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
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