What are Phobias?
A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of a particular situation or thing. A person with a phobia may experience a deep dread or panic when encountering the source of their fear. All people experience fear and anxiety in their lives, but for fear to be considered a phobia, it must cause significant distress to the affected person.
What are the Types of Phobias?
The various types of phobias can be classified as:
- Agoraphobia: This is a fear of open places, being trapped outside of one's home, or being in places or non-specific situations from which it seems impossible to escape. People who suffer from agoraphobia are more likely to develop a panic disorder.
- Specific Phobias: These are known as simple phobias, as they are triggered by a specific thing. Examples of specific phobias include:
- Acrophobia: Fear of heights
- Claustrophobia: Fear of enclosed or tight spaces
- Aviophobia: Fear of flying
- Dentophobia: Fear of the dentist or dental procedures.
- Hemophobia: Fear of blood or injury
- Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
- Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
- Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes
- Nyctophobia: Fear of nighttime or darkness
- Social Phobia: Also known as social anxiety disorder, this condition is characterized by intense fear or avoidance of social situations. Social phobia sufferers may find it difficult to avoid triggers such as leaving the house or being in a large crowd. Some examples of social phobias include:
- Glossophobia: This is known as performance anxiety or the fear of speaking in front of an audience.
- Scopaphobia: This is a fear of being looked at by others.
What are the Causes of Phobias?
Phobias can be caused by genetic and environmental factors. These include:
- One who grows up with a close relative who suffers from an anxiety disorder is more likely to develop a phobia
- Traumatic occurrences, such as nearly drowning, being in an enclosed area for a long time, excessive heights, and animal or insect stings
- Suffering catastrophic brain injuries
- Substance abuse and depression
What are the Symptoms of Phobias?
A panic attack is the most prevalent and disabling symptom of phobia. Features of a panic attack include:
- Pounding or racing heart
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid speech or inability to speak
- Dry mouth
- Upset stomach
- Nausea
- Elevated blood pressure
- Trembling or shaking
- Chest pain or tightness
- A choking sensation
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- A sense of impending doom
Diagnosis of Phobias
Your doctor will diagnose your phobia type based on discussing your symptoms to obtain a medical, mental, and social history, and correlating these findings with specific diagnostic criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5).
What are the Treatments for Phobias?
Treatments for phobia include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This is a type of psychotherapy that helps you understand the thoughts, images, beliefs, and attitudes that might be causing the fear reaction and develop effective coping mechanisms that reduce anxiety. The goal of the therapy is to recognize and change negative thoughts, dysfunctional beliefs, and negative emotional reactions to phobic circumstances.
- Exposure Therapy: This therapy aims to alter your reaction to the thing or situation you are afraid of through direct exposure to it, exploring your associated thoughts, feelings, and sensations over time to help you manage your anxiety.