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- Dictionary-phobia/ˈfōbēə/
combining form
- 1. extreme or irrational fear or dislike of a specified thing or group: "arachnophobia"
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What is a phobia in psychology?
Where does the word phobia come from?
Why do people have a phobia?
What is a phobia & how does it affect a person?
Are phobias a mental disorder?
The meaning of PHOBIA is an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation. How to use phobia in a sentence.
Phobia definition: an intense, persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, situation, or person that manifests in physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath, and that motivates avoidance behavior.. See examples of PHOBIA used in a sentence.
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
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A phobia is when you have intense or even overpowering fear and anxiety in certain situations or when you encounter certain objects. While phobias can involve the same things as ordinary fears, the effects of phobias are more severe. In the most severe cases, people with phobias critically limit their lives to avoid encountering what they fear.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving With
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What are the symptoms of phobias?
Specific phobia and agoraphobia have the same possible symptoms but can happen in different ways or settings. Phobias can cause you to experience physical, mental and behavioral symptoms when you’re exposed to the feared object or situation and/or when thinking about it. Mental symptoms are effects that impact how you think and feel. They include: Intense or overwhelming fear. Panic or feeling the need to escape. Feeling like you’re in immediate danger. Feelings of disconnection from your own body (depersonalization) or the world around you (derealization). Physical symptoms are effects that directly affect your body. They include: Heart rate and activity changes. Sweating, feeling hot or chills. Shaking or trembling. Nausea, upset stomach or stomachache. Tightness or pain in your chest. Trouble breathing or feeling smothered. Feeling dizzy or lightheaded. Fainting. Pallor (blood rushing out of your face). Narrowed vision (also known as tunnel vision). Behavioral symptoms are ways you change (or don’t change) your lifestyle, routine or habits. They include: Going out of your way to avoid triggers. Example: Avoiding regular medical or dental care because you’re afraid of needles, dentists, etc. Deliberately changing your life to avoid triggers. Example: Moving out of a coastal area because of a fear of hurricanes. Avoiding life changes — especially positive ones — so you don’t encounter triggers. Example: Avoiding buying a house or taking a job somewhere with a view of a river, lake or ocean because of a fear of water, swimming or drowning.
What causes phobias?
Phobias are when your brain takes fear and anxiety to extreme degrees. Under ordinary circumstances, these emotions can be protective and helpful. They’re your brain’s way of warning you that something is wrong and you might be (or currently are) in danger. But experts don’t fully understand why these emotions can turn into phobias. However, several factors and processes may contribute to having a phobia. These include: Traumatic experiences. These can be experiences that happen to you or that you see happen to someone else. Genetics. Certain types of phobias are more likely to happen in people who have a relative with that type of phobia. The types with higher rates in family members are animal, blood/medical procedure/injury and situational phobias. Informational transmission. Some phobias may happen because of things you learn about or things you see or hear repeatedly. Learned fears. People can learn about the phobias or fears of others and may develop a phobia as a result. This may be a factor in why people with overprotective parents may be more likely to have specific phobia. Advertisement
What are the complications of phobias?
Phobias can have long-term effects on your mental and physical health, especially when you frequently encounter triggers or have especially severe effects. People with specific phobia and agoraphobia have a higher risk of certain mental health conditions. While phobias may not cause those conditions, phobias usually start before the other conditions and can contribute to them. Mental health conditions that are more likely in people with specific phobia or agoraphobia include: Anxiety disorders. Bipolar disorder. Depressive disorders. Personality disorders (especially dependent personality disorder). Substance use disorders. Somatic symptom disorders. Physical health conditions that commonly happen along with phobias or that may get worse because of phobia symptoms include: Heart disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Parkinson’s disease. Balance and dizziness symptoms, which can also cause falls and fall-related injuries. Degenerative brain disorders and dementia symptoms.
How are phobias diagnosed?
A mental health provider, usually a psychologist or psychiatrist, can diagnose specific phobia or agoraphobia by talking to you and asking questions. Diagnosing these conditions doesn’t require lab, imaging or diagnostic testing. The questions they ask may follow specific questionnaires designed to help diagnose a phobia. The questions they ask can include, but aren’t limited to: Phobia triggers that you know about. What symptoms you experience and how severe they are. Your current lifestyle and routine and if phobia symptoms affect it. When the symptoms started. If you have a history of a traumatic event or other possible factors that could cause or contribute to a phobia. Your provider will ask these questions because diagnosing specific phobia or agoraphobia requires that your symptoms meet certain criteria.
How are phobias treated, and can they be cured?
Treating phobias can involve mental health therapy (the formal term is “psychotherapy”), medications or a combination of the two. The treatments can depend on the type of phobia you experience, how severe the symptoms are, and factors related to your lifestyle, routine and preferences. A healthcare provider can tell you more about the possible treatments that can help you and which they recommend.
Are phobias preventable?
Phobias happen unpredictably, and they can vary widely from one person to another. That’s partly because fear is something that each person experiences differently. Because of that, there’s no way to prevent phobias from developing. There’s also no known way to reduce your risk of developing them.
What can I expect if I have a phobia?
Phobias can majorly impact your mental health and well-being, especially if they involve something you encounter often. About 75% of people with specific phobia also have more than one type of phobia, which can make this condition very disruptive. Over time, untreated phobias can cause some people to limit their lives severely.
What’s the outlook for phobias?
The outlook for specific phobia is best with treatment, especially early on. Without treatment, these conditions can greatly impact your mental health and how you live your life. Early treatment for phobia symptoms can make a major difference, even if you don’t have an official phobia diagnosis because you haven’t had symptoms for at least six months. This is true no matter what your age or what phobia you have.
How do I take care of myself if I have a phobia?
The most important things you can do if you think you have a phobia include: Seek help. You should seek help as soon as you notice phobia symptoms disrupting your life. Getting help sooner can make a big difference in your recovery. Follow treatment guidance. If your healthcare provider prescribes medication or recommends regular mental health visits, following them can make your treatment more effective and help you faster. Don’t underestimate the value of lifestyle changes. Staying active, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol and nonmedical use of drugs, and managing your stress and mental health can all help you as you work on managing or overcoming a phobia.
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that causes intense or overwhelming fear and anxiety in certain situations or when encountering certain objects. Learn about the different types, causes, symptoms and treatments of phobias, and how they affect your life.
A phobia is an anxiety disorder, defined by an irrational, unrealistic, persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months.
Phobia is a noun that means an extreme fear of something or a type of anxiety disorder. Learn more about the meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and usage of phobia with examples from the Cambridge Dictionary.
Aug 22, 2023 · A phobia is an excessive, persistent, and irrational fear of something that disrupts daily activities and causes anxiety. Learn about the types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of phobias, and how they differ from normal fears.
Dec 20, 2017 · A phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of a situation, living creature, place, or object that interferes with daily life. Learn about the different types of phobias, how they affect the brain and body, and how to treat them.
