Phobias: what they are, how to recognize them and what are the cures

Phobias are real anxiety disorders. Let's find out what they depend on, how to recognize them and what to do to solve them.

When we talk about phobias we mean anxiety-related and usually irrational disorders .
In fact, one can have a phobia towards an object or an animal but also towards objects and, in some cases, situations.
Often, at least on the surface, the reason why certain phobias arise is incomprehensible. Yet at the base there is always a reason (whether one recognizes it or not) and, therefore, also a solution. So let's delve into the topic of phobias and find out how much there is to know about it.

What are phobias and how to recognize them

As already mentioned, phobias are irrational fears that can develop towards actions, objects, situations and everything that can relate to everyday life.
Generally they are divided into two subcategories which are that of simple phobias and complex phobias. The former tend to develop more during childhood and are mostly directed towards objects, animals, germs, water, blood, stings, etc… or places such as hospitals. In some cases they may also concern fears such as that of flying, of going to specific places, etc…

The second ones are more related to adulthood and concern specific situations such as fear of open spaces, claustrophobia , fear of being among people, somniphobia , etc…
Although each phobia has a different intensity, the so-called complex ones are usually more disabling and more difficult to deal with.
Having said that, every form of phobia should be understood, processed and addressed in order to live one's life to the fullest.

In general, those with a phobia are almost always aware of it. When in doubt, the most common symptoms are:

– Fast heart rate
– Trembling
– Nausea
– Palpitations
– Excessive sweating
– Lack of air
– Dizziness
– Abdominal pain
– Sense of unease
– Fear
– Anxiety

When more than one of these symptoms are manifested in front of a situation or anything else, then it is a phobia. A problem that, fortunately, can be solved with the help of a therapist.

How many types of phobias exist

There are so many phobias and sometimes they can even cross each other.

Some are quite common while others are very rare. Below is a short list of those that may be interesting to explore.

– Claustrophobia
– Somniphobia
– Taphophobia
– Hipopotomnstrosesquipedaliophobia
– Acluophobia
– Nikephobia
– Ablutophobia
– Anuptaphobia
– Philophobia
– Cherophobia
– Tokophobia

How to treat phobias

Once you recognize a phobia, the first thing to do is figure out how to deal with it.
Psychotherapy is usually the most suitable way as it allows you to go back to its origin and to understand which are the best tools to deal with it.
These, of course, will again vary from person to person and will depend on the cause that gave rise to it all.

In this regard, there are different types of therapies that can help in this regard. Emdr is one of these and is accompanied by the so-called exposure or desensitization therapies.
These techniques are obviously more suitable for simple phobias .
For the more complex ones, often, the solution can be that of cognitive behavioral therapy or counseling.

As always, the psychotherapist will establish the best way forward in order to solve the problem. In some cases, only for the most serious ones, the doctor may suggest the prescription of some drugs which will then be established together with the doctor in charge.
In general, however, it is good to remember that the smallest phobias can disappear on their own and that the others, both simple and complex, can be resolved thanks to psychotherapy alone.

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