Sensus
Psychotherapy
Phobias
A phobia is a constant, extreme or irrational fear of an animal, object, place or situation that would not normally worry the majority of people, leading to an overwhelming need to avoid any contact with the specific cause of the anxiety or fear. Coming into contact, or even the thought of coming into contact with the cause of the phobia, makes you anxious or panic.
If it is unlikely that you will come into contact with the object of your phobia (for example, snakes), it will not tend to affect your everyday life too much. However, phobias such as agoraphobia and social phobia can make it very hard to lead a normal life.
Phobias are divided into two types: simple phobias and complex phobias.
Simple phobias
This type is about a single object, situation or activity. Common examples are a fear of insects, heights, snakes, enclosed spaces, dentists or flying. If you have a simple phobia you might react with mild anxiety or even with panic when confronted with the prospect of facing the source of your fear.
If you have a simple phobia you might react with mild anxiety or even with panic when confronted with the prospect of facing the source of your fear.
Complex phobias
Agoraphobia is an example of a complex phobia. It involves several anxieties, including fear of entering shops, crowds and public places, or of travelling in trains, buses or planes. It also includes anxiety of being unable to escape to a place of safety, usually home.
Social phobia is another complex phobia. Paruresis, also known as bashful bladder syndrome, is another type of social phobia. This anxiety disorder means that you are unable to use public toilets or urinate when others are nearby. It can make it hard to perform normal activities, such as going to work, attending social events or taking holidays. Paruresis can start at any age and seems to affect men more than women.
All phobias have been found to respond well to CBT.
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