Facts about Phobia
Phobias, or phobic disorders, are defined as an intense, irrational fear that often leads to the extreme avoidance of the object or situation feared.
Specific phobias are believed to be hereditary and are common among family members.
The term phobia, from the Greek ????? meaning "fear," is a strong, persistent, and irrational fear or anxiety of certain situations, objects, activities, or persons.
A phobia disorder is defined by an excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject.
Claustrophobia can be treated in similar ways to other anxiety disorders, with a range of treatments including cognitive behavior therapy and the use of anti-anxiety medication.
Systematic desensitization is a type of behavioral therapy used to help effectively overcome phobias and other anxiety disorders.
The most widely accepted theory of the moon's origin, the "giant impact hypothesis," states that it was formed from the collision of a Mars-size protoplanet with the early Earth.
Agoraphobia often develops from an initial panic attack; after such an attack, an individual may deeply fear having another.
Behavior therapy, or the gradual exposure of an individual to certain objects of their most irrational fears, is generally accepted as the best method for overcoming certain phobias.
A society is a grouping of individuals, which is characterized by common interest and may have distinctive culture and institutions.
Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for Comoros to become independent in 1978.
Acrophobia, a specific phobia from the Greek word ?????, meaning "summit" is an extreme or irrational fear of heights.
A full list of known phobias can be accessed at The Phobia List.
Phobias are often divided into three classes; specific phobias, social phobias, and agoraphobia.
Phobias may be treated by various forms of therapy, ranging from techniques based on behavior therapy, such as systematic desensitization, to more cognitive therapies, such as exposure therapy.
Phobias are generally believed to emerge following highly traumatic experiences.
There exist more than 600 recognized phobias, many without treatment.
Many phobias are treated through exposure therapy, or the gradual exposure of the feared object to the individual in successively longer time periods.
Exposure therapy is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique for reducing fear and anxiety responses, especially phobia, and is based on the principles of habituation and cognitive dissonance.
To begin the process of systematic desensitization, one must first be taught relaxation skills in order to control fear and anxiety responses to specific phobias.
Exposure therapy is believed to be the best approach for certain phobias as the individual is placed in an environment of comfort at all times when exposed to the object.
Xenophobia denotes a phobic attitude towards strangers or of the unknown.
Agoraphobia, often believed to be the fear of open spaces, is actually the fear of feeling trapped and having a panic attack within a public space.
Many individuals suffering from certain phobias are believed to transfer the fear of an original situation to other situations experienced in or reoccurring throughout everyday life, while the original fear is often left forgotten.
Like many phobias, fear of flying may "generalize" to cause fear of flight-related situations or stimuli.
Research on phobic disorders has suggested the development of certain phobias to be both hereditary and situational.
Psychologists suggest most adult phobias to be treated; however only 25 percent of people experiencing phobias are believed to seek help.
Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder that involves the fear of enclosed or confined spaces.
Individuals experiencing social phobias may worry excessively about upcoming social situations, and may avoid events in which they may feel self-conscious.
Acrophobia can prove dangerous, as sufferers may often experience a panic attack in a high place and become unable to get themselves down safely.
Social phobias are defined by a fear of being watched or judged by others, and can include a deep fear of public embarrassment.
Patients suffering from agoraphobia may incessantly fear when the next attack may occur, often generalizing their fear with one of public spaces and social settings.
Specific phobias are defined as a fear of a particular situation or object, and are the most common types of phobic disorders experienced.
Most social phobias are believed to originate in a childhood or adolescent experience.
Research has shown that once a person is rid of a phobia, it is less likely, if ever likely, to return.
Most phobias are highly treatable and individuals can often go on leading normal lives.
Conversely, people who are prone to having panic attacks will often develop claustrophobia.