Phobias

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Phobias
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Phobia the persistent irrational fear of an
object or situation

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• Phobias are an anxiety disorder
• Males females are equally likely to have a
  phobia
• Males are more likely to get treatment
• 12 of Americans have a Phobia

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• It is possible to have multiple phobias
• Phobias can be genetic environmentally learned
• Phobias are the most common psychiatric illness
  among women
• Alcoholics are more likely to develop a phobia

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Signs Symptoms
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• Common Signs Symptoms
• Trembling
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting
• Choking sensation
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Avoidance

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Types of Phobias
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• classified by the object/situation the patient
  reacts to or avoids
• There are three main types of Phobias
• Social Phobia
• Specific Phobia
• Agoraphobia

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Social Phobias

• Fear of being humiliated and embarrassed
• Anxiety is felt before, during, and after the
  outing/ event
• Examples Public speaking(glossophobia), meeting
  people(Anthropophobia), and using a public
  restroom(Paruresis)

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Specific Phobias

• Feared object is not harmful under normal
  conditions
• Examples
• Astraphobia fear of thunder and lightening
• Aerophobia fear of flying
• Cynophobia fear of dogs
• Acrophobia fear of heights

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Specific Phobias cont.

• There is a wide range of feared objects, some are
  rare
• Examples
• Aulophobia the fear of flutes
• Catoptrophobia the fear of mirrors
• Cacophobia the fear of ugliness
• Ereuthphobia the fear of red
• Nelophobia the fear of glass
• Pogonophobia the fear of beards

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Agoraphobia

• A phobic attack in a place where escape is
  difficult or embarrassing
• Crowded areas including elevators, streets, and
  churches
• Generally developed over a series of panic
  attacks
• Approx. 1.8 million Americans/year

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Solutions Treatment
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• Not all phobias need treatment
• Any drugs which are prescribed are to help aid
  the signs symptoms and do not actually cure the
  phobia itself
• Therapy is the most efficient manner of treating
  a phobia

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Sources

• http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/phobias.html
• http//www.helpguide.org/mental/phobia_symptoms_ty
  pes_treatment.htm
• http//medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcar
  e_services/mental_health/mental_health_about/phobi
  as/Pages/index.aspx
• www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/ss/slideshow-phobias
• http//www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1448/mainp
  ageS1448P0.html