PHOBIA
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that is marked by an overwhelming and unbearable fear of an object or situation.
- A person with a phobia may experience a deep sense of dread or panic when they encounter the source of their fear.
- These situations are not normally threatening, or frightening but the affected person goes to a great length to avoid the situation or object.
- If the feared object or situation cannot be avoided, the person experiences significant distress.
- The American Psychiatric Association recognizes three type of phobia, which are:
- Specific phobias is an intense, irrational fear of a specific trigger. However, it is not unusual to experience a specific phobia with about more than one trigger. Specific phobias are referred to as simple phobias as they can be linked to a cause that may not frequently occur in the everyday life of an individual, such as snakes. So they are therefore not likely to affect day-to-day living in a significant way.
- Common categories of specific phobias are fear of:
- situations such as airplanes enclosed spaces or going to school
- nature such as heights, darkness or thunderstorms
- animals or insects such as dogs or spiders
- blood, injection, or injuries such as needles or medical procedure
- Others, such as choking, vomiting, or loud noises.
- Each specific phobia has its own term by which it is referred to. Examples of the terms include acrophobia for fear of heights, aviophobia for fear of flying, claustrophobia for fear of enclosed spaces, arachnophobia for fear of spiders, nyctophobia for fear of darkness, ophidiophobia for fear of snakes.
- Social phobia or social anxiety refers to extreme worry about social situations, resulting from the fear of being embarrassed in public. People with social phobia often go out of their way to avoid public situations.
- Agoraphobia refers to a fear of situations from which it would be difficult to escape if a person were to experience extreme panic such as being in a lift or outside of the home. Those with chronic health condition may fear they will have a medical emergency in a public area or where no help is available so they may avoid public situations and stay inside their home.
- Social phobia and agoraphobia are known as complex phobias, as their triggers are not difficult to recognize and may affect day-to-day living of an individual as well as their wellbeing.
CAUSES
Genetic and environmental factor can cause phobias.
Social and specific phobias sometimes may be hereditary. Some people are born with a predisposition towards anxiety, making them susceptible to developing phobias.
Distressing events, pressure or traumatic event related to a specific object or situation may lead to phobias. An experience of nearly drowning or an unpleasant experience in a confined space can bring on phobia.
Changes in the brain functioning may also play a role.
SYMPTOMS
A person with phobia will experience the following symptom:
- An immediate feeling of intense fear, anxiety, and panic when exposed to or having thoughts related to the source of fear
- A feeling that the source of fear must be avoided at all cost
- Awareness that the fear is irrational, exaggerated, and unreasonable, combined with an inability to control the feelings.
- Difficulty functioning normally because when exposed to the trigger
An exposure to the object of phobia brings on panic and intense anxiety which may also trigger some physical sensations such as:
- Profuse sweating
- Abnormal breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
- Trembling
- Dry mouth
- A headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Elevated blood pressure
- A choking sensation
- Upset stomach
- Inability to speak
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnosis is based on a clinical interview and diagnostic guidelines. The doctor will ask questions about symptoms and take a medical, psychiatric and social history. The doctor may also use diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
TREATMENT
Treatment for phobias can involve therapeutic techniques, medications, or a combination of both.
The most commonly used therapeutic treatment for phobia is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). New CBT technique uses virtual reality technology to expose people to the sources of their phobia in order to be able to confront it.
Medications such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.