Common PHOBIAS

I know lot of people having Phobias. . .even me, I do have phobias! 

In this blog, I will enumerate KINDS OF PHOBIAS that a person can experience or a person is experiencing. We will find out what we really fear and how we call it.

..before starting, Let us first define what does Phobia mean?

PHOBIA- Greek: φόβος, Phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear"

               -a type of anxiety disorder usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational. In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will endure the situation or object with marked distress and significant interference in social or occupational activities. (Reference: www.wikipedia.com)

Now, here are the KINDS OF COMMON PHOBIA 

1. AGORAPHOBIA.........."Fear of Crowd and Open Spaces"

A person with agoraphobia fears being in places where there is a chance of having a panic attack that people may witness, and getting away rapidly may be difficult. Because of these fears the sufferer will deliberately avoid such places - which may include crowded areas, special events, queues (standing in line), buses and trains, shops and shopping centers, and airplanes.

A person with agoraphobia may find it hard to feel safe in any type of public place, especially where large numbers of people gather. Some people may have it so severely that the only place they feel really safe in is their home, and rarely ever go outside. 

Agoraphobia may result in a fear of being outdoors, a kind of open space - but it is not a fear of there being too much openness and no walls, ceilings or boundaries, etc. The fear of going outdoors results from a dread of becoming embarrassed, trapped and helpless somewhere while having a panic attack - this never happens inside one's own home.

2. NYCTOPHOBIA.........."Fear of Night and Darkness"

Usually people are able to get over their fear of the dark sometime in the first decade of their life, either by using nightlights or being filled with a sense of invincibility as kids often are. For others, it is not what is hiding in the dark that they fear, but the dark itself. Nyctophobia, fear of darkness, is an unspoken disease. Nyctophobia has many names, including Achluophobia, Lygophobia and Scotophobia. Most people who suffer from it do not talk about it, either from embarrassment or just the fact of talking about the dark is upsetting to them. For some, fearing darkness dictates how they live their lives.

A phobia of the dark can manifest itself in several different ways: by avoiding dark places, carrying an excessive amount of lights or leaving the lights on when unnecessary. There are also physical symptoms of a nyctophobia attack.

3. ASTRAPHOBIA.........."Fear of lightning or thunder"

abnormal fear of thunder and lightning, a type of specific phobia. It is a treatable phobia that both humans and animals can develop. The term astraphobia derives from the Greek words ἀστραπή (astrape; lightning) and φόβος (phobos; fear).

A person with astraphobia will often feel anxious during a thunderstorm even when they understand that the threat to them is minimal. Some symptoms are those accompanied with many phobias, such as trembling, crying, sweating, panic attacks, the sudden feeling of using the restroom, nausea, the feeling of dread, and rapid heartbeat. However, there are some reactions that are unique to astraphobia. For instance, reassurance from other people is usually sought, and symptoms worsen when alone. Many people who have astraphobia will look for extra shelter from the storm.They might hide underneath a bed, under the covers, in a closet, in a basement, or any other space where they feel safer. Efforts are usually made to smother the sound of the thunder; the person may cover their ears or curtain the windows.

4. OPHIDIOPHOBIA.........."Fear of Snakes"

abnormal fear of snakes. Fear of snakes is sometimes called by a more general term, herpetophobia, fear of reptiles and/or amphibians. The word comes from the Greek words "ophis" (ὄφις) which refers to snakes and "phobia" (φοβία) meaning fear.

Care must also be taken to differentiate people who do not like snakes or fear them for their venom or the inherent danger involved. An ophidiophobic would not only fear them when in live contact but also dreads to think about them or even see them on TV or in pictures.

About a third of adult humans are ophidiophobic, making this the most common reported phobia. Recent studies conducted have theorised that humans may have an innate reaction to snakes, which was vital for the survival of humankind as it allowed such dangerous threats to be identified immediately.

5. ACROPHOBIA.........."Fear of Heights"

Everyone is susceptible to a fear of heights, but when the fear causes a person to have panic attacks and consistently avoid situations that involve heights, their condition becomes a phobia. People who have acrophobia, also known as altophobia, have an extreme and irrational fear of heights. Individuals who suffer from this disorder can become terrified to the point that they cannot physically remove themselves from situations in which they become fearful. The phobia, in effect, becomes so paralyzing that it actually poses a danger to those who have it.

6. COULROPHOBIA.........."Fear of Clowns"

If you wake up from nightmares that have you running from a Bozo look-alike wielding a knife, or if you feel a little ill at the mention of Marcel Marceau, then you may be suffering from coulrophobia, the fear of clowns and mimes. Coulrophobia is a relatively new term first used in the 1990s. It has origins in the Greek language, where koulon means limb. This relates to the Greek term for those who used stilts, i.e., clowns and circus performers. People afraid of clowns are called coulrophobes.

The Internet has spawned hundreds of sites dedicated to the topic of coulrophobia. Many attribute evil intent to clowns due to the numerous media portrayal of clowns as evil. They also reference serial killer, John Gacy, who enjoyed dressing as a clown to entertain children at neighborhood parties. However, the Joker, the famous Batman villain, could technically be called the first modern evil clown.

Most agree, however, that the main reasons for coulrophobia are the make-up and exaggerated features of the clown. Painted eyes and painted smiles, as well as the red bulbous nose, can be frightening initially to children. In fact some children share a similar fear of Santa Claus as well.

7. DENTOPHOBIA.........."Fear of Dentist"

Dentophobia is a fear of dental care, and, by extension, people who provide dental care, such as dentists. This condition is also known as dental fear, odontophobia, or dental anxiety. Surveys estimate that many people suffer from this condition to varying degrees, and fortunately there are an assortment of ways to treat and deal with dental phobia. For people with extreme dentophobia, it is important to seek treatment, as untreated dental conditions can have serious medical repercussions.

There are a number of causes for dentophobia. Many people have traumatic experiences as children which cause them to develop a fear of dentists, for example, and others are simply head shy. Dental work can be stressful, especially when drills are involved, as it is accompanied by strange sensations and sounds, and dental procedures can leave a lingering pain behind. The field of dentistry in general is also often viewed negatively by laymen, who exchange horror stories about dental fears which can breed or exaggerate dentophobia.

Many dentists are aware of dentophobia, and some even advertise services which are specifically targeted at patients which have this condition. Modern dentists tend to focus on providing very gentle, meticulous care, informing patients about what they plan to do and how they will do it. To address dentophobia, dentists may also lay out a number of options for their patients, explaining various ways to deal with a condition and being frank about pain levels so that patients do not feel deceived.

8. GAMOPHOBIA.........."Fear of Marriage and Commitment"

Gamophobia is the fear of marriage or commitment. The origin of the word Gamo s is Greek (meaning marriage) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear). Gamophobia is considered to be a specific phobia, which is discussed on the home page. Gamophobia should not be confused with Anuptaphobia, which is the fear of being or staying single.

It is generally accepted that phobias arise from a combination of external events (i.e. traumatic events) and internal predispositions (i.e. heredity or genetics). Many specific phobias can be traced back to a specific triggering event, usually a traumatic experience at an early age. Social phobias and agoraphobia have more complex causes that are not entirely known at this time. It is believed that heredity, genetics, and brain chemistry combine with life-experiences to play a major role in the development of phobias. 

To know more about Kinds of Phobias..check this link http://www.indianchild.com/phobias.htm

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