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What Are Phobias?
All people have fears or situations they would rather avoid. Some people are frightened by job interviews. Others are uncomfortable to be home alone at night. Most people control their fears and go about their normal activities. Sometimes they develop coping strategies, other times they merely grit their teeth and go forward. But some people's lives are consumed by inappropriate and involuntary fears. Normal coping mechanisms don't work, and the need to avoid the objects or situations that cause anxiety can be so intense that normal living becomes impossible. These people are suffering from a phobia. Individuals with phobias recognise that their fears are unreasonable, but they are unable to control them. They experience extreme anxiety and panic when exposed to certain objects or situations that they logically know are not dangerous.
Examples of Phobias
Barbara’s Fear of Flying
Betty is terrified of flying. Unfortunately, she has to travel a lot for work, and this travelling takes a terrible toll. For weeks before every trip, she has a knot in her stomach and a feeling of anxiety that won’t go away. On the day of the flight, she wakes up feeling like she’s going to throw up. Once she’s on the plane, her heart pounds, she feels lightheaded, and she starts to hyperventilate. Every time it gets worse and worse.
Betty’s fear of flying has become so bad that she finally told her employer she can only travel to places within driving distance. Her employer was not happy about this, and Betty’s not sure what will happen at work. She’s afraid she’ll be demoted or lose her job altogether. But better that, she tells herself, than getting on a plane again.
A phobia is an intense fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual
danger. Common phobias and fears include closed-
The experience is so nerve-
Understanding your phobia is the first step to overcoming it. It’s important to know that phobias are common. Having a phobia doesn’t mean you’re crazy! It also helps to know that phobias are highly treatable. You can overcome your anxiety and fear, no matter how out of control it feels. Other example of phobias are:
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is the fear of being alone in any place or situation from which it seems escape would be difficult or help unavailable should the need arise. People with agoraphobia avoid being on busy streets or in crowded stores etc. Some people with agoraphobia become so disabled they literally will not leave their homes. If they do, they do so only with great distress or when accompanied by a friend or family member. The onset may be sudden or gradual.
Most people with agoraphobia develop the disorder after first suffering from one or more spontaneous panic attacks (feelings of intense, overwhelming terror accompanied by symptoms such as sweating, shortness of breath, or faintness). These attacks seem to occur randomly and without warning, making it impossible for a person to predict what situation will trigger such a reaction. The unpredictability of the panic attacks "trains" individuals to anticipate future panic attacks and, therefore, to fear any situation in which an attack may occur. As a result, they avoid going into any place or situation where previous panic attacks have occurred.
Social Phobia
A person with social phobia fears being watched or humiliated while doing something in front of others. As a result, he or she avoids any situation in which such activity may be required. The most common social phobia is the fear of speaking in public. Many people have a generalized form of social phobia, in which they fear and avoid interpersonal interactions. This makes it difficult for them to go to work or school or to socialize at all. Social phobias generally develop after puberty and peak after the age of 30.
Specific Phobia
As the name implies, people with a specific phobia generally have an irrational fear of specific objects or situations. The disability caused by this phobia can be severe if the feared object or situation is a common one. The most common specific phobia in the general population is fear of animals, particularly dogs, snakes, insects, and mice. Other specific phobias are fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) and fear of heights (acrophobia). Most simple phobias develop during childhood and eventually disappear. Those that persist into adulthood rarely go away without treatment.
