1. Abnormal Psychology
Phobias

2. Definition and Causes
Phobia: An extreme, irrational fear of something or a specific situation that poses relatively no danger.
A phobia is a form of Anxiety Disorder
They are more serious then common fears: Phobias are more severe and interfere directly with the person’s life.
Freudian Theory: A phobia is a form of subconscious defense against an unrelated source of anxiety.
Example:
- Father sexually abuses his daughter at a young age. Sunlight was shining through the window during the act. The girl grows up and becomes photophobic (afraid of light)
Skinner’s Theory: Phobias are a result of a negative experience involving the subject or situation
-fearfully close to falling off a high building = Hypsiphobia (fear of heights)
Hall’s Theory: A combination of genetics and rearing environment.
Chemical imbalance in the brain given through genetics. The imbalance will raise the likelihood of the person developing an irrational fear.
Many people diagnosed, claim that they have had the phobia since childhood. Some can recall a specific incident that caused the Phobia

3. Strange Phobias Many are confused with a simple fear:
Thaasophobia- Fear of sitting
Trichopathophobia- Fear of hair
Levopobia – Fear of objects on the left side of the body
Lanchanophobia – Fear of vegiatbles
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words
Geumaphobia – Fear of taste
Genuphobia – Fear of knees
Arachibutyrophobia – Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Allodoxaphobia- Fear of opinions
Androphobia- Fear of men.
Aurophobia- Fear of gold.

4. Symptoms Catastrophizing Focusing on the negative Exaggerating
Mental
Catastrophizing
Focusing on the negative
Exaggerating
Over generalizing
Thinking “black and white”
-around 7% of North Americans have some form of Phobia, but only around 5% are diagnosed and receiving treatment.
- Phobic people can usually blend in with society by avoiding their phobia. The only way their specific phobia will show is if they are put into a situation that they can not retreat from.
Physical
Shaking
Excessive sweating
Nausea
Dizziness
Hyperventilating
Chest pain
Freezing
Slurring of words
Fleeing of area/situation

5. Treatments
Hypnosis: Attempting to connect with the unconscious mind. (Freudian) This brings the issue to the surface so it can be confronted and dealt with.
Exposure: Facing your Phobia in a therapeutic way. This can mean the patient is restrained and the object or situation is introduced to them at their own pace, showing that it is not life threatening.
Modeling: Patient observes others in the presence of the object or in the situation.
Medication: If there is a chemical imbalance in the brain, some forms of medication can treat a phobia.
Anti-depressant pills –such as the well known “Prozac”
benzodiazepines (benzos)-considered a mild tranquilizer so it is not for long term use.
A combination of medication with other forms of treatment can increase the chances of success.