Phobias

What are Phobias

• By definition phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that is usually the unrealistic fear of an object, animal, or situation. If you have a phobia, usually you would feel a sense of dread or panic when you encounter it. Of course, it varies from each person of their symptoms and behavior.

Common Types of Phobias

*Please keep in mind not all of the phobias are listed.

• Achluophobia: The fear of darkness

• Acrophobia: The fear of heights

• Aerophobia: The fear of flying

• Arachnophobia: The fear of spiders

• Astraphobia: The fear of thunder and lightning

• Autophobia: The fear of being alone or isolated

• Claustrophobia: The fear of crowded or confined spaces

• Hemophobia: The fear of blood

• Hydrophobia: The fear of water

• Ophidiophobia: The fear of snakes

• Zoophobia: The fear of animals

Unique Types of Phobias

*Please keep in mind not all of the phobias are listed.

• Alektorophobia: The fear of chickens

• Onomatophobia: The fear of names

• Pogonophobia: The fear of beards

• Nephophobia: The fear of clouds

• Cryophobia: The fear of cold or ice

Symptoms of Phobias

*Please keep in mind not all of the symptoms are listed.

• Physical Symptoms

  • Panic attacks

  • Repetitive sweating and trembling

  • Shortness of breath

  • Tightness on the chest and rapid heart beat

  • The feeling of butterflies in your stomach, in other words nervousness

  • Headaches, dizziness, and feeling faint

  • Feeling confused or disoriented

  • Feeling numb

• Psychological Symptoms

  • The sensation of fear not keeping situations under control

  • The fear or sensation of fainting

  • The feeling of dread on your chest

  • The fear of dying or suffocation

Causes of Phobias

​There are varieties of factors that can trigger a phobia. Please keep in mind not all of the symptoms are listed.

• Past traumatic events: Sometimes past incidents such as getting bitten by a dog can cause you to develop a fear of dogs known as cynophobia.

• A learned response from early life: The people who you grew up with such as your parents may be worried or anxious of something which can affect you to also have the same view in the future.

• Experiencing long-term stress: Stress can lead to anxiety and depression which can then lead to feeling fearful. Sometimes this feeling of fear can last over a long period of time which can lead to you developing a phobia.

• Genetic factors: Having a history of family members who had phobias can make you more vulnerable.

• Substance abuse: Addiction of a substance can lead to anxiety and depression. This can lead to the feeling of fear which wavers your ability to cope with a situation.

• Disorders: Having disorders can make you more susceptible to developing a phobia as it can be hard to cope with certain situations.

Risk Factors of Developing Phobias

*Please keep in mind that there many other factors that I have not listed below.

• Anxiety: People with anxiety may be more susceptible to developing a phobia.

• Gender: Women may be more likely to develop an animal phobia. Men may be more likely to develop medical-related phobias.

• Socioeconomic status: People with low socioeconomic status such as in poverty may develop social phobias.

How Phobias Affect One’s Emotion

• Life-Limiting and Severe Anxiety: Phobias can have a huge significant impact on your education, career, and life quality. Sometimes you may feel a struggle to go out with friends, run errands, or make it on time to work. Sometimes the motivation is not there.

• Isolation: You may wonder at times why you feel isolated and not like everyone else. Sometimes you may feel lonely because it feels you are going through it by yourself. This could lead to a negative effect on your relationship with your family and friends.

• Embarrassment: You may feel awkward at moments. For example, you have zoophobia (fear of animals), but your friend who has a dog invites you over to their birthday party. You may feel conflicted to either attend a party.

• Feeling Out of Control: It feels like no matter how hard you try, you cannot get your fear of the phobia under control.

• Helplessness: Sometimes it feels like your phobia has negatively impacted your job, social life, and happiness. It feels as if there is nothing you can do to heal those moments.

Treating Phobias

• Psychotherapy

  • Exposure therapy: Directing facing your fear by managing your response

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Learn alternate beliefs of your fear that can help you develop a sense of confidence

• Psychotherapy *Do not overdose drug usage as it may lead to addiction*

  • Beta blockers: A type of drug that blocks your adrenaline from arising

  • Sedatives: A medication that helps you relax by reducing anxiety you may feel

​Sources

• https://www.healthline.com/health/phobia-simple-specific (What are phobias and risk factors)

• https://www.healthline.com/health/list-of-phobias (Common and Unique Phobias)

• https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/phobias/symptoms/ (Symptoms of Phobias both physical and psychological)

• https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/causes-of-phobias/ (Causes of Phobias)

• https://www.verywellmind.com/psychological-and-emotional-effects-of-phobias-2671693 (How Phobias Affect One’s Life)

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355162 (Treating Phobias)