Almost everyone has an irrational fear or two. Some get nervous at the thought of
needles. Others shriek at the sight of a mouse. Still others get woozy when they
look down from tall buildings. For most people, these fears are minor. But for some,
these fears are so severe that they cause tremendous anxiety and interfere with normal
day-
When fears are irrational and disabling, they are called phobias. If you have a phobia
that’s keeping you from doing things you’d like to do and living the life you want,
take heart. Phobias can be managed and cured. Self-
Signs and Symptoms of Phobias
The symptoms of a phobia can range from mild feelings of apprehension and anxiety
to a full-
Physical signs and symptoms of a phobia
- Difficulty breathing
- Racing or pounding heart
- Chest pain or tightness
- Trembling or shaking
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- A churning stomach
- Hot or cold flashes; tingling sensations
- Sweating
Emotional signs and symptoms of a phobia
- Feeling of overwhelming anxiety or panic
- Feeling an intense need to escape
- Feeling “unreal” or detached from yourself
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Feeling like you’re going to die or pass out
Knowing that you’re overreacting, but feeling powerless to control your fear
Treatment -
Fortunately, phobias are very treatable. In fact, most people who seek treatment
completely overcome their fears for life. Effective relief can be gained through
therapies such as Transactional Analysis, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Energy-
In Behaviour therapy for example, the client meets with a trained therapist and confronts the feared object or situation in a carefully planned, gradual way and learns to control the physical reactions of fear. The person first imagines the feared object or situation, works up to looking at pictures that depict the object or situation, and finally actually experiences the situation or comes in contact with the feared object. By confronting rather than fleeing the object of fear, the person becomes accustomed to it and can lose the terror, horror, panic, and dread he or she once felt.
Treatment -
Medications are used to control the panic experienced during a phobic situation as well as the anxiety aroused by anticipation of that situation.
General anxiety -
If the anxious patient is able to wait for the benefits of the medication for two to four weeks, then buspirone is often a good first choice. However, if he or she needs a more immediate response, then the benzodiazepines may be more appropriate. There are current studies indicating that imipramine and the SSRI's may also be effective for general anxiety. (See medication page)
Simple Phobias -
Phobia Self-
Phobias, illogical yet powerful fears, affect more than one in eight people in western
civilisations at some time. Phobias are the most common kind of anxiety disorder.
If you suspect that you might suffer from a phobia, complete the following self-
How can I tell if it’s a phobia?
Yes or no? Are you troubled by:
- Powerful and ongoing fear of social situations involving unfamiliar people?
- Fear of situations where getting help or escape might be difficult, such as in a crowd?
- Shortness of breath or a racing heart for no apparent reason?
- Persistent and unreasonable fear of an object or situation, such as flying, heights, animals, etc.?
- Being unable to travel alone, without a companion?
If you answered yes to the above questions, it could indicate a phobia which may be helped by counselling or psychotherapy
Having more than one illness at the same time can make it difficult to diagnose and treat the different conditions. Illnesses that sometimes complicate anxiety disorders include depression and substance abuse. With this in mind, please take a minute to answer the following questions:
Have you experienced changes in sleeping or eating habits?
More days than not, do you feel:
- sad or depressed?
- uninterested in life?
- worthless or guilty?
During the last year, has the use of alcohol or drugs:
- resulted in your failure to fulfil responsibilities with work, school, or family?
- placed you in a dangerous situation, such as driving a car under the influence?
- caused you to be arrested?
- continued despite causing problems for you and/or your loved ones?
Answering yes to the above questions could indicate depression or an addictive problem which may complicate the phobia, and may be helped by counselling or psychotherapy
Any phobia that interferes with daily living and creates extreme disability should be treated. With proper treatment, the vast majority of phobia patients can completely overcome their fears and be symptom free for years, if not for life.
How to Cure your Phobia
Through the use of Hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy , EMDR and NLP, I can reassure you that I will eliminate your phobia quickly and easily, leaving you free to see the source of your old unwanted fear in a far more rational, resourceful and often humorous way.
Imagine that, after just one session, the subject of your phobia no longer having that extreme and debilitating power over you, but rather being something that you are able to laugh at!
Over the years I have successfully treated all kinds of phobias including fears of spiders, needles, cats, lifts, dentists, buttons and clowns to name just few, always leaving my clients altogether more relaxed and more confident in those specific situations where they used to be extremely anxious or panicky.
