Definition
A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear, which can interfere with the ability to socialize, work, or go about everyday life, that is brought on by an object, event or situation.(Web,1)
There are several theories about why people develop phobias. Specific phobias often result from having a bad experience. Children may see other people getting hurt by something or be afraid of something. Most of the time, people end up with phobias about something that does have some potential risk. To be diagnosed as a phobia, the fear has to interfere with someone's life or cause distress. Phobias are much more common in women than in men.
Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder. The three main types of phobias are:
- Specific phobia: 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: fear of being judged by other people and acting in a way that could cause embarrassment or humiliation
- Agoraphobia: fear of being "caught" or seen in a public place, especially when having a panic attack
Symptoms:
- A persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation.
- An immediate response of uncontrollable anxiety when exposed to the object of fear.
- A compelling desire to avoid and unusual measures taken to stay away from what you fear.
- An impaired ability to function at normal tasks because of the fear.
Treatment:
If phobias persistently cause you anxiety and cause disruptions to your life on a daily basis, seeing your doctor is a necessary first step along a course of professional treatment.
