Have you ever found yourself climbing a lot of stairs just to avoid using an elevator because of a deep fear of confined spaces? The thought of being stuck in a small area, where anything could go wrong, might make your heart race and trigger overwhelming anxiety…
This feeling is often linked to claustrophobia, but it can also relate to other fears, like arachnophobia (fear of spiders) or acrophobia (fear of heights). While these phobias may seem irrational, they can become persistent and worsen over time. When you face these fears, you might experience a rapid heartbeat, perspiring and a strong sense of dread, making it challenging to cope with these anxieties in your daily life.
They can arise from anything and everything from a traumatic experience to some genetic predispositions. They are typical anxiety causing people to go to extremes just to avoid their fear. They are disproportionate to the actual fear or threat and cannot be explained. They may seem unreasonable and excessive to other people, however, only the person goes through significant stress.
Society has always seen phobias as superstitions and had an attitude of ignorance and people with them were seen as weak, meek and delicate. However, over time a sense of maturity, understanding and acceptance has led to compassion towards the affected. Over the years, various awareness programs, public education and medication facilities have been arranged to ensure the individuals with fears and phobias get the treatment, love and support they deserve.
Phobias can be categorized into three categories:
Specific Phobia-an irrational fear towards a specific object or circumstance like spiders which is known as ‘arachnophobia’.
Social Phobia-fear of social situations. Normally, introverted people who avoid public speaking or socializing.
Agoraphobia-Fear of public or crowded places. It is severe as a person tends to be confined to their houses in fear of a congested place.
A traumatic experience can develop a phobia that over time generally dials down. A bad, turbulent experience in an airplane can progress to a fear of flying altogether. There are also some studies that show that children of parents who suffer from specific anxiety conditions tend to have phobias and fears.
Any stimulus can cause the person to get frightened and get an anxiety attack. If a person scared of dogs sees a dog a fear response will get produced and on going away from it they experience relief.
Treatments like Virtual Reality and in worst case scenario medication help in reducing the fear and improve quality of life. Exposure therapy through fun activities like VR help manage thoughts and anxiety.
By exploring irrational fears and phobias, psychology provides valuable insights and treatments to help those affected. Through continued research and advancements, we can better support individuals in overcoming their phobias, allowing them to lead more fulfilling and fearless lives.
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