Are you so scared of getting on an aeroplane that you would rather spend two days in the car to make the same trip by road? Would you be happy with the doctor guessing your diagnosis rather than having to have a needle stuck into your arm by a lab nurse?
You might be among the 1 in 23 people worldwide who suffer from a phobia.
A phobia is an intense, abnormal fear of a specific object or situation. The fear is compelling and forces the sufferer to avoid the specific situation or object, even when the sufferer is fully aware that the situation or object would not pose any danger. Phobic fear is irrational and can be completely disabling to the sufferer.
Beyond fear
While phobia has fear at its root, it is not simply fear. One dictionary describes phobia as “intense and unreasoning” fear.
One might have a fear of something but still be able to control the fear or push through the situation that one would rather avoid. Phobia goes beyond that; it is when the fear gets out of control or overwhelms the sufferer. Someone who has a fear of flying will still be able to take a flight if it is required. But someone with a phobia of flying will not be able to get onto the plane, no matter what the circumstances or how important the reasons for the flight.
Treatment
Treatment for phobias should be provided by professionals. Most sufferers benefit greatly from something which is called “cognitive behavioural therapy”, where they are gradually exposed to the thing or situation that causes their fear. This desensitises them and changes their way of thinking about the situation or object at the centre of their phobia.
Relaxation techniques can be very helpful in quelling anxiety around phobias. In severe cases or where the phobia interferes or makes normality impossible, medication can be prescribed.