Phobias How common are phobias in individuals? What are different triggers that cause these phobias? Possibly the sight of an object or an animal. Approximately 4 to 5 percent of the US population has one or more significant phobias in a given year (Bresset, 2014). Phobias are very common in many individuals, but the causes are not always known. Most people do not know how to get over common phobias. However, we do not know what causes them, symptoms of phobias, or how to treat their phobias. To begin with, what is a phobia? A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which a person has irrational fears about something. There are many different types of phobias that a person could have. There are four general types of phobias and fears. There
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According to behavior research and therapy “Girls and younger children reported a higher frequency of specific phobia symptoms than respectively boys and older children. This result is in agreement with previous studies which have generally found that girls exhibit higher levels of fear and anxiety symptoms and that such symptoms tend to decline with age.” (Muris, 1999). The difference in sex hormones may play a large role in anxiety. According to psychcentral, “Scientists know that estrogen interacts with serotonin—a neurotransmitter involved in regulating moods, sleep, and appetite.” This shows that women are more exposed to developing different phobias because of their hormones. Phobias are not restricted to women only; men also endure this common issue. In a study comparing an individual’s social network and high level of social phobia/anxiety symptoms showed that there were significantly more alcohol problems and higher future risk of coronary heart disease among females, but not in males (Dahl, …show more content…
Phobia statistics show that 23% of all people seek treatment for their individual anxiety issues (FearOf.net. (n.d.)). One way to treat phobias is with medications prescribed by medical doctors. For example, beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure, can be used as well as antidepressants and sedatives. According to US researchers, fluvoxamine can improve the symptoms of social phobia and helps to reduce disruptions in an individual’s everyday life (Larkin, 1999). Another way to treat many phobias is with therapy. The individual can be treated with behavior therapy which has to do with desensitization (also known as exposure therapy). Exposure therapy is exposing oneself to their fear to help overcome the stress and anxiety that it may cause. This can help patients alter how they respond to the source of fear. For example, rather than freaking out, the individual can take a different approach by trying to take deep breaths to reduce the stress attack. “Each of those exposure trials will probably involve a great deal of stress and anxiety, leading some psychotherapists to conclude that the treatment is unethical.” According to (Hamzelou 2014). There is something called virtual therapy that might also be used to help cure a phobia. It is like exposure therapy but rather than the individuals facing their fear head on they are exposed to it virtually. For example, scientist have used virtual elevators to help individuals who are
According to behavior research and therapy “Girls and younger children reported a higher frequency of specific phobia symptoms than respectively boys and older children. This result is in agreement with previous studies which have generally found that girls exhibit higher levels of fear and anxiety symptoms and that such symptoms tend to decline with age.” (Muris, 1999). The difference in sex hormones may play a large role in anxiety. According to psychcentral, “Scientists know that estrogen interacts with serotonin—a neurotransmitter involved in regulating moods, sleep, and appetite.” This shows that women are more exposed to developing different phobias because of their hormones. Phobias are not restricted to women only; men also endure this common issue. In a study comparing an individual’s social network and high level of social phobia/anxiety symptoms showed that there were significantly more alcohol problems and higher future risk of coronary heart disease among females, but not in males (Dahl, …show more content…
Phobia statistics show that 23% of all people seek treatment for their individual anxiety issues (FearOf.net. (n.d.)). One way to treat phobias is with medications prescribed by medical doctors. For example, beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure, can be used as well as antidepressants and sedatives. According to US researchers, fluvoxamine can improve the symptoms of social phobia and helps to reduce disruptions in an individual’s everyday life (Larkin, 1999). Another way to treat many phobias is with therapy. The individual can be treated with behavior therapy which has to do with desensitization (also known as exposure therapy). Exposure therapy is exposing oneself to their fear to help overcome the stress and anxiety that it may cause. This can help patients alter how they respond to the source of fear. For example, rather than freaking out, the individual can take a different approach by trying to take deep breaths to reduce the stress attack. “Each of those exposure trials will probably involve a great deal of stress and anxiety, leading some psychotherapists to conclude that the treatment is unethical.” According to (Hamzelou 2014). There is something called virtual therapy that might also be used to help cure a phobia. It is like exposure therapy but rather than the individuals facing their fear head on they are exposed to it virtually. For example, scientist have used virtual elevators to help individuals who are