Anxiety about one specific thing, such as flying in an airplane, crowded places, animals, driving, dental or medical procedures, etc. People will avoid these things or situations as often as possible. Their anxiety will increase when they are exposed to the thing they fear. Although specific phobias may seem silly to others, they can be devastating to the people who have them, causing problems that affect many aspects of life.
There are many types of phobias, and it’s not unusual to experience a specific phobia about more than one object or situation. Each specific phobia is referred to by its own term. Examples of more common terms include acrophobia for the fear of heights, arachnophobia for the fear of spiders, and claustrophobia for the fear of confined spaces.
No matter what specific phobia you have, it’s likely to produce these types of reactions:
- An immediate feeling of intense fear, anxiety and panic when exposed to or even thinking about the source of your fear
- Awareness that your fears are unreasonable or exaggerated but feeling powerless to control them
- Worsening anxiety as the situation or object gets closer to you in time or physical proximity
- Doing everything possible to avoid the object or situation or enduring it with intense anxiety or fear
- Difficulty functioning normally because of your fear
- Physical reactions and sensations, including sweating, rapid heartbeat, tight chest or difficulty breathing
- Feeling nauseated, dizzy or fainting around blood or injuries
- In children, possibly tantrums, clinging, crying, or refusing to leave a parent’s side or approach their fear
Causes
Much is still unknown about the actual cause of specific phobias. Causes may include:
- Negative experiences. Many phobias develop as a result of having a negative experience or panic attack related to a specific object or situation.
- Genetics and environment. There may be a link between your own specific phobia and the phobia or anxiety of your parents — this could be due to genetics or learned behavior.
- Brain function. Changes in brain functioning also may play a role in developing specific phobias.
When to see a doctor
An unreasonable fear can be an annoyance — having to take the stairs instead of an elevator or driving the long way to work instead of taking the freeway, for instance — but it isn’t considered a specific phobia unless it seriously disrupts your life. If anxiety negatively affects functioning in work, school or social situations, talk with your doctor or a mental health professional.
Childhood fears, such as fear of the dark, of monsters or of being left alone, are common, and most children outgrow them. But if your child has a persistent, excessive fear that interferes with daily functioning at home or school, talk to your child’s doctor.
Most people can be helped with the right therapy. Therapy tends to be easier when the phobia is addressed right away rather than waiting.
SubRosa Mental Services provides a client-forward approach to helping individuals, businesses, and children by offering Comprehensive Psychological & Psycho-Educational Evaluations, life coaching and emotional support animal assistance. Reach out today to find out more.
