Uncontrolled Phobias We all have fears. It is within human nature to do so. One common fear is speaking in public, followed by a fear of heights or fear of darkness. Many phobias are irrational. Do they make sense? Sometimes not, but then again, fears are not logical. So when exactly does the fear cross the line and become a phobia? And when exactly is a phobia crossing the line and needs to be addressed? It is likely you will encounter a patient with a phobia. Fear of needles is common, and for some patients it will be unavoidable to face their fears during a hospital stay. Related: What are Allergies? What is Hay Fever? Fears For someone that has a fear of heights, they may want to avoid climbing on the roof of the house or even climbing a stepladder. They are able to walk past the 12 foot ladder and look at the roof of the house and not be bothered. They just don’t want to do the climbing themselves. If a person has a fear of heights and the sight of the 12 foot ladder causes extreme anxiety or looking at the roof of the home bothers them to the point of feeling sick, then it has become a phobia and needs to be addressed. There are actually support groups that address very common fears such as a fear of flying. The goal is by the end of the support group class, each participant is able to go on an airplane ride without dealing with extreme fears. The disappointing fact is that this is only about 40% effective. Where do fears come from? The age-old question, where do fears come from? They obviously originate somewhere, but where? It’s unlikely we’ll ever know. For an adult that had a near drowning accident as a child, one could understand they may have a fear of water. However, many phobias seem to be unlinked to an original event. Fears such as spiders and snakes have been found to be natural for humans, and those who do not fear them are considered thrill-seekers. Control The main question when it comes to fears and phobias is where does the control lie? Is the control with the individual, or is the phobia in control? If in fact the phobia is in control, it’s time to seek help. A Therapist trained in working with individuals with phobias can help in getting you to understand the phobia, perhaps why you have the phobia and most importantly how you can gain control over the phobia. You may in fact still have that fear, but it’s
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