The First Steps On Learning About Fears

Fear What Are You Afraid of

Everyone has fears and things they're afraid of, but with some individuals, the fear takes over and becomes a problem. Many people just try to cope and deal with being afraid, but there are things to be done that can help do away with the fear for good. Informing yourself about what scares you and how to rid yourself of the problem is important, so here are a few questions and some answers to get you started:

What is a phobia?

Phobias are irrational disorders and cause a person to be overly frightened of a thing or situation. Many times the person with the phobia realizes how ridiculous their phobia is, but because it is an irrational disorder, they are powerless to resist the effect of their phobia. You can have a phobia of almost anything, but most people have a phobia of a specific thing or event, and do not have any other phobias. Specific phobias develop as the result of an unjustified association in a person's mind. The example that behaviorist used to explain specific phobias was that a person develops a fear of poisonous snakes, but carries that fear over to all snakes, not just the poisonous ones. However, it has been shown that other types of phobias are commonly accompanied by panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorders, in which case anti-anxiety medication is typically used to help bring the phobia under control.

I've heard of all kinds of phobias - are they all the same?

No there are many types of phobias. Ths most typical variety of phobia is known as a specifric phobia. Specific phobias are the fear of a place, thing, or situation, and there are hundreds of designated specific phobias. There are also social phobias and Agoraphobia, which are both very different from specific phobias. Social phobia are the fear of specific social situations that sometimes arise, for instance saying a speech, or being in close proximty to a large crowd of people. Agoraphobia is essentially a fear of panic attacks that lead people to avoid any situation that may trigger a panic attack, or that would embarrass them if they had a panic attack. In addition to there being different types of phobias, phobias can be somewhat mild, or very severe, but they all tend to cause the phobia sufferer to show some physical symptoms of their phobic reaction.

Is there more than one kind of specific phobia?

The different categories of specific phobias are animal phobias, natural environment phobias, situational phobias, blood injection phobia, and other phobias. Animal phobias are the fear of a specific type of animal, like rats, birds, cats, etc. Natural environment phobias are caused by events or situations in the natural world, such as large bodies of water, or bridges, while situational phobias are triggered by a specific event. Common situational phobias include a fear of going to the dentist, fear of swimming, etc. However, it is easy to get confused about what is a situational phobia, social phobia, and Agoraphobia. Blood injection phobias include the fear of bleeding, being hurt, and being operated on. The fifth category of specific phobias is called other phobias. Other phobias are phobias that do not make sense to be in any of the other groups.

Is there any genetic basis for phobias?

Although some phobias do develop without much cause, it has been shown that social phobia and Agoraphobia can be passed on through genetics. However, several of the causes and risk factors for these two phobias can also be passed on through families. For example, it is not uncommon for social phobia and Agoraphobia to be accompanied by obsessive compulsive disorder or panic attacks, which have both been shown to run in families. One risk factor for social phobias is alcoholism, which has also been shown to have some kind of genetic link. Fortunately, these conditions can be controlled with medication, although early diagnosis can be crucial. If any of these conditions exist in your family, you may want to become familiar with the symptoms of these disorders so that you do not fall victim to any of them unnecessarily.

How can I tell if I have a phobia?

Although a trained physician is the best person to decide if you are truly phobic or not, whether or not you have a phobia is determined by the level of fear or anxiety that accompanies the presence of a stimulus. Although most people are uncomfortable around snakes, heights, and large dogs, only a small percentage of those people actually have a phobia. A phobia is characterized by feelings of dread and possible fear of death that is not warranted by the situation. If you get scared by snarling and barking dogs, you do not necessarily have a phobia, since that is a situation that can easily get out of control. However, if you are frightened by the presence of any dog, or even the thought of a dog, you very well may have a phobia. However, a professional is the best person to determine whether you are phobic or not, and decide the proper treatment method.

For additional helpful information click here Symptoms Of A Panic Attack and certainly try Anxiety And Panic Attack Information as well as Worst Panic Attack