The term Coulrophobia has been proposed to denote an abnormal, exaggerated, or irrational fear of clowns.

It is common for children to be afraid of disguised, exaggerated, or costumed figures even Santa Claus. Clown costumes tend to exaggerate the facial features and some body parts, such as hands and feet and noses. This can be read as monstrous or deformed as easily as it can be read as comical. Some have suggested, however, that a fear of clowns may stem from early childhood experience, when infants begin to process and make sense of facial feautures. The significant aberrations in a clown's face may frighten a child so much that they carry this phobia throughout their adult life.

Agoraphobia is known as an abnormal fear of public places and open spaces. It is considered as an anxiety disorder however, it is now believed to be a complication of panic attacks.

 Some individuals with agoraphobia may also suffer panic attacks (an unpredictable attack of intense fear and anxiety).  Agoraphobia is the commonest type of phobia and is estimated to affect approximately 5% -10% of people within their lifetime.  It usually begins between the ages of 15 and 35.  It is twice as common in women as in men.  Agoraphobia may start suddenly or come on gradually. Without treatment, it can continue for years and may become more severe and disabling with time.  People with agoraphobia may also suffer from other phobias, depression and other anxiety disorders Someone who experiences agoraphobia tends to have a number of fears of various places and situations both busy and quiet for example entering shops, public places, cinema, church or anywhere away from home. The underlying fear that causes this feeling of panic is the fear of being in a place where help will not be available or where you feel it may be difficult to escape to a safe place.

Agateophobia is usually defined as a persistent, unwarranted, and abnormal fear of insanity or fear of becoming insane.

This phobia often cause panic attacks and keep people away from their family and business associates. Agateophobia may be linked into a past event in your life related to insanity or becoming insane and emotional trauma, thus it was created by your unconscious mind as a defence mechanism. Symptoms of Agateophobia often include feelings of fear, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, fast breathing, perspiration, feelings of dread and nausea.

Treatment There are various treatments available for such condition including effective drugs but this type of treatment is often not recommended due to its side effects which can be severe and dangerous. Other available treatment include NLP, hypnotherapy, counselling and psychotherapy which are all proven to be effective in treating Agateophobia or any other phobias. l l

Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by an acute fear of the darkness.

Fear of the Dark If you have a phobia of the dark, you are likely to become nervous in any darkened environment. You may sleep with a nightlight. You might be reluctant to go out at night. You will likely experience an increased heart rate, sweat, shake and even feel ill when forced to spend time in the dark. Nyctophobia is often accompanied by breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, shaking and sense of detachment from reality. Often times this fear is carried into late childhood and adulthood. Fear Of The Dark Treatment Treatment with anxiety medication is often recommended for cases where frequent panic attacks and lose of sleep occur. Facing the "monster in the closet" is the best home therapy for children and adults.

Harpaxophobia A morbid fear of robbers or thieves or of being attacked by a robber or a thief.

Harpaxophobia is usually caused by an intense negative experience from your past. But your mind can also create that fear seemingly without basis. The key is digging down to the source and replacing negative associations with positive ones. Those at greatest risk include: - People with a general tendency towards fear and anxiety - People characterized as high strung - People suffering from adrenal insufficiency

bia.php Phobias edited by Mario Maj, Hagop S. Akiskal, Juan José López-Ibor, Jr., Ahmed Okasha Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment Richard G. Heimberg WEBSITES BOOKS