A phobia is an irrational and extreme fear caused by a psychological disorder or obsessive (fear of dirt). There are known phobias such as fear of being confined or fear of spiders. There are also lesser known phobias such as fear of the number 13 or the fear of clowns. To be called a phobia, fear must be truly catastrophic (the person feels important suffering), which in some cases turn into a panic attack.
Many people are afraid of flying, but still use this means of transport: this is not a phobia. It becomes a phobia when, impossible to avoid air travel, the person is sweating, has an anxiety attack or feels great distress.
It speaks of ''phobias'' when aversions are triggered by an object, an animal, a liquid ... The ''social phobia'' is related to the difficulty of interaction with others (fear of humiliation, of embarrassment). The third category of phobia, ''agoraphobia'' is connected to a place: the fear of open spaces, crowds ... To operate, the person suffering from agoraphobia must travel accompanied by another person.
A phobia can, in some cases, come from the observation of a great fear in another person. A very common phobia in a family could be genetic or rather created by observing the reaction of the other ? A phobia can also be created as a result of a great fear in a real event like a blackout or a difficult plane landing.
A suggested treatment in psychotherapy is to confront the patient with the object of his phobia, first from afar, and then it gradually approaches.
Phobias such as fear of spiders, heights, elevators and blood are the most common.
10 mai 2010
| The text above is for information purposes only. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease. No treatment (medication or scheme) should be undertaken without consulting a health professional. |