There are countless phobias people may experience, and they can be a debilitating mental health issues. As one example, vehophboia is the fear of driving a motor vehicle. This can affect people after they’re involved in a car accident.
Someone with vehophobia may not be able to drive without flashbacks, panic attacks, and severe anxiety.
Vehobophia is just one in a long list of phobias, and the following are things to know about these mental health conditions.
A phobia is an irrational fear reaction that’s considered excessive. If someone has a phobia, they might experience panic or significant dread when they encounter whatever is causing their source of fear. The fear might be of a place, situation, or thing.
A phobia is distinct from general anxiety disorders because it’s usually associated with something specific.
Phobias can have an impact that’s anywhere from inconvenient to extremely disabling. Someone with a phobia might realize their fear isn’t rational, but they can’t do anything about it. When someone has a phobia, it can impact their relationships, work, and school in negative ways.
Around 19 million Americans are estimated to have a phobia that causes challenges in some aspect of their life.
A person with phobias will have symptoms like:
There may be physical feelings that come with a phobia exposure, including:
Feelings of anxiety can be created just by thinking about the object of someone’s phobia. A child may become clingy, cry, or try to hide if a child has a phobia. They can also throw tantrums, which shows distress in some children.
There are also complex phobias, which can impact someone’s life and well-being more than specific phobias.
Some parts of the brain can store and then recall potentially deadly events. If someone experiences a similar event later in life, their brain might retrieve stressful memories. Sometimes, their brain can retrieve it more than once, causing the body to have the same reaction and experience.
If someone has a phobia, the areas of the brain responsible for dealing with stress and fear can continue to inappropriately retrieve the frightening event.
Researchers have theorized that phobias are often associated with the amygdala. The amygdala is part of the brain behind the pituitary gland. The amygdala can trigger fight-or-flight hormones that put the mind and body on high alert.
It’s not typical for a phobia to begin after someone is over the age of 30. Most start during early childhood, the teen years, or early adulthood. Phobias can be caused by frightening events, a parent with a phobia a child learns, or a stressful experience.
A specific phobia will usually start before the ages of 4-8. In some cases, these specific phobias can result from a traumatic experience early on. In other cases, they could be developed by witnessing someone else’s phobia.
Complex phobias are less understood. Researchers think these could be caused by a combination of brain chemistry, genetics, and life experiences.
Some of the phobias that are considered most common include:
Someone with a genetic predisposition for anxiety can be at high risk for developing phobias. Gender can be a risk factor for certain phobias.
Treatment usually involves cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. CBT can involve exposure to the source of fear in a controlled environment. Someone who’s participating in CBT for anxiety can help them be deconditioned and reduce their anxiety.
CBT aims to help someone identify and then change their negative thoughts, reactions, and dysfunctional beliefs.
Sometimes, medications might be paired with therapy. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants can help someone respond to physical and emotional fear.
Phobias can be challenging to deal with and can significantly impact someone’s quality of life. Sometimes, they stem from known experiences, like being in a car accident; other times, a person may have no idea why they have a particular phobia. Treatments are available that can help people with phobias have a fulfilling life.
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