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Introduction:
Fear in a dangerous situation is normal. Phobias, however, go beyond normal fear and are irrational. The fear could be an animal, object, place or situation. Many times the source of the fear poses no actual threat or danger, but the person is overwhelmed by fear nonetheless.
People with specific phobias will do everything they can to avoid what is causing their fear, even when doing so greatly interferes with their daily lives. When faced with their phobia, they will experience intense anxiety, which is sometimes debilitating.
What is a Phobia?
A phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of a particular object, activity, situation or person. Phobias are usually out of proportion to the actual danger posed. Some people develop specific phobias in response to a traumatic event, while others may have them for no apparent reason. A common misconception about phobias is that a person who has one must be weak-willed or cowardly. In truth, people with phobias very much want to overcome their fears but are unable to do so because they respond in ways that seem perfectly rational to them: they avoid the situation or item they fear or endure it with intense anxiety.
How can Phobias be treated?
Phobias are generally treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. In the majority of cases, the most effective approach is cognitive behavioural therapy and exposure therapy. The person is gradually exposed to his or her feared object and learns to change his or her reaction to it. For example, if you are scared of elevators, you might start by looking at pictures and videos of them, then look inside elevators from a distance, and finally step inside one that has no floors to it. Some treatment approaches aim at changing how people react when they encounter their fears rather than helping them overcome their fears entirely. This is especially helpful for people with a phobia related to a traumatic experience.
Common Phobias and Their Causes:
The following are some of the most common phobias. There are other types, but these are the most common ones. Some of these can be treated through medication and psychotherapy; however, others cannot. It is important that you consult with your doctor before taking any medication or undergoing any treatment for an anxiety disorder or phobia. Below is the list of some common phobias people experience:
achluophobia | fear of darkness |
acrophobia | fear of heights |
aerophobia | fear of flying |
algophobia | fear of pain |
alektorophobia | fear of chickens |
agoraphobia | fear of public spaces or crowds |
aichmophobia | fear of needles or pointed objects |
ailurophobia | fear of cats |
amaxophobia | fear of riding in a car |
androphobia | fear of men |
anginophobia | fear of angina or choking |
anthophobia | fear of flowers |
anthropophobia | fear of people or society |
aphenphosmphobia | fear of being touched |
arachnophobia | fear of spiders |
arithmophobia | fear of numbers |
astraphobia | fear of thunder and lightning |
ataxophobia | fear of disorder or untidiness |
atelophobia | fear of imperfection |
atychiphobia | fear of failure |
autophobia | fear of being alone |
bacteriophobia | fear of bacteria |
barophobia | fear of gravity |
bathmophobia | fear of stairs or steep slopes |
batrachophobia | fear of amphibians |
belonephobia | fear of pins and needles |
bibliophobia | fear of books |
botanophobia | fear of plants |
cacophobia | fear of ugliness |
catagelophobia | fear of being ridiculed |
catoptrophobia | fear of mirrors |
chionophobia | fear of snow |
chromophobia | fear of colors |
chronomentrophobia | fear of clocks |
cibophobia | fear of food |
claustrophobia | fear of confined spaces |
coulrophobia | fear of clowns |
cyberphobia | fear of computers |
cynophobia | fear of dogs |
dendrophobia | fear of trees |
dentophobia | fear of dentists |
domatophobia | fear of houses |
dystychiphobia | fear of accidents |
entomophobia | fear of insects |
ephebiphobia | fear of teenagers |
equinophobia | fear of horses |
gamophobia | fear of marriage or commitment |
genuphobia | fear of knees |
glossophobia | fear of speaking in public |
gynophobia | fear of women |
heliophobia | fear of the sun |
hemophobia | fear of blood |
herpetophobia | fear of reptiles |
hydrophobia | fear of water |
hypochondria | fear of illness |
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iatrophobia | fear of doctors |
insectophobia | fear of insects |
koinoniphobia | fear of rooms full of people |
leukophobia | fear of the color white |
lilapsophobia | fear of tornadoes and hurricanes |
lockiophobia | fear of childbirth |
mageirocophobia | fear of cooking |
megalophobia | fear of large things |
melanophobia | fear of the colour black |
microphobia | fear of small things |
mysophobia | fear of dirt and germs |
necrophobia | fear of death or dead things |
noctiphobia | fear of the night |
nosocomephobia | fear of hospitals |
nyctophobia | fear of the dark |
obesophobia | fear of gaining weight |
octophobia | fear of the number 8 |
ombrophobia | fear of rain |
ophidiophobia | fear of snakes |
ornithophobia | fear of birds |
papyrophobia | fear of paper |
pathophobia | fear of disease |
pedophobia | fear of children |
philophobia | fear of love |
phobophobia | fear of phobias |
podophobia | fear of feet |
pogonophobia | fear of beards |
porphyrophobia | fear of the colour purple |
pteridophobia | fear of ferns |
pteromerhanophobia | fear of flying |
pyrophobia | fear of fire |
samhainophobia | fear of Halloween |
scolionophobia | fear of school |
selenophobia | fear of the moon |
sociophobia | fear of social evaluation |
somniphobia | fear of sleep |
tachophobia | fear of speed |
technophobia | fear of technology |
tonitrophobia | fear of thunder |
trypanophobia | fear of needles or injections |
venustraphobia | fear of beautiful women |
verminophobia | fear of germs |
wiccaphobia | fear of witches and witchcraft |
xenophobia | fear of strangers or foreigners |
zoophobia | fear of animals |
Conclusion:
So, these are the most common phobias that we need to cure or face. The best way is to go for medication and psychotherapy as it will help you in a much better way than you can imagine. So be brave and beat your phobia, it is not going to kill you anyway, but will help you lead a healthy life free from phobia. So next time when you see a person suffering from such a phobia, try to get close and ask about the reason for his fear. I am sure you will never feel the same after listening to their stories.
