Phobias

Encountering certain obstacles or situations may leave one frightened, such as being afraid of the dark, high heights, animals or insects. Most of us are able to remain calm, rationalize the situation, and find a way around it,  but this doesn’t work for everyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 10 million adults live with some kind of phobia.

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What is a phobia?

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Phobias, according to the American Psychological Association, are intense fears that result in distress and can be intrusive. Individuals with this anxiety disorder have an irrational fear of things that don’t pose any real threat.

 

Here are a few examples of common phobias:

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• Arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders

• Acrophobia, this is the fear of heights 

• Agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in a situation you can’t escape from

 

The American Psychiatric Association simplified the symptoms into two points:

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• An out-of-proportion reaction, as well as the age playing a role in being inappropriate

• The individual’s capability to behave normally is compromised

 

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