Types Of Phobias

Phobias are defined as feelings of anxiety, panic, or dread, that result from a triggering event or thought.  Some phobias are simple and can be overcome with little difficult. 

Others can frequently lead to anxiety attacks or states of panic, and must be addressed with a therapist or counselor to treat it.  Whenever a fear or anxious thought leads to interference in day to day functioning, it can be a sign of something that is out of balance.

Psychologists, psychiatrists, and professional counselors who deal with patients with phobias often categorize the condition into three main categories.  These are specific, social, and general agoraphobia. 

Specific types of phobias cover a specific stimulus or triggering pattern, such as spiders, airplanes, or elevators, where a person can experience a severe state of panic or irrational behavior as a result.

They can have a persistent and irrational fear of the object, person, place, or thing, and this can greatly interfere with their day to day lives. 

They will not feel comfortable on a regular basis, and may find ways to avoid or soothe themselves when they are presented with the situation. 

Something as simple as a spider can trigger a chain reaction of panic-inducing feelings, and this can often feel out of control.  Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, breathlessness, sweating, and inability to focus.

Social phobia is often classified as social anxiety disorder, and can be defined as general anxiety and discomfort from the exposure to people, groups, and social situations.  People with social phobia will limit their interactions with others, preferring to stand alone or just not respond in a group. 

They will probably have an introverted personality, and avoid social situations over time.  Social phobia can severely restrict and limit both social and professional relationships, and it takes time to build up the sufferer’s self-esteem. 

Therapists and counselors can work with the person to challenge them and enable them to grow.

Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces, and the person may think that they will lose control in a public place and have an anxiety attack as a result.  Agoraphobia is can be a part of social phobia, and an attack can occur at any time. 

Over time, a person can just fear going out because the fear of having an attack is so overwhelming.  Therapists and professional counselors can help overcome this phobia over time, and the longer the person has suffered with the condition, the longer it will take them to overcome it easily.