Zeru Elinor

Anaky Yifat

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, or people. Phobia is a disorder characterized by anxiety from excessive and irrational fear that results in distress or injury functioning.

About 20% of people in the population suffer from various phobias. A person with phobia, mostly try to escape from the cause which brings to this and it's accompanied by a consistent fear and anxiety. It papers when encountering with the object of which causes it. The phobia appears in any age. Starting from children in any age, and ending in any possible age. Most phobias develop in childhood, but- they can also develop in adults.

The symptoms of phobia appear as an effect of fear, and they are characterized by anxiety, panic, breathing fast, shortness of breath, pounding heartbeat, not - convenience, or chest pain, feeling of suffocation, sweat, fear of losing control, numbness in limbs, dizziness and feeling faint.

Where does the name phobia come from? The source of the word is Greek and its meaning of the word is "fear" or "morbid fear". Very often, people tried to break this rule especially within the medical profession, and change that to a Latin name. Although this rule must be followed, practically, some words are a combination between Latin and Greek.

Many people confuse phobias with regular fears, but, they are not the same.

The distinction, generally made is to say that a fear is rational and natural biological reaction and when fear becomes irrational it is a phobia. For example, let's say that you were walking through the forest and a snake came at you, you're going to have this rush of adrenalin and you're going to be afraid. Whereas a phobia is something that develops over time and you might even be afraid of it when you're not even in the situation.

Many people worry about phobias being contagious. The answer to this question is tricky, for in the medical sense phobia can't be contagious; it is not an illness of the body but a state of mind. For example, you can't get claustrophobia from another person, but if you get stuck in a small closed room for a long time, or you speak with someone who has the condition, it makes sense in some way then maybe you are about to get a phobia soon or later.

How can you know if your fear is a phobia?

It is normal and even helpful to experience fear in dangerous situations. Fear is a normal human response. It serves a protective purpose, activating the automatic “fight-or-flight” response. With our bodies and minds alert and ready for action, we are able to respond quickly and protect ourselves. But with phobias the threat is greatly exaggerated or nonexistent.

There are differences between a phobia and fear. Let's take some examples: Erica is came across with a lion, of course she is going to get very scared, with a big fear but we can not call it a phobia because it is normal for anyone to be scared if he even just watched a lion on TV, this is not a phobia but an ordinary fear. If after ten years time the person has irrational fear which is related to lions, then it is probably a phobia. Another case, it is only natural to be afraid of a snarling Doberman, but it is irrational to be terrified of a friendly poodle on a leash, as you might be if you have a dog phobia. A phobia must be continues and intense fear from something, this fear usually expressed in the way of the person's life: relationship, work, school and in any another activities. The fear causes the person to spend a big part of his day of by thinking about it, it causes him to change what he does, where he goes and mostly he is limits his activities because of his fear. If any or all of these symptoms are true, then the fear probably is a phobia. If the fear is a phobia then mostly the person has no explanation why he feels the fear that it seems to him very irrational.

Phobias in children

Phobias in children are common. According to The Child Anxiety Network, 90% of children between the ages of 2-14 have at least one specific fear. The following fears are shared by many children and are considered normal:

  • 0-2 years – Loud noises, strangers, separation from parents, large objects.
  • 3-6 years – Imaginary things such as ghosts, monsters, the dark, sleeping alone, strange noises.
  • 7-16 years – More realistic fears such as injury, illness, school performance, death, natural disasters.

If the child’s fear is not interfering with his or her daily life, then it is unlikely that treatment is needed. However, if the fear is interfering with your child’s social activities, school performance, or sleep patterns, you should seek professional help from a qualified therapist.

Signs and symptoms of phobias

People with phobias experience many anxiety-related symptoms when they’re exposed to the object or situation they fear. The symptoms are both emotional and physical. The symptoms of anxiety and fear can range from mild feelings of apprehension to a full-blown panic attack. Typically, the closer you are to the thing you’re afraid of, the greater your fear will be. Your fear will also be higher if escape from is difficult.

