Specific phobia is the name of an anxiety disorder that is clinically rare but common in society. This disorder occurs with unusual fear and conscious avoidance of some objects and situations.
Fears, encountering or thinking about avoided objects and situations cause serious stress that the person realizes is excessive.
The prevalence of specific phobia in society reaches up to 25% in some studies. It is more common in women than in men. It may show familial features.
CHARACTERISTICS
1- A specific object or situation (e.g. traveling by plane, high places, animals, injection , such as seeing blood) excessive and meaningless persistent fear that begins with the presence or expectation of encountering such a situation.
2- Encountering the phobic stimulus almost always causes an anxiety reaction that begins suddenly. (This anxiety reaction may take the form of a situation-dependent or situationally predisposed panic attack) Note: In children, anxiety may show symptoms such as crying, being moody, freezing, and hugging tightly.
3- The person knows that his fear is excessive or meaningless. (Children may not have this feature)
4- Avoiding phobic situations or enduring them with intense anxiety.
5- Avoidance of the person, anxious expectation or distress in fearful situations. Hearing may disrupt the person's normal daily work, professional (or educational) functionality, social activities or relationships.
6- For those under the age of 18, the duration must be at least 6 months.
>TYPES
1- ANIMAL TYPE: It is the type where fear is initiated by animals and insects and begins in childhood.
2- NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TYPE: This is the type where fear is initiated by objects in the natural environment such as storms, high places or water, and starts mostly in children.
3- BLOOD-INJECTION-WOUND TYPE: If the fear is triggered by the sight of blood, wounds, injections or other surgical medical procedures. This subtype is familial and is often characterized by a strong vasovagal response (such as fainting).
5-OTHER TYPE: If fear is triggered by other stimuli. These stimuli may cause fear or avoidance of situations that could lead to shortness of breath, vomiting, or contracting an illness. For example; space phobia (that is, the person stays away from walls or other physical support sources, is afraid of falling down) and children's fear of loud sounds or fairy tale heroes with special clothes.
TREATMENT
The most effective method available for specific phobia is behavioral treatment, especially systematic desensitization. With this method, the phobic person is first confronted by the therapist with the objects and situations that he/she avoids with imaginary and intellectual methods, and over time, it is expected that he/she will be able to encounter the objects and situations he/she avoids without feeling anxiety.
Medication treatment is mostly used to support behavioral treatment. Hypnosis, supportive treatments and family treatments may be used from time to time.
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