We all have fear of something. the difference is that some people show their fear and some don’t. but we all don’t have a phobia. For example- we all have fear of snakes but we all don’t have a phobia of snakes. We all can overcome our fear, but there is very difficult to get overcome phobia. Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder.
Sometimes phobias are genetics but fear is not genetics. Fear from animals, darkness, etc., are common and natural but phobias are not natural.
Fear is a natural and emotional reaction to any danger that you feel. It is not necessary that all people have fear of the same thing because everyone’s perspective and past experience towards the thing are different. For example- some people have fear of dogs.
They avoid them because they have a fear that dogs will attack them and they get harmed. On the other hand, some people love dogs and make them pets because they feel safe, and happy and get positive vibes from them. You can overcome this fear, by spending time with dogs or playing with them.
Phobia is a kind of anxiety disorder. It is not necessary that all people have a phobia of the same thing because everyone’s perspective and past experience towards things are different. Overcoming any kind of phobia is not an easy thing.
Because phobias contain anxiety. the thing from which you have a phobia, you can’t get close to them. For example- some people have a fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia).
They can’t go in the elevator because they feel suffocated. they have to use stairs, sometimes they have to go on 8 or 9 floors without elevators. That affects their health.
When does fear gets transformed into a phobia?
There are no exact reasons for phobia but researchers suggested some factors for phobia. The factors are mentioned below-
Genetics is one of the major reasons for phobia. For example- in a family, if there is a person who has a phobia of lighting there is some chance that the next generation. I probably have the same fear. There are also some diseases that are genetic.
Sometimes adolescence hits different people, not physically but also mentally. It depends on the functioning of the brain. Amygdala and insular cortex are the two areas of the brain which act more actively when you experience fear.
Some fear converts into phobias because of past experiences. You may know people who have claustrophobia. Maybe once in their life, they are stuck in an elevator or a room, that’s why they have a phobia of enclosed spaces.
Some people have phobia because of their environment, or what they have seen in their childhood. Some people have a phobia of darkness because their mother or elder siblings told them that darkness is dangerous. They already have a mindset toward things and their mindset got a form of phobia.
The Symptoms of phobia
There are two types of symptoms in phobias – physical symptoms and psychological symptoms.
Physical symptoms include sweating, trembling, hot flushes or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, a choking sensation, rapid heartbeat, pain in the chest or tightness in the chest, a sensation of butterflies in the stomach, nausea, headaches, dizziness, feeling faint, numbness, pins and needles, dry mouth, a need to go to the toilet, ringing in your ears, confusion, and disorientation.
Psychological symptoms include fear of losing control, fear of fainting, feelings of dread, and fear of dying. In fear, you didn’t face this your mind just give you a signal of danger
How to overcome a phobia
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapy that helps you to identify how your thoughts and feelings influence your action. It is the first-choice treatment for phobias. This will help you to face your phobia in new ways.
The exposure part of therapy can be of different types. The therapy is broadly in two types- imaginal exposure and direct exposure. Imaginal exposure deals with thoughts. It helps us to learn how can we control our thoughts about the feared situation and object.
Direct exposure deals with reality. Touching the things which you are feared of or the situations. 90% of the people who believe in (CBT) and practice it are able to overcome their fear.
Written By- Saurav Sharma
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