Common phobia signs and symptoms:

  • Shortness of breath or smothering sensation
  • Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
  • Chest pain or discomfort
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Feeling of choking
  • Sweating
  • Nausea or stomach distress
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  • Feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded, or faint
  • Feelings of unreality or of being detached from yourself
  • Fear of losing control or going crazy
  • Fear of dying
  • Numbness or tingling sensations
  • Hot or cold flashes
  • Fear of fainting

Common types of phobias and fears

There are four general types of common phobias and fears:

  • Animal phobias. Animal phobias are fears caused by an animal or insect. Examples include fear of snakes, fear of spiders, fear of rodents, and fear of dogs.
  • Natural environment phobias. Natural environment phobias are fears cued by objects found in nature. Examples include fear of heights, fear of storms, fear of water, and fear of the dark.
  • Situational phobias. Situational phobias are fears triggered by a specific situation. Examples include fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), fear of elevators, fear of flying, fear of dentists, fear of driving, fear of tunnels, and fear of bridges.
  • Blood-Injection-Injury phobia. Blood-injection-injury phobia involves fear of blood, fear or injury, or a fear of shots or another medical procedure.
  • Panic attacks- a panic attack can be a quite terrifying ordeal unless you understand what is going on and why it is going on. Panics are very common and appear to mainly affect people who normally give the impression of being confident, reliable and dependable.

Common phobias

  • Fear of spiders
  • Fear of snakes
  • Fear of heights
  • Fear or closed spaces
  • Fear of storms

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is another phobia that doesn’t fit neatly into any of the four categories. Traditionally thought to involve a fear of public places and open spaces, it is now believed that agoraphobia develops as a complication of panic attacks.

Afraid that they may have another panic attack, people with agoraphobia become anxious about being in situations where escape would be difficult or embarrassing, or where help wouldn't be immediately available. If you have agoraphobia, you are likely to avoid crowded places such as shopping malls and movie theaters. Standing in line is another situation that can be panic provoking. You may also avoid cars, airplanes, subways, and other forms of travel. In more severe cases, you might only feel safe at home.

Social phobia

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is fear of social situations where you may be embarrassed or judged. If you have social phobia you may be excessively self-conscious and afraid of humiliating yourself in front of others. Your anxiety over how you will look and what others will think may lead you to avoid certain social situations you’d otherwise enjoy.

Fear of public speaking, an extremely common phobia, is a type of social phobia. Other fears associated with social phobia include fear of eating or drinking in public, talking to strangers, taking exams, mingling at a party and being called on in class.

In addition, there are some rare phobias: Fear not to marry -Anuptaphobia (scared to stay single). Fear to learn-Sophophobia (phobia studies). Pogonophobia (fear of old people). And many others.

Treatment ways to overcome phobia

Although phobias are common, they rarely cause considerable distress or a significant disruption of everyday activities. For example, if you have a snake phobia, it may cause no problems in your daily life if you live in a city where you are not likely to run into one. On the other hand, if you have a severe phobia of crowded spaces, living in a big city would pose a problem.

If the person's phobia doesn’t really impact your life that much, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about. But if it is gets in the way of the person's relationship, work or school and make him to change or limit his daily life , it’s time to look for help.

Consider getting treatment for your phobia if:

  • It causes intense and disabling fear, anxiety, and panic.
  • You recognize that your fear is excessive and unreasonable.
  • You avoid certain situations and places because of your phobia.
  • Your avoidance interferes with your normal routine or causes significant distress.
  • You’ve had the phobia for at least six months.

Some phobia treatments include exposure, systematic desensitization, virtual reality, fear hierarchies, positive reinforcement, massing, and extinction. Overcoming phobias effectively depends on the personality and the phobia itself.

There are some methods to deal with phobia however they are quotable and change from one person to another here is some of them as mentioned at Wikipedia:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be beneficial. Cognitive behavioral therapy lets the patient understand the cycle of negative thought patterns, and ways to change these thought patterns. CBT may be conducted in a group setting. Gradual desensitization treatment and CBT are often successful, provided the patient is willing to endure some discomfort. In one clinical trial, 90% of patients were observed with no longer having a phobic reaction after successful CBT treatment.

(EMDR) has been demonstrated in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing* peer-reviewed clinical trials to be effective in treating some phobias. Mainly used to treat, EMDR has disorder been demonstrated as effective in easing phobia symptoms following a specific trauma, such as a fear of dogs following a dog bite.

