Phobias
What is a phobia?
A phobia is an anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months.
A phobia is created and maintained by a vigilant part of the mind below awareness. The associated anxiety you experience is in response to a pattern being matched where the trigger is a perceived threat to your well being or survival. With this in mind, it’s easier to appreciate why phobia’s respond well to treatment that disrupts this response subconsciously at it’s root. This eliminates the need for lengthly, potentially costly treatments and provides alternatives to exposure therapy.
Different types of Phobias:
1. Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and other arachnids. The sight of a spider can trigger a fear response, but in some cases, simply an image of an arachnid or the thought of a spider can lead to feelings of overwhelming fear and panic.
So why are so many people terrified of arachnids? While there are an estimated 35,000 different spider species, only around a dozen pose any type of real threat to humans.
One of the most common explanations for this and similar animal phobias is that such creatures once posed a considerable threat to our ancestors who lacked the medical know-how and technological tools to address injuries from animals and insects. As a result, evolution contributed to a predisposition to fear these creatures.
2. Aerophobia
Aerophobia, or the fear of flying, affects between 10% and 40% of U.S. adults despite the fact that airplane accidents are actually very uncommon.6 Around 1 out of every 3 people have some level of fear of flying. Some of the common symptoms associated with this phobia include trembling, rapid heartbeat, and feeling disoriented.
The fear of flying sometimes causes people to avoid flying altogether. It is often treated using exposure therapy, in which the client is gradually and progressively introduced to flying.7 The individual may start by simply imagining themselves on a plane before slowly working up to actually sitting on a plane and finally sitting through a flight.
3. Cynophobia
Cynophobia, or the fear of dogs, is often associated with specific personal experiences such as being bitten by a dog during childhood. Such events can be quite traumatic and can lead to fear responses that last well into adulthood. This particular phobia can be quite common.
This phobia is not just a normal apprehension of unfamiliar canines; it is an irrational and excessive fear that can have a serious impact on a person’s life and functioning.
For example, a person with cynophobia might feel unable to walk down a certain street because they know that there is a dog living in that neighborhood. This avoidance can impact the individual’s ability to function in their daily life and make it difficult to get to work, school, or other events outside of the home.
4. Trypanophobia
Trypanophobia is the fear of injections, a condition that can sometimes cause people to avoid medical treatments and doctors. Like many phobias, this fear often goes untreated because people avoid the triggering object and situation. Estimates suggest that as many as 20% to 30% of adults are affected by this type of phobia. When people with this phobia do have to have an injection, they may experience feelings of extreme dread and elevated heart rate leading up to the procedure. Some people even pass out during the injection. Because these symptoms can be so distressing, people with this phobia sometimes avoid doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals even when they have some type of physical or dental ailment that needs attention.
5. Emetophobia
Emetophobia is a fear of vomiting or seeing others being sick. Those who experience emetophobia may also fear being out of control while they are being sick or fear being sick in public, which can trigger avoidance behaviours.