Get to Know Some of the Most Common Types of Phobias
To a certain extent, every person is afraid of something, be it of heights, falling down, or even getting into an accident. But what happens if the feeling of fear is so strong that it can literally becomes paralyzing? You might be suffering from a phobia.
What differentiates people with phobias from the rest of mainstream society is that a person diagnosed with phobia has an anxiety disorder characterised by intense, irrational or obsessive fear of certain situations, people, activities or objects, and a strong urge to avoid those situations, people, activities objects. In other words, these stimuli cause extreme distress and can provoke an disproportionately intense reaction in phobics (people who suffer from phobias) This may also lead to panic attacks or aggravate panic disorders.
Simple phobia, social phobia, and agoraphobia are three types of phobias which are commonly encountered in modern day society.
Simple phobias (the fear of certain objects and situations) are the most common. Fear of heights, insects, and flying are just a few examples of simple phobias. Insight therapy is not effective as a form of treatment as sufferers of this type of phobia are not necessarily put at ease by the knowledge that these fears are not reasonable nor justified. Currently, there are no proven drug treatments for people who suffer from simple phobias.
Social phobics (people who suffer from social phobia) display extreme anxiety when around groups of people, fearful of being at the center of attention. This is also often because they are afraid that other people will judge them. Social phobics report having extreme difficulty speaking to others, thinking clearly and/or remembering facts. The levels of anxiety correlates with the perceived importance of the social surroundings i.e. the more important the sufferer thinks it is to impress a group of people, the higher the levels of anxiety experienced.
Agoraphobia is a common phobia which can be defined as a generalised fear of leaving a familiar ’safe’ place such as home, and of the possible panic attacks which may follow. It may also be a result of panic disorders which in extreme cases, prevents sufferers from leaving their homes unless accompanied by people they trust. Agoraphobia is derived from a Greek word meaning “fear of the open marketplace”.
Agoraphobia is different from panic disorders, although many people who have panic disorder often suffer from agoraphobia. People who have panic disorder are subject to recurring unpredictable episodes of severe panic without any particular reason. Due to the intensity of symptoms which mark panic disorders, it is often mistaken for life-threatening illnesses such as a heart attack. Symptoms include perspiration, shortness of breath, hyperventilation, dizziness, uncontrollable fear, rapid heartbeat, and dizziness.
Attan Denis writes mostly on family issues and pets. His latest works are how to overcome binge eating disorders and eating disorder anorexia nervosa treatment.
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