*Hypnotherapy coupled with Neuro-linguistic programming can also be used to help remove the associations that trigger a phobic reaction. However, lack of research and scientific testing compromises its status as an effective treatment.

*Antidepressant medications such SSRIs (serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor), MAOIs (Monoamine oxidase inhibitor) may be helpful in some cases of phobia. Benzodiazepines may be useful in acute treatment of severe symptoms but the risk benefit ratio is against their long-term use in phobic disorders.

*Emotional Freedom Technique, a psychotherapeuticalternative medicine tool, also considered to be pseudoscience by the mainstream medicine, is allegedly useful.

These treatment options are not mutually exclusive. Often a therapist will suggest multiple treatments.

Therapy for most phobias is exposure therapy. Basically, creating a hierarchy of scary situations and progressively working up through them until they aren't anxiety provoking.

The most frequently used treatment for phobias is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy called systematic desensitization or exposure therapy. This treatment is very effective. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 75% of people are able to overcome their phobias through cognitive-behavioral therapy. In that treatment the person exposures to the situation is a widely-used phobia treatment. Exposure can be real: For instance, Hal would go to the grocery store for a visit at first, then to buy a single item, then two items, and so on. This is systematic desensitization and it works in overcoming phobias. Exposure can be also being imagined: a psychologist or counselor helps Hal imagine shopping at the grocery store, standing in line with people behind him, paying for groceries, etc. This phobia treatment is imagined but still effective in overcoming phobias. Hal could employ these techniques by himself or, perhaps preferably, with the help of a counselor. If there are other issues regarding overcoming phobias or irrational fears, it's important to have a trained professional.

Here is an example of how exposure steps for a serious fear of dogs (Cynophobia) could be'graded':


Step 1: Draw a small rough dog shape on a piece of paper.
Step 2: Work up to the biggest and most accurate version you can manage.
Step 3: Look at black and white photos of dogs.
Step 4: Look at color photos.
Step 5: Look at videos.
Step 6: Look at dogs through a closed window.
Step 7: Then through a partly-opened window; then open more and more.
Step 8: Look at them from a doorway.
Step 9: Move further out from the doorway; then further etc.
Step 10:Have a helper bring a dog into a nearby room (on a lead).
Step 11: Have the helper bring the dog into the same room, still on a lead.

More information

Here is a list of the most common phobias afflicting people today:

Agoraphobia - This is the fear of open spaces. In Greek it translates literally as "fear of the marketplace."

Claustrophobia - People with this phobia are reluctant to enter tight, enclosed places like elevators or caves.

Acrophobia - High buildings would be strictly off limits for those who suffer from a fear of heights.

Mysophobia - People with this phobia will do anything to avoid germs and contamination.

Xenophobia - It's an extreme fear of foreign people or objects.

Necrophobia - This is the fear of dead people and everything associated with death (a coffin, a hearse or a funeral home).

Brontophobia - This is the fear of thunder and lightning.

Carcinophobia - This is the fear of cancer.

Aviophobia - This fear of flying stops countless people from enjoying domestic and foreign vacations.

Arachnophobia - Spiders are terrifying creatures to people who have this phobia and it's not entirely unreasonable considering that some of them are poisonous.

All of the above phobias are recognized and accepted as legitimate by the scientific community. The root of the phobia can be traced back to a traumatic event or as something as benign as a television show or a movie.

Here is a list of phobias which are rare and unusual:

Coulrophobia - People with this phobia have an extreme fear of clowns.

Ergasiophobia - This is the fear of working and making decisions. People with this phobia will procrastinate constantly to avoid starting any kind of task.

Gephyrophobia - People with this phobia are afraid of bridges. As a result they will try to find another route to their destination in any way possible.

Neophobia - This is the fear of trying anything new, or breaking out of an entrenched routine.

Nomophobia - this is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. Running out of credit and low battery power also contribute to this phobia.

Oneirophobia - This is the fear of dreams. It may not sound so bad, but it's a distressing condition to many people.

