Phobias & How They Affect Us


By Comfort Umoren-Olorunnisomo

Phobias are anxiety disorders that causes a person to experience irrational or overwhelming fear of a situation, place, creature or object  which may not necessarily cause harm (Medical News, 2017). It can lead to panic attacks, anxiety and depression. Even when not in the situation that causes phobia, the brain creates a reaction to these worrisome situations (NHS UK, 2021). 

They can be traced to traumatic, fearful or stressful event in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. It can also be genetic or environmental factors. The imagined fear is usually greater than the actual threat of the phobia. 

Some of the symptoms attached with phobias include:

  • Sweating and trembling
  • Difficulty in breathing or choking
  • Hot flushes or chills
  • Racing heartbeat or tightness/pain in the chest
  • Headache, nausea, dizziness
  • Instant stomach upset
  • fear, anxiety, depression
  • Confusion, rapid speech or inability to speak
According to DSM-5, phobias fall within these groups:
  • Fear of animals
  • Fear of environmental factors/items - height, darkness)
  • Fear of specific situations (driving, swimming)
  • Fear of medical procedures/issues (blood, surgery, injection)
  • Others (noise, food)
We will discuss some very interesting types of phobia on our next post. 

Watch out for it!

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