Phobias & Fears

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

FDR

Storms, spiders, and needles – Oh my! Speaking in public? Hard pass. High bridges, old elevators, and air travel may make all of us a bit uneasy or even frightened. All of us may try to avoid things that make us uncomfortable. However, most people generally manage to control their fears and carry out daily activities without incident. 

On the other hand, people with very strong fear reactions may work too hard to avoid common places, situations, or objects, even though they know – logically – that there’s no threat or danger. Their fear may not make any sense, but they feel powerless to stop it. Personally, I am very phobic of heights, and have, at times, had to turn around on hiking trails when the discomfort at the edge of a mountain was more than I could handle. If you experience these seemingly excessive and unreasonable fears in the presence of or in anticipation of a specific object, place, or situation, then you, too, may have a specific phobia. 

Phobias are one of the most common psychological disorders in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), approximately 12.5% of adults in the U.S. will deal with a specific phobia in their lifetime. (www.verywellmind.com/list-of-phobias-2795453)

A phobia and the associated anxiety can disrupt daily routines, limit work efficiency, reduce self-esteem and place a strain on relationships. People will do whatever they can to avoid the uncomfortable and often-terrifying feelings of phobic anxiety. While some phobias develop in childhood, most seem to arise unexpectedly usually during adolescence or early adulthood. Their onset is usually sudden, and they may occur in situations that previously did not cause any discomfort or anxiety. Specific phobias commonly focus on animals, insects, heights, thunder, driving, public transportation, flying, dental or medical procedures and elevators. 

Many people with phobias realize that their fear is excessive and even thinking about it can often cause extreme anxiety. While fear has helped our species survive and thrive, an excessive amount of fear can be debilitating and get in the way of our success and happiness. 

Read more at the National Institute of Mental Health (www.nimh.nih.gov) and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (www.adaa.org) websites. 

If you would like to get rid of your fear and anxiety about a specific object, place, or situation, please e-mail me at Karen@Psychologist-NH.com.