Summary:
Fear. When it becomes so extreme that it affects someone’s life in terms of productivity, it can be a problem. Read on to know more about phobias.
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder where the person has frenzied fear for something that they don’t have control over. Thinking of the fear source can trigger the person to go into panic attacks and feel anxious or fearful. The source of the fear could be anything, living or nonliving. It is more extreme than fear; it is an amplified sense of fear and danger, makes someone panic to an utmost level.
The symptoms include:
- Increased heart rates
- Sweating
- Panicking
- Nausea
- Dizziness, unsteadiness, or feeling faint
- Trembling
A phobia can be mild or extreme, to the extent that it could affect the person’s day-to-day life, affecting productivity throughout.
What causes a phobia?
A phobia can be caused due to a variety of reasons.
- It can be caused by a traumatic incident that affected the person
- Genetics plays a major part in it as well; as in some fears can be inherited.
- It could be something that the person is exposed to in their surroundings, and it is just on their mind because everyone around them is afraid of it.
How to overcome a phobia?
It is said that fear can be overcome by facing it. Phobias work the same. They need to be faced with courage and repeated attempts to be able to completely overcome their fear. The process could be slow and steady, could require a tremendous amount of patience, from everyone involved in the treatment process.
This could be self-help, help from friends and family, or professional assistance. With each baby steps taken to overcome the fear, it would eventually pass after a while, and the person could free themself from the shackles of terror surrounding them.
Points to remember:
- Phobias can be defeated, with patience, willpower, and consistency.
- Phobias can range from mild to extreme
- Ask for help when needed, friends, family, or professional
References:
- NHS, 2018. Phobias. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/phobias/
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Phobias Symptoms and Causes. [online] Available at: https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/p/phobias/symptoms-and-causes
- Mental Health America, Phobias. [online] Available at: https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/phobias.
