About Phobias
What phobias are and what they are not
There are many misunderstandings about phobias. Contrary to popular belief, phobias are not a disorder, they are a learned response. The learning is not simply a mental process, rather a full neurological engagement of emotion and imagination, where the subconscious mind creates uncomfortable associations to objects, activities or ideas. Luckily that which has been learned can be unlearned and modified.
Most text books state there are two types of phobias, simple and complex. Simple phobias are often created by intense emotional reactions to a specific event the person could not effectively process. Complex phobias on the other hand cover many types of discomforts involving long periods of negative conditioning or stimulation of certain sensitivities
All phobias are not fears
The word phobia has become a catch all term for numerous uncomfortable feelings or symptoms a person experiences. So it is useful to think about phobias as covering broader neurological reactions than just fear.
For instance, consider the fear of creepy crawling things (Herpetophobia). Anyone who looks at something as creepy already feels put off by it, especially if their mind vividly imagines what creepy crawling things feel like The person is really reacting to how their mind creates or associated to the object, rather than the object itself.
What about the fear of fecal matter (Scatophobia). If the persons mind has them surrounded or intently engaging with feces, it can’t be a comfortable thought process. In fact most people would be quite disgusted if they thought of fecal matter that way.
Feeling massive creepiness or disgust can cause physical reactions, yet it is important to realize these are different neurological reactions than fear. Helping someone conquer this type of phobia may require a different approach.
Misdiagnosed as OCD
Then there are contamination phobias like fear of dirt (Rhypophobia), bacteria (Bacteriophobia), untidiness (Ataxophobia) or germs (Misophobia), which often give a strong clue of OCD being present. Other potential OCD related phobias are fear of deformity (Dysmorphophobia), disease (Panthophobia), hair (Trichopathophobia), heredity (Patroiophobia).hoarding (Disposophobia), god (Zeusophobia), hell (Stigiophobia), homosexuality (Homophobia), etc.
There is a fine line between intense irrational thoughts and unwanted obsessive thoughts and quite often those with OCD are mislabeled as having phobias.
Anxieties and phobias. Is there a difference?
Fears are a response to current situations. Anxieties are projected fear of potential things yet to come. There is an unrealistic anticipation of what might happen, consciously or unconsciously. So what is the difference between social phobia and social anxiety? Social fears tend projected, yet treatment of anxiety may be a bit more extensive than a simple phobia.
Don’t get sucked into the labels about phobias
When you think about phobias, remember they are labels and the labels are often inaccurate. When seeking help, make certain you find someone who understands the difference and takes time to find out what is really going on inside of you. It could be the difference between finding comfort or holding on to discomfort
As always, feel free to call 866-718-9995 for additional information on how your situation can be address or leave a comment or question below
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