UNDERSTANDING PHOBIA

People may find certain things or situations unpleasant.  They may not like spiders, frogs, snakes, crowded places, open spaces, or anything else that can be seen, heard or smelled.  Some people may feel greater indifference towards these things more than others.  And when this indifference becomes irrational fears, then it becomes a PHOBIA. 

Phobias are described as irrational fears of certain objects or situations which suggests something more than mild irritation or distaste.  However, the amount of fear varies.  My sister is afraid of spiders.  She flinches every time she sees one even if it is only on television.  She would jump out of her seat when she sees a live one.  My mom is afraid of snakes.  She really despises them and would almost always imagine that they will be inside our house.  I myself am afraid of dogs.  But my fear of them is milder compared to others.  I can stand seeing them but I would just never get near them.  And at the sight of blood or the mere mention of it, my stomach restricts so much so that I feel collapsing on the floor.

People with phobias always experience a certain amount of ANXIETY.  Their actions or reactions depend on the extent of what is causing it.  Anxiety and fear are not different phenomena.  They simply vary in degree.  Some degree of anxiety makes a person more alert and become more prepared for unavoidable circumstances.  However, feelings of anxiety relating to heightened fear that are unexplainable may be deemed “not normal.”  There may be physical changes that can occur as a result of anxiety:  cold sweats, pounding heart, sinking feeling in the abdomen, chest pains or even fainting.

An irrational fear usually relates to a specific object or situation.  This so-called PHOBIC ANXIETY may occur as a sudden attack or in a gradual manner. Obviously any person who has an irrational fear, however mild, can be described as having phobia.

Phobias can be divided into three main groups:  (1) Fears of specific objects; (2)  Fears of situations; (3)  Fears of specific illness.

It is in the degree of fear that makes phobia a problem.  When one can no longer function within the normalcy of everyday living, then it becomes a difficulty that clearly needs to be addressed.

Many people have faced their phobias unaided.  Learning to relax, as in yoga may be the first step, followed by exposure to the phobic situation and practicing relaxation while in that anxious situation.  Being able to do this successfully maybe more appealing than seeking help, however, professional help whether by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist may be required in severe cases of phobia.

Here is a list of some of the phobias and their terms:

Fear of…

Animals           -           Zoophobia

Bacteria           -           Microbiophobia

Being alone     -           Autophobia

Blood              -           Hematophobia

Childbirth        -           Tocophobia

Corpse             -           Necrophobia

Crossing a bridge        -Gephyrophobia         

Darkness         -           Nyctophobia

Dirt                  -           Mysophobia

Disorder          -           Ataxiophobia

Dogs                -           Cynophobia

Elevated places-          Acrophobia

Empty rooms   -           Kenophobia

Enclosed space            -Claustrophobia

Food                -           Sitophobia

Foreigners       -           Zenophobia

Germs              -           Spermophobia

Hair                 -           Chaetophobia

Insects             -           Entomophobia

Lightning        -           Astrapophobia

Marriage          -           Gamophobia

Mice                -           Musophobia

Open spaces    -           Agoraphobia

Pain                 -           Algophobia

Physical love   -           Erotophobia

Pregnancy       -           Maieusiophobia

Rain                 -           Ombrophobia

Robbers           -           Harpaxophobia

School             -           Scholionophobia

Sexual Intercourse      -Coitophobia

Sharp objects   -           Belonophobia

Snakes             -           Ophidiophobia

Speaking         -           Halophobia

Surgical operations      -Ergasiophobia

Thunder           -           Keraunophobia

Touch              -           Haphephobia

Travel              -           Hodophobia

Water              -           Hydrophobia

Worms             -           Helminthophobia

Wounds           -           Traumatophobia

Writing            -           Graphophobia

And the list goes on and on and on.

Reference:                FEARS AND PHOBIAS by Dr. Anthony Whitehead

PROBING VIOLENCE

We often wonder how a human being is able to do horrible things to another human being or even to an animal for that matter.  We flinch at the thought of the infliction of pain.  The sight of blood terrifies us.  And yet, there are people who feel elated when they wound or bruise another person.  And worse, there are those who thrill themselves in taking a life.

These past few days, have been gruesome.  Two prominent car dealers were murdered in an unmerited manner.   And just the other day, a bus in EDSA was bombed killing people aboard. Such violent acts are beyond our understanding.  What goes through the mind of these cruel individuals?  How can they have the guts to do these horrendous things?  Clearly, acts of violence.

As humans, we are basically peace-loving.  We condemn any acts of aggression towards one another.  However, there are circumstances that lead to the formation of such sadistic acts.  

Like any and all things, violence seems to be rooted from our childhood experiences.  When a child of barely two slaps her mother and everyone laughs and claps in amusement, it is mistaken as a good thing.  When a teacher ignores a pupil who shoves a classmate to get in front of the line and worse put a star on his hand, it gives a feeling of fulfillment.  What is the point here?  In the early stages of life, we harbor on all the feelings, thoughts, and experiences that comes as we progress into adulthood.  And this is where the problem lies.  Without appropriate guidance, children grow up thinking hurting another person to achieve their goals is good and acceptable.  

Violence may be a result of misguided concepts instilled in the very core of a person’s being, particularly at a young age.  And because we fail to recognize the signs…mankind mourns and suffers.

THOUGHT PROMPT

I have always dreamed of becoming a writer.  I will write anything under the sun and beyond.

Thought-provoking questions run around my restless mind.  And I scribble to my heart's content.


I write for you to read.