PHOBIAS

More than just fears By Karis Wang

WHAT IS A PHOBIA?
Anxiety disorder Mental disorders with constant feelings of anxiety and fear. A continuous fear of a certain thing or situation. These things of situations are usually harmless. Victim will go through great lengths to try to avoid these

situations, but if encountered, the victim may go through great deals of distress.

CAUSE & DEVELOPMENT

Normally develop during teenage years or childhood Genetic or Cultural

Not inherited, but rather learned. Debates about genetics

Life Experience

Real life events Victims or Witness

Before X happened I was fine.. After X happened I had a phobia.. Therefore X caused the phobia.
http://www.phobiaman.co.uk/causes-of-phobias/

SPECIFIC PHOBIAS
4 Types of Phobias

CHARACTERISTICS
Simple phobias

Lasting fears of objects that usually do little to no harm.

Exposure to these objects/situations will give the victim anxiety They will feel powerless due to the fact that they cant stop it. Will disrupt daily activities and everyday life.

ANIMAL PHOBIA
Constant fears of animals or insects that may or may not do any

harm.
Examples
Fear of spiders Arachnophobia Fear of dogs Cynophobia Fear of bees Apiphobia Fear of cats Gatophobia Fear or horses Hippophobia

SITUATIONAL PHOBIAS
Fears of situations (normally triggered by experience)

Examples
Fear of the dark Nyctophobia Fear of enclosed spaces Claustrophobia Fear of flying Pteromerhanophobia Fear of traveling Hodophobia

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PHOBIAS

Fears of natural environments that they cant control

Examples
Fear of heights Acrophobia Fear of storms Astraphobia Fear of water Aquaphobia Fear of wind - Anemophobia

BLOOD/INJURY PHOBIA
Fear of injuries, blood, or medical procedures

Examples
Fear of being injured Traumatophobia Fear of blood Hemophobia Fear of injections Tryphanophobia Fear of needles - Belomophobia

OTHER PHOBIAS
Phobias that dont fit into other categories but are still considered

specific phobias are put into this category.

They dont belong in the other categories, but theyre specific

enough to be classified as specific phobias

Fear of clowns Coulrophobia Fear of loud noises Phonophobia Fear of long words Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

COMPLEX PHOBIAS

CHARACTERISTICS
Much more disabling than specific phobias

Connected with deep-rooted fears

Anxiety with certain situations Usually develops during adulthood

SOCIAL PHOBIA
Now called social-anxiety disorder Abundant amounts of self-consciousness Fear of embarrassment Fears of being rejected, out of place, excluded Afraid that they will offend or harm someone constantly Can only fear one social situation, or can fear all

Things victims will have difficulty with

Meeting people Being stared at Public speaking Attending gatherings Talking with authority figures

FEAR OF OPEN SPACES (AGORAPHOBIA)

Fears of open spaces

Feelings of isolation and no gateway to escape; trapped

Someone with extreme agoraphobia may never leave the house Includes
Enclosed spaces Public transportation Feeling helpless Overdependence on others

REACTIONS
The effects of specific, social, and open space phobias are very

similar for they include

Uncontrollable panic Do everything they can to avoid the source Cant function normally Sweating Rapid heartbeat Difficulty breathing Feeling powerless because they know they cant control the fears Children: tantrums and crying

EFFECTS
Phobias have many social and mental effects.
Social Isolation May have trouble developing good social skills Cannot communicate which can lead to academic issues.

Depression Substance Abuse Suicide

CITATIONS