What is a Phobia?

Some fears and phobias really curb your enjoyment and put a restraint on many thing in your life. So, what exactly is a phobia? Are there any treatments available? Will you ever be able to overcome your fear or heights (acrophobia), or your fear of closed places (claustrophobia) and many other fears like these? Let’s read more to know about what is a phobia?, its types, and what are possible treatments and medications available.

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder caused by a persistent and excessive fear of a particular object or situation^​1​. Phobias are caused by a rapid onset of fear that lasts for more than six months. Those who are affected will go to great efforts to avoid the situation or object, to a degree greater than the actual danger posed. They experience significant distress^​1​ if the object or situation cannot be avoided, that’s why they are different from normal fears. Approximately 75% of people with phobias have multiple phobias. Phobias affect women twice as often as they affect males. The beginning of a phobia is most common between the ages of 10 and 17, with rates decreasing as people get older. Those with phobias are at a higher risk of suicide.

Key points in the Article:

• Types of Phobias
• Possible Treatment and Therapy
• Medication
• Strange Phobias
• List of all the Phobias

Types of Phobias:

Most phobias fall under three categories, and such phobias are considered sub-types of anxiety disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). The categories are:

Specific phobias^​2​: Fears of specific objects or social situations that cause anxiety and, in some cases, panic attacks. Animal phobia, natural environment phobia, situational phobia, and blood-injection-injury phobia are the four types of specific phobia.

Social phobia: Also known as social anxiety disorder, is when the person is afraid of being judged by others.

Agoraphobia: It is a fear of leaving home or a small familiar ‘safe’ area, as well as the possibility of panic attacks. It can also be caused by phobias such as fear of open spaces, social embarrassment, or contamination.

Possible Treatment and Therapy:

There are different methods to treat phobias like,  Systematic desensitization, progressive relaxation, virtual reality, modelling, medication, and hypnotherapy, these are some of the techniques used to treat phobias. The good news is that psychologists and other researchers have developed some effective behavioral and pharmacological treatments for phobias, as well as technological interventions, over the last several decades.^​3​

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

CBT, stands for cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a psychosocial intervention aimed at improving mental health. CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (e.g., thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes) and behaviors, as well as improving emotional regulation and developing personal coping strategies to address current problems. CBT can help a person challenge dysfunctional thoughts or beliefs by being mindful of their own feelings, with the goal that the person will realize that their fear is irrational^​4​.

Systematic Desensitization:

Systematic desensitization is a method used in the treatment of phobias. It is a process in which people seeking help gradually become accustomed to their phobia and eventually overcome it. Traditional systematic desensitization involves exposing a person to the object they are afraid of over time in order to prevent the fear and discomfort from becoming overwhelming. When traditional systematic desensitization fails, humor has been shown to be an excellent alternative. Humor systematic desensitization includes a set of treatment activities that evoke humor in the presence of the feared object.

Virtual Reality Therapy:

Another technique for helping phobic people confront a feared object is virtual reality therapy. It makes use of virtual reality to create scenes that would be impossible or unethical in the real world. It is just as effective as traditional exposure therapy and has a few extra benefits. Controlling the scenes and exposing the phobic person to more exposure are two examples of the advantages of treating the person with this therapy.

Hypnotherapy:

To treat phobias, hypnotherapy can be used alone or in combination with systematic desensitization^{​​5​​}. The underlying cause of the phobia may be discovered through hypnotherapy. The phobia may be the result of a past event that the person does not remember now (also called repression).

Medication for Phobias:

Medications can help in the regulation of anxiety and fear in response to a specific fearful object or situation. In some cases of phobia, antidepressant medications such as SSRIs or MAOIs may be beneficial. Antidepressants such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) work by impacting serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. People may be prescribed an antidepressant because serotonin impacts mood^​6​.

Beta blockers, beta blockers are a type of medication used to treat abnormal heart rhythms and prevent a second heart attack after a first heart attack. They’re also commonly used to treat hypertension. But are no longer the first choice of most patients in the initial treatment. Beta Blockers are another option for treating adrenaline-related symptoms like sweating, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, tremors, and the sensation of a pounding heart. These symptoms can be reduced by taking beta-blockers before a phobic event, making the event less frightening.

Some Unusual Phobias Include The Following:

List of Phobias from A-Z:

FINDING HELP FOR PHOBIAS: If you have a phobia that affects your quality of life, there are organizations that can help you with your phobias:-