Happy Friday everyone!
Here's a new Mental Health 101 post! :)
Most people are scared of something and if they can help it they try to avoid it. However some people are so scared of something that it is dehabilitating. They are commonly known as phobias but the technical term is Specific Phobia. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 5%-12% of Americans have phobias.
Specific phobia is an unreasonable fear fear caused by the presence or thought of a specific object or situation that usually poses little or no actual danger. Exposure to the object or situation brings about an immediate reaction, causing the person to endure intense nervousness or avoid the object or situation entirely. The distress that comes with the phobia and/or the need to avoid the object or situation can interfere with the person's ability to function normally. Adults with a specific phobia recognize that the fear is excessive or unreasonable, yet they cannot overcome it.
Here's a new Mental Health 101 post! :)
Most people are scared of something and if they can help it they try to avoid it. However some people are so scared of something that it is dehabilitating. They are commonly known as phobias but the technical term is Specific Phobia. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 5%-12% of Americans have phobias.
Specific phobia is an unreasonable fear fear caused by the presence or thought of a specific object or situation that usually poses little or no actual danger. Exposure to the object or situation brings about an immediate reaction, causing the person to endure intense nervousness or avoid the object or situation entirely. The distress that comes with the phobia and/or the need to avoid the object or situation can interfere with the person's ability to function normally. Adults with a specific phobia recognize that the fear is excessive or unreasonable, yet they cannot overcome it.
There are four types of specific phobias: animal, natural environment (i.e., heights, storms, water), blood-injection-injury, and situational (i.e., airplanes, elevators, enclosed spaces). Symptoms of specific phobia include:
- Excessive or irrational fear of a specific object or situation.
- Avoiding the object or situation or enduring it with great distress
- Physical symptoms, such as a pounding heart, nausea, sweating, trembling or shaking, numbness or tingling, shortness of breath, feeling dizzy, or feeling like you are choking.
- Becoming nervous ahead of time about being in certain situations or coming into contact with the object of your phobia.
For a list of phobias click here.
If you think that you have a phobia that is negatively impacting your life, see your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist for help. There are many therapies available to help those with phobias. There are also support groups for people with phobias.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Take care,
-Kimmy
References
WebMd (2012). Specific Phobias. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/specific-phobias
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