What exactly is the definition of a phobia? According to Merriam Webster a phobia is "an abnormal, chronic fear". So what causes a phobia? A phobia is simply a kind of fear disorder defined as a persistent and unreasonable fear of some thing or situation.
Phobias are generally present for longer than 6 months and tend to result from a rapid onset of intense fear. Common phobias include panic attacks, social phobias, agoraphobia, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and specific phobias. Specific phobias can also be a person's response to a particular situation such as death or danger. In this case the fear is caused by the event rather than by the object or situation that the person is in.
People who suffer from phobias will often have a wide variety of symptoms, which vary according to the phobia. Some phobias will include a tight feeling in their chest, uncontrollable sweating, shaking, trembling, heart palpitations, dizziness, and even bleeding. For people who suffer from social phobias people will avoid public situations or be uncomfortable around large groups of people. Someone with agoraphobia will be afraid of open or public places where they may be confronted with their fear.
Phobia treatments include psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, medication, support groups, and sometimes diet and lifestyle changes. While psychotherapy can provide relief for some people, it is very difficult to treat a phobia since the cause of the phobia has not been identified. In other cases psychotherapy may be very effective but can lead to long term side effects, such as low self esteem, and in some cases may even lead to a relapse of the phobia.
Hypnotherapy is often used in conjunction with other forms of treatment in order to treat more uncommon phobias and allow the person to identify the triggers that bring on the symptoms. Cognitive behavior therapy is also used to treat more common phobias in order to change the way a person perceives and reacts to a situation. Medication can also be used to treat more common phobias in conjunction with these other treatments.
There are several ways how a person can reduce their chances of having an anxiety attack when confronted with a triggering situation. For example, by replacing certain phobias may lead to less anxiety. One good method of controlling the feelings of anxiety when faced with a phobia may be to create a relaxed body image and picture relaxing activities such as lying on the beach, swimming, or taking a long walk.
People who suffer from agoraphobics (people who cannot stop shaking uncontrollably even when there is no present threat) may find it helpful to practice meditation or yoga in order to calm their minds and bodies. Many agoraphobics also use self-hypnosis in order to control their symptoms. Another common method of treating a phobia and that can work well for many people is relaxation therapy. This treatment will allow a person to focus on the present rather than what is causing them discomfort.
A phobia can be a debilitating fear that can have a strong effect on a person's quality of life. Unfortunately, most phobias are not severe and can be treated easily. However, in some cases a phobia may be serious and require medical intervention in order to overcome the problem. Consulting a doctor should be able to identify the type of phobia and give the patient the best treatment available.
The most common phobia is social phobia, which is a fear of social situations. It is most common in children, but can also develop in adults. This phobia often develops because a person will go into a social situation expecting to feel anxious, but will instead feel completely out of place and uncomfortable. In this case, it has been shown that the person's mind has interpreted the situation as a dangerous or unpleasant situation. These people often develop specific phobias of eating, drinking, or watching other people.
When dealing with phobias, therapists often recommend medication and/or therapy. Medications used to treat social phobias include antidepressants, which are often used for anxiety disorders, and beta blockers, which are effective at reducing the feelings of panic one experiences during these types of situations. For those with a more mild case of social phobia, relaxation and self-hypnosis therapy can be sufficient. These methods often take longer than medication and therapy, but have a much lower risk of becoming addictive or habit forming. Many times, people can successfully overcome their phobias on their own, without the need for treatment. It's important to keep in mind that there is no "cure" for social phobia - this is just a condition, and will only get worse or better depending on the person's personality and situations.
In most cases, treating phobias can be treated using both medication and therapy. There are a few cases where either is not effective, and you may want to try a combination of these treatments in order to find the solution that works best for you. In any case, a mental health professional should be consulted and an individualized plan designed just for your specific needs be developed. Your therapist will help you to determine which type of treatment is most appropriate for your situation and will help you to make the necessary changes in your thought processes and behavior patterns to achieve your goals.
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