A phobia is usually a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder characterized by an excessive and persistent fear of a certain situation or object.
Phobias generally develop over six months and tend to be extremely resistant to treatment. Phobias may affect both individuals and groups of people. They can manifest themselves as irrational fears that are often unfounded fears that are rationalized by the person who is afflicted with them.
One of the most common phobias is fear of flying. People who suffer from this fear will often have irrational and unreasonable concerns about flying. These include but are not limited to a fear of falling out of the plane, falling down in the cabin, getting hit by debris on the plane, or having a heart attack while flying.
While this phobia has no real danger, the stress it causes in a person’s life can become problematic. Many people who suffer from fear of flying seek help from psychologists who can evaluate the severity of their phobia and help them treat it accordingly. These psychologists often recommend that the individual try and reduce his or her fear by taking a vacation somewhere where there is little or no risk of having an accident.
Another common phobia involves the fear of spiders. These spiders are a serious danger to humans. These spiders do pose a threat to our safety. However, most people do not have a problem with spiders as a group. Some, however, may have an extreme fear of these insects and therefore avoid having any contact with spiders.
Some people experience panic attacks when they think about spiders as a whole. This type of phobia can be very stressful to the sufferer. In some cases, the sufferer will even be forced to leave the house or place where he or she is afraid of spiders. This can sometimes be so upsetting that the person may become depressed.
Social phobias can also be very common. This type of phobia includes the fear of being embarrassed by other people at social events, such as a wedding or a dinner party.
People with panic disorders may have many other anxiety problems as well.
These include but are not limited to, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, obsessive-fatigue and agoraphobia. These disorders are more severe than a phobia and may involve the individual engaging in activities that they feel may result in harming themselves or others, such as counting calories. or doing exercise on a regular basis.
Phobias can be treated with medication, therapy and/or lifestyle changes. While some of these phobias are easily treated, others can take time to correct.
A phobia may occur over a period of time and the person can live his or her life normally for a period of time before it comes back again. For example, a person may develop a fear of heights but may not feel a great deal of stress until the fear has subsided. The person may then develop a panic attack in order to try and get rid of the phobia.
In order to treat a phobia, the person should work with his or her doctor to find out exactly what it is that is causing the fear. If it is a fear of heights that is causing the anxiety, then the doctor may be able to prescribe medications to help the person overcome their fear. Once the medication has been taken, the patient should make an effort to work on making changes in their diet, exercise routine, social interaction with others and other areas of their life.
One treatment for this disorder is hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is a form of psychotherapy in which the patient works with a professional who can help the person overcome his or her fear of heights. There are two forms of hypnotherapy: self-hypnosis and group hypnotherapy.
For some patients, talking to a therapist can be a very effective way to help the person with his or her phobia in his or her life. It may take several sessions to get a good grip on the phobia and be able to discuss it openly with a professional. If the patient does not feel comfortable talking to someone face-to-face, he or she can work with a therapist online, via the internet or through a telephone.
There are certain types of phobias that cannot be cured through therapy alone. These include agoraphobia, panic disorders, OCD and even posttraumatic stress disorders. One of the most difficult forms of treatment in some cases is the fear of death. The person may need to see a psychologist, psychiatrist or a psychotherapist in order to be fully cured of this phobia.