Phobias

Nikki Vallor and Courtney Brucker

Definition

An anxiety disorder in which a person has a persistent , irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object of situation.

Phobias are directly related to anxiety disorders.

Phobias are stimulated by irrational fears due to a situation where anxiety is a mental disorder.

Symptoms

Symptoms of phobias are both emotional and physical.

The closer a person is to their fear the greater the anxiety will be.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms are:› Shortness of breath› Accelerated heart rate› Chest pain› Trembling or shaking › Feeling of chocking› Sweating› Nausea or stomach pain› Feeling lightheaded or faint› Hot or cold flashes› Feelings of detachment from yourself

Etiology of Phobias

The actual cause of phobias is undecided

Some purists believe there is an organic base for phobias and this is supported by the fact that phobias occur more commonly in the first generation of siblings.

Others believe that people learn phobias by observing others or their parents.

Diagnosis

Phobias cannot be diagnosed in children under the age of 18 unless they have been consistent in symptoms for longer then six months.

There are no laboratory tests for phobias The diagnosis of phobias is based off of

the patients experiences. Phobias are hard to diagnose because

they very for each individual.

Treatment

Behavior modification and desensitization are the most effective treatments for phobias.

Medicine can be used to decrease the effects of anxiety but does cure the phobia.

Therapy is used to pinpoint the reasons for the phobia can help to elevate anxiety but therapy is not beneficial in all cases.

Treatments

The goal of treatments is to make the individual feel as if they are in control of the situation that causes their anxiety.

The multi-treatment approach to overcoming phobias is always beneficial.

Desensitization has the highest cure rate and is the quickest treatment for phobias.

Treatment Facilities

A well respected anxiety and phobia center is the Anxiety and Phobia Treatment Center in White Plains, New York.

This center was established in 1971 and was the first hospital-based clinic in the country.

The goal of this center is to increase functioning and reduce symptoms of those dealing with phobias.

Branches of Phobias

One branch of phobias is social phobias.› Social phobias are fears of situations in

which embarrassment may occur. › They provoke an immediate anxiety

response. Another branch of phobias are

commitment Phobias› Commitment phobias are people who have

fears of committing in any type of relationships.

Types of Phobias

There are approximately 530 phobias in today’s society

Top ten common phobias are: › Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders › Social phobia: Fear of social situations › Aerophobia: Fear of flying› Agoraphobia: Fear of not being able to

escape a situation or event

Phobias continued› Claustrophobia: Fear of small spaces› Acrophobia: Fear of heights› Emetophobia: Fear of vomit› Carcinophobia: Fear of cancer› Brontophobia: Fear of thunderstorms › Necrophobia: Fear of death or dead things

Famous People with Phobias

George Washington: He had a fear of being buried alive.

Richard Nixon: He had a fear of hospitals.

Alfred Hitchcock: He had a fear of eggs. Sigmund Freud: He had a fear of

weapons and ferns.

Works Cited Heering, J. (2010, November 8). Top ten most common phobias.

Retrieved from http://www.phobia-fear-release.com/top-ten- most-

common-phobias.html

LastCulbertson , F. (2000). The phobia list faq's. Retrieved from

http://www.phobialist.com/phobia_faqs.html

The anxiety & phobia treatment center. (2009). Retrieved from

http://www.phobia-anxiety.org/index.htm

Myers, David. (2007). Psychological Disorders. Musick, Andrea &

Moscatelli, Bianca (Eds.), Psychology Eighth Edition (pp. 639-683).

Michigan: Worth Publishers.

Phobias. (2010). Retrieved from

http://www.peaceandhealing.com/psychology/phobias

Phobias and fears. (2010). Retrieved from

http://helpguide.org/mental/

phobia_symptoms_types_treatment

Phobia diagnosis. (2010). Retrieved from

http://www.mentalhealthchannel.net/phobias/

diagnosis.shtml

Vidican, S. (2010, November 4). Famous people and their

phobias.

Retrieved from

http://www.metrolic.com/famous-people-and-their-phobias-

143713/