Into The Panic Room on 91Èȱ¬ Three
Three days, two phobias, one Panic Room
About phobias
People with a phobia experience extreme, disabling and irrational fear of something that poses little or no danger.
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Many phobics may acknowledge that their fear is out of proportion to the true danger or threat, but they cannot control or explain it.
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If someone does not take steps to overcome a phobia it can last for years, and can cause considerable disruption to daily life.
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Top 10 phobias
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1. Spiders (Arachnophobia)
2. Social Phobia
3. Flying (Aerophobia)
4. Agoraphobia
5. Claustrophobia
6. Vomiting (Emetophia)
7. Heights (Acrophobia)
8. Cancer
9. Thunderstorms (Brontophobia)
10. Death (Necrophobia)
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Symptoms
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Most people have no symptoms until they are faced with their feared situation or object. When they are confronted by this, they have severe symptoms of anxiety. These can be so unpleasant that the person takes elaborate steps to avoid coming into contact with their feared object.
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In severe cases, these symptoms can occur even when the person is thinking about being close to the feared object or simply seeing a picture of it. Symptoms include:
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- Fast, pounding heartbeat
- Difficulty catching your breath
- Chest pain
- Flushing and sweating
- Feeling sick
- Trembling
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Needing to go to the toilet
- Feeling faint
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Causes
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The cause of phobias is not well understood. Psychologists who have studied phobias have suggested that they develop from an unpleasant experience in childhood involving the feared object.
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The unpleasant situation is stored in the person’s memory, bringing on the fear again when the memory is triggered. For some people, the onset of a phobia may be triggered by a stressful life event, such as bereavement.
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Types of phobias
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There are several different types of phobia:
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Specific or simple phobias
These are fears of specific situations such as being close to animals or birds, fear of heights, lifts or other closed spaces (claustrophobia), needles, flying or the sight of blood. These phobias are more common in women, and they often begin in childhood, in some cases after an associated traumatic experience. People who suffer from these phobias rarely have any other psychiatric or psychological problems.
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Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia often starts in late adolescence and early adulthood. Strictly speaking, it means a fear of open spaces. In reality it is often used to refer to a fear of crowded places. People with agoraphobia often experience anxiety, panic and depression.
Agoraphobia can be particularly disabling, as many people who suffer from it become completely housebound.
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Social phobia
Social phobia occurs when there is an excessive fear of intimate social situations, such as small groups of people at parties. This is different to the fear of contact with crowds of people, as with agoraphobia. People with social phobia have no confidence with people they do not know, and fear that strangers are being overtly critical of them. They may also fear that they will behave in an embarrassing way, such as blushing or shaking in public.
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Incidence of anxiety
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Anxiety disorders are very common. In a survey covering Great Britain:
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- One in six adults had experienced some form of "neurotic health problem" in the previous week. The most common neurotic disorders were anxiety and depressive disorders.
- More than one in ten people are likely to have a "disabling anxiety disorder" at some stage in their life.
- An estimated 13% of the adult population will develop a specific form of anxiety known as a phobia at some point in their life.
- Phobias are the most common mental illness among women in all age groups and the second most common illness among men older than 25.
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Self-help for phobias
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The personal motivation to expose oneself to the feared object and to tolerate the anxiety is the most important aspect of treatment. Some people find that they can do this on their own, perhaps with the help of books and support from friends and family.
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Professional treatment
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Cognitive behavioural therapy
The cognitive aspect teaches people to understand the thinking patterns that contribute to their symptoms and to change their thoughts so that symptoms are less likely to occur.
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Exposure therapy
This is part of cognitive behavioural therapy that focuses on behaviour, rather than thoughts.
Exposure therapy involves starting to confront the fear and stopping avoiding it.
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When exposed to the feared object or situation, the person is taught to tolerate their high levels of anxiety. People learn to conquer their fears by gradually learning that no catastrophe befalls them during exposure.
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Counselling
Some people find it useful to discuss how they have altered their lifestyle to cope with a phobia, and the adjustments they have had to make to avoid the feared situation.
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Relaxation training
There are exercises to reduce symptoms of anxiety. Relaxation training includes breathing exercises and muscular relaxation.
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Medication
Medication can be extremely helpful in alleviating the symptoms of anxiety in the short term and, when used in combination with psychological treatments, can assist in finding a permanent cure.
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Medicines are rarely used to treat phobias though if the person has an associated condition, like depression, this may be treated with medication.
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Some doctors may prescribe medicines called benzodiazepines (such as diazepam, also known as Valium) to ease symptoms in the initial stages of a psychological programme. However, these can only be taken for short periods because they can lead to dependence.
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Other drugs, called beta-blockers, are sometimes used to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and have also been used together with psychological treatment programmes. However, drug treatment alone is usually not enough to effectively treat phobias.
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Hypnosis
Some people may find this helpful, but there is no scientific evidence that it is an effective treatment for phobia.
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Complementary therapies
Many complementary therapies can help in recovery.
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For further information please contact the National Phobics Society:
Tel: 0870 122 2325
Fax: 0161 226 7727
Email: info@phobics-society.org.uk
www.phobics-society.org.uk
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