Different Kinds of Phobias
Written by Mystic on Sunday, January 20, 2008 Do you shudder at the thought of spiders? Hate being on the top floor of a high-rise building? Don't worry! Occasionally feeling vulnerable to irrational fears and anxieties is perfectly normal. It's when these fears and anxieties start to dictate where we go and what we do that it's important to take an action. For instance, take the case of Gaurav. Last month he turned down an excellent job offer because it would have required moving his office to the tenth floor. And Gaurav dreads taking elevators! Mental health experts call overwhelming fears, the kind in which the sufferers turn their lives inside out to avoid the dreaded objects and situations Phobias. These usually start in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. Although many childhood phobias disappear before adulthood, only a small fraction of phobias in adults go away without treatment. Phobias: What are they exactly? Isn't it normal to feel fearful now and then, "What exactly distinguishes phobias from fears?", you say? Well, phobias are more intense and persistent. And the anxiety the sufferer feels is usually irrational to the extent that it interferes with the day-to-day activities, work and relationships of the person concerned causing immense stress. The person will start avoiding the objects or situations that cause the fear. Let's say, for example, that you are horribly afraid of rats. For most of us, that's a normal fear. They're ugly and can carry disease. Who wouldn't be afraid of them? But if your fear of simply seeing a rat evolves into dreams about rats, or if you stop walking downtown because you might see one, or stay locked up at home every day to rat-proof your home for no apparent reason, your fear has evolved into a phobia. Well, these are three main types of phobias. These include: Specific phobia: This involves fear of a specific object, such as insects or blood, or of a specific situation, such as flying in an airplane or riding in an elevator. Social phobia: It involves fear of being judged by other people and acting in a way that could cause embarrassment or humiliation e.g fear of public speaking. Agoraphobia: This phobia involves the fear of being "caught" or "seen" in a public place, especially when having a panic attack. In this article, we're focusing on specific phobias only.
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