A phobia is an irrational, intense, and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, people, etc. The main symptom is excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared stimulus. When the fear is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.
Phobias are known as an emotional response learned because of a difficult life experience. Some phobias are generated from the observation of a parent's or sibling's reaction. The observer takes in the information and generates a fear of whatever they experienced. In reality most phobias are irrational, in the sense that they are thought to be dangerous when in reality they are not threatening to survival in any way.
Generally phobias occur when fear is transmitted to other similar situations, while the original fear is often repressed or forgotten. The excessive, unreasoning fear of water, for example, may be based on a childhood experience of almost drowning. The individual attempts to avoid that situation in the future, a response that, while reducing anxiety in the short term, reinforces the association of the situation with the onset of anxiety.
Treatment is reprogramming of the reaction to the situation that is perceived as dangerous with something more realistic and rational. There is no need to live with phobias, as they can be quickly and permanently resolved with appropriate therapy.
Further information from Michael McGuinness, clinical hypnotherapist, Access Clinic, Castlebar, 094 906 226 or 086 1612301.
