Whether it’s a fear of animals, a fear of open or closed spaces
or even a fear of people, many people are afraid of something.
The Indexed Phobia List (phobialist.com) lists more than 500
words to describe what people fear. And the list continues to grow
as society changes and develops.
Whether it’s a fear of animals, a fear of open or closed spaces or even a fear of people, many people are afraid of something.
The Indexed Phobia List (phobialist.com) lists more than 500 words to describe what people fear. And the list continues to grow as society changes and develops.
Webster’s Dictionary describes phobia as “an exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects or situation.”
Phobias can be triggered by anything and can cripple even the stablest of people. Often people will go out of their way to avoid contact with the offending item or situation.
“It is much more common than people are aware of,” said psychologist Catherine Curtin. “Many people who have this problem are very skillful in looking like they don’t have the problem or making accommodations where they don’t have to do it. But the more they do that, the more they reinforce their anxiety. People are afraid of being in situations where escape is difficult or help is not available.”
About 3.7 percent, or about 5.3 million, of adults in the United States ages 18 to 55 suffer from social phobia each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Sometimes a phobia is as simple as fearing a snake or a spider. But it becomes tougher when the phobia is with something like social interaction.
And the causes vary, too. Sometimes phobias stem from a childhood experience and sometimes they are developed through traumatic events, experts say.
Phobias, which can result in panic attacks, are not rational by their very nature. They are often used as the body’s defense mechanism, and as a result can’t be turned off at will.
One common phobia is agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces. Curtin, who has an office in San Jose, said that it is the most common phobia that she has dealt with in her 19 years of counseling. About 10 percent of her clients are dealing with some type of phobia, she said.
“It takes a lot of different forms,” Curtin said. “Some people are not able to leave their house because they are so anxious dealing with crowds. Some people don’t want to drive on certain roads like free ways.”
The first step Curtin takes when counseling clients is to check their background and find out how often they suffer from the phobia and what constituted the worst case. Then she works with them to change the way they think.
“People have unrealistic thinking about certain situations, and doing a realistic appraisal of their thinking helps them realize where they are at,” Curtin said. “I try to get them to tolerate a certain level of anxiety. If it is driving that bothers them, they’ve got to get out in the car eventually.”
Relaxation techniques and vigorous physical exercises can help the client take their mind off the phobia, Curtin said.
Another type of common phobia is social phobia, where people tend to withdraw from or avoid public situations.
Social phobia usually is twice as likely to occur in women as men, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It usually develops in adolescence and is rare beginning after the age of 25. NIMH suggests two ways to deal with social phobia – with antidepressant medicines or cognitive-behavior therapy.
Psychologists often use a process called deconditioning to help a phobia-sufferer relax while imaging or being exposed to the item or situation he or she is afraid of. Confronting the phobia is a key first step, experts say.
When dealing with phobias, it’s good to start small. For instance, if you are afraid of snakes, you can start off by reading about snakes and looking at pictures of snakes. Gradually build up to where you can hold a plastic snake then eventually a live snake.
“It’s really specific to each person,” said San Jose psychologist Lois Sharp. She treats two or three patients each week who suffer from phobias. “There is often a lot of other things going on. I am looking for what they are saying to themselves and what are they doing to avoid it.”
Most phobias are easy to treat, she said.
“Once you start being afraid, it feeds on itself,” Sharp said. “But curing simple phobias usually requires just a few sessions. The fears go away and stay. It takes some work, but it is not that difficult.”
Experts urge people to find a way to relax when overcome by fear. Even small things like unwrapping candy can help the person focus on something else.
For some phobias, experts encourage the person to look at history and realize that nothing has happened in the past as a result of the object of fear and nothing will happen.
Discussing the fear with a family member of counselor can help bring it in the open. Whatever the fear, you don’t have to let it control you.
For more information about social phobia, go to www.nimh.nih.gov or call (888) 826-9438.
Test your phobia knowledge
Here is a list of common and not-so-common phobias. See how well you
do in identifying each one.
1. Achluophobia
2. Alliumphobia
3. Genuphobia
4. Rupophobia
5. Panophobia or Pantophobia
6. Agoraphobia
7. Catapedaphobia
8. Ergophobia
9. Arachnophobia
10. Syngenesophobia
Answers:
Fear of:
1. Darkness 2. Garlic 3. Knees 4. Dirt 5. Everything 6. Open spaces 7. Jumping from high and low places 8. Work 9. Spiders 10. relatives
