Phobia

           Phobia

Phobias are part of the anxiety family of conditions. They are described as an unnatural or excessive fear of something that most people would consider to be fairly innocuous, such as a fear of spiders, flying or open spaces. Those with phobias often appreciate that their fear is extreme, but they are unable to control it. When faced with the object of their phobia, those with the condition will feel fear, anxiety or even panic.

Most of us feel anxious about things from time to time - we get a fright when a mouse runs across the kitchen floor, or feel anxious about going abroad - but this is perfectly normal. It is only when the resulting feelings become so extreme as to interfere with your daily life that they are escalated to phobia status.

Fear is a natural and vitally important human emotion. Fear and the part it plays in the body’s “fight or flight” reaction to danger is nature’s way of keeping us from harm. When placed in a threatening situation, the human body prepares itself to respond. The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline into the body to provide it with the boost of energy it will need to either confront or flee the threat. Blood is pumped faster around the body to feed the muscles the energy they’ll need and we become alert and ready for action to defend ourselves.

However, this wonder of human evolution can sometimes work against us. In the modern world we no longer react to every threat by delivering a swift blow around the head with a club or by running away, and most fears do not attack us with the intent of making us their lunch. Therefore, we sometimes get confused between the caveman and the modern man reaction to things. A phobia is when the “fight or flight” reaction misfires or overreacts and we are left with the discomfort of the fear when there is no real threat in sight.

A phobia can make one's life miserable, cause embarrassment, and undermine self confidence and self esteem.

 The difference between a fear and a phobia

The distinction generally made is to say that a fear is rational and when fear becomes irrational it is a phobia.

In reality the difference is mainly one of degree and the handiest way to distinguish them is by saying that a phobia is different from a fear by being more irrational. Because, having being fueled by our imagination, every fear will have a degree of irrationality to it

Symptom

What do you feel when you suffer from a phobia and you are facing the object of your fear? Anything from anxiety to a full blown panic attack rooting you to the spot. The more difficult it might be for you to escape, and the closer you are to whatever it is you have a phobia of, the more intense your panic is likely to be. Here are some of the symptoms and signs you should look out for if you suspect you have a phobia:

• Shortness of breath
• Accelerated and pounding heart
• Trembling
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Hot and cold flushes
• Nausea

Below is a list of the most common phobias:

Animal phobias – Spiders, dogs, snakes, mice, etc. A fear of any animal or insect.

Environment phobias – Heights, water, the dark, etc. A fear of anything found in nature.

Situational phobias – Enclosed spaces, flying, the dentist, etc. A fear of a specific situation.

Agoraphobia – A fear of being in a situation that is difficult or embarrassing to escape from, e.g. a crowded space, public areas, any form of travel.

Social phobia – Also known as social anxiety disorder, this phobia is triggered by any social situation where the fear is that you will be judged or evaluated in some negative fashion. People with social phobia will be very self-conscious and hyper-aware of how others might see them. Public speaking is the most common situation where this phobia is apparent.

Blood or medical phobia – A fear of anything to do with accidents, injury, injections or blood.

Other phobias – A fear of chocking, death, clowns or any other object or situation that people may feel an excessive or unnatural degree of fear over.

 Treatment

Researchers are still unclear on exactly what causes phobias. The latest studies show that there is likely a complex interaction of factors including genetics, brain chemistry, environmental triggers and learned behavior. Consequently, the most successful treatments typically address more than one of these factors. There are currently two major theories on how best to treat phobias, based on differing beliefs about the nature of mental illness.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is recognized as the best and the most effective form of social phobia treatment. There are two primary reasons that CBT is more effective and produces faster results than any other type of therapies used for social phobia treatment.

First of all, during the first meeting that the patient and the therapist will have, they both agree how long the treatment will be. Therefore, they are able to set a goal from the very first session. On average, the number of CBT sessions that a person suffering from social phobia needs is sixteen. Secondly, you are more likely to see results with CBT in a shorter time, when compared to psychoanalysis which may take several years.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a form of social phobia treatment is an instructive and intensive program, which requires the patient to do his or her part in order for the treatment to be successful. If the sessions are conducted on a weekly basis, at the end of every session the patient will receive an assignment that he or she has to complete before the next session. Unlike other therapies that may be used as a form of social phobia treatment, CBT is not open-ended.

Being afraid of spiders or death is not uncommon, but for some, the fear dictates how they live their lives. People who are susceptible to medication phobia are afraid of taking medicine and will go to great lengths to avoid it, even risking their own life. A phobia is an overwhelming fear of a thing, place or situation that has physical side effects such as panic attack, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, sweating, accelerated heart rate, chest pain and nausea.

There is no one cause for medication phobia; it can be triggered by an event or sometimes for no apparent reason. Some people can get by their phobias easily, like with a fear of snakes. But for those who fear taking medication, their phobia can be life threatening.

Symptoms of Medication Phobia

• If fear takes over and one finds themselves avoiding taking a life-saving drug
• Constantly afraid of chocking on pills
• Ignoring a health problem in order to avoid medicines
• Phobia has persisted over a significant length of time and is affecting one’s health.

Treatment of Medication Phobia

People who are afraid of taking medicine, whether it be over-the-counter aspirin or prescription penicillin, should not fret as there are ways to conquer medication phobia. When treating medication phobia, it is important to choose a doctor who is pro-medication. Treatments for phobia can be approached from several different angles such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, more commonly known as exposure therapy. Using the exposure therapy method slowly exposes the person with their phobia first through the mind in therapy sessions and then in real life situations. Over short to long periods of time, depending on the severity of the case, therapy can help people who suffer from medicine phobias cope with their fear and get their health back on track.

People with medication phobias should also learn self-help methods to deal with the worst of the symptoms. Getting informed about the phobia is the first step in overcoming the fear, as Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu said, “know thy self, know thy enemy.” Reading this article is certainly a step in the right direction. If choking while taking medicine is the fear, then the doctor can give options for liquid or crushed medicines. Learning to keep negative thoughts at bay is also helpful as a negative train of thought can invoke the medication phobia. Lastly, practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga and muscle relaxation can help you deal with the emotional and physical symptoms of a severe phobia.

Being afraid of taking medicine or of suffering adverse reactions is not uncommon; treatment professionals are out there. Getting informed is the first step, next it is important to find a professional who knows how to lead you down the path of recovery.

If you have unreasonable fears, consider getting psychological help, especially if you have children. Although genetics probably play a role in the development of phobias, repeatedly seeing someone else's phobic reaction can trigger a phobia in children. By dealing with your own fears, you might not pass them on to your children.