Do I Have A Phobia?

A phobia is when a person is so intensely afraid of something, it causes an anxiety response in the person. This anxiety can cause breathlessness, dizziness, and nausea, which can form into a full-blown panic attack. According to the American Psychiatric Association, phobias are the most common psychiatric illness among women and the second most common among men.

The reasons why people may develop a phobia are varied. Some may develop due to a traumatic childhood experience. Some may develop later in life. Some are more difficult to explain. The good news is that phobias are very treatable!

So, What Are The Most Common Phobias?

• Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders and other arachnids.
• Ophidiophobia, or the fear of snakes.
• Acrophobia, or the fear of heights.
• Aerophobia, or the fear of flying.
• Cynophobia, or the fear of dogs.
• Astraphobia, or the fear of thunder and lightning.
• Trypanophobia, or the fear of injections.
• Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder.
• Agoraphobia, or the fear of being alone in a situation or place where escape may be difficult and may include fear of crowds or open spaces.
• Mysophobia, or the fear of germs.

A person suffering from a phobia will often live a life of avoidance in regard to certain things. For example, a person who is afraid dogs of may avoid going for a walk in the neighborhood. A person afraid of injections may skip doctor visits or avoid a life-saving vaccine! A person with a fear of germs may avoid having company or going to restaurants. A person with agoraphobia may live a life of seclusion, yet be intensely lonely.

Phobias can cause a significant disruption in a person’s life. This is why it is important to seek treatment when you recognize that you have a phobia. There are different treatment methods and combinations of treatment methods that professionals apply. Some of these include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and medication prescribed to reduce anxiety and panic.

If you or someone you love may be suffering from a phobia, do not hesitate to seek treatment. Your quality of life will be greatly enhanced when you are able to live your life without this type of fear. Please don’t wait to get help! Contact one of our counselors to get treatment right away!

Please reach out to Lifeologie Counseling Durham for support. Several of our specialists, Jordan Gale, LMFTA, Kaitlin Duren, LCMHCA, and Zakiya Futrell, LCMHCA, can provide you with support and all are accepting new client appointments at this time!