Triskaidekaphobia - this fear of the number thirteen, but it's quite real to those who suffer from it. It's considered to bring bad luck. In western countries, hospitals and apartment buildings often do not have a 13th floor. King Philip IV of France had many soldiers of the Knights Templar arrested, tortured and burned at the stake on October 13, 1307. Guess what day of the week that was?

It was a Friday.

The phobia list:

There are cases in which borrowed the word "phobia" to describe the hatred or rejection toward the object, regardless of the medical definition of the word phobia.

A-Ablutophobia- Fear of washing or bathing.Acarophobia- Fear of itching or of the insects that cause itching.Acerophobia- Fear of sourness.Achluophobia- Fear of darkness.Acousticophobia- Fear of noise.Acrophobia- Fear of heights.Aerophobia- Fear of drafts, air swallowing, or airbourne noxious substances.Aeroacrophobia- Fear of open high places.Aeronausiphobia- Fear of vomiting secondary to airsickness.Agateophobia- Fear of insanity.Agliophobia- Fear of pain.Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets. Fear of leaving a safe place.Agraphobia- Fear of sexual abuse.Agrizoophobia- Fear of wild animals.Agyrophobia- Fear of streets or crossing the street.Aichmophobia- Fear of needles or pointed objects.Ailurophobia- Fear of cats.Albuminurophobia- Fear of kidney disease.Alektorophobia- Fear of chickens.Algophobia- Fear of pain.Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic.Allodoxaphobia- Fear of opinions.Altophobia- Fear of heights.Amathophobia- Fear of dust.Amaxophobia- Fear of riding in a car.Ambulophobia- Fear of walking.Amnesiphobia- Fear of amnesia.Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being scratched.Anablephobia- Fear of looking up.Ancraophobia- Fear of wind. (Anemophobia)Androphobia- Fear of men.Anemophobia- Fear of air drafts or wind.(Ancraophobia) Anginophobia- Fear of angina, choking or narrowness.Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture, etc.Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming angry.Ankylophobia- Fear of immobility of a joint.Anthrophobia or Anthophobia- Fear of flowers.Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society.Antlophobia- Fear of floods.Anuptaphobia- Fear of staying single.Apeirophobia- Fear of infinity.Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia)Apiphobia- Fear of bees.Apotemnophobia- Fear of persons with amputations.Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders.Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers.Arrhenphobia- Fear of men.Arsonphobia- Fear of fire.Asthenophobia- Fear of fainting or weakness.Astraphobia or Astrapophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia)Astrophobia- Fear of stars or celestial space.Asymmetriphobia- Fear of asymmetrical things.Ataxiophobia- Fear of ataxia. (muscular incoordination)Ataxophobia- Fear of disorder or untidiness.Atelophobia- Fear of imperfection.Atephobia- Fear of ruin or ruins.Athazagoraphobia- Fear of being forgotton or ignored or forgetting.Atomosophobia- Fear of atomic explosions.Atychiphobia- Fear of failure.Aulophobia- Fear of flutes.Aurophobia- Fear of gold.Auroraphobia- Fear of Northern lights.Autodysomophobia- Fear of one that has a vile odor.Automatonophobia- Fear of ventriloquist's dummies, animatronic creatures, wax statues - anything that falsly represents a sentient being.Automysophobia- Fear of being dirty.Autophobia- Fear of being alone or of oneself.Aviophobia or Aviatophobia- Fear of flying.

B-Bacillophobia- Fear of microbes.
Bacteriophobia- Fear of bacteria.
Ballistophobia- Fear of missiles or bullets.
Bolshephobia- Fear of Bolsheviks.
Barophobia- Fear of gravity.
Basophobia or Basiphobia- Inability to stand. Fear of walking or falling.
Bathmophobia- Fear of stairs or steep slopes.
Bathophobia- Fear of depth.
Batophobia- Fear of heights or being close to high buildings.
Batrachophobia- Fear of amphibians, such as frogs, newts, salamanders, etc.
Belonephobia- Fear of pins and needles. (Aichmophobia)
Bibliophobia- Fear of books.
Blennophobia- Fear of slime.
Bogyphobia- Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman.
Botanophobia- Fear of plants.
Bromidrosiphobia or Bromidrophobia- Fear of body smells.
Brontophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.
Bufonophobia- Fear of toads.