Top 10 Human Phobias
1. Arachnophobia =Fear of
spider
Millions of people can identify with Little Miss Muffet, who couldn't represent a spider to take a seat down beside her. Arachnophobia—so named from the Greek word aráchn, meaning “spider”—is one among the foremost common fears. the important question is why, since most spiders are harmless to humans. Some evolutionary psychologists believe that humans developed a fear of spiders as a survival mechanism. it might make sense—some spider bites are often deadly, so avoiding all spiders would are prudent for our ancestors. We aren’t, in fact, born with a fear of spiders, but psychologists have shown that babies and toddlers learn to fear them quickly—much more quickly than, say, butterflies.
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
Fear of spiders can range widely, from very minor and occasional to being too afraid to steer on the grass, enter your home, or travel if you think that you would possibly encounter a spider. Interestingly, and to form matters worse, studies have shown that folks who are scared of spiders actually see them as bigger than they really are; the greater a person’s fear, the larger the spider appears. Fortunately, arachnophobia responds well to the sort of treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy.
Astraphobia is one among those ancient fears that probably had our ancestors huddled under bear skins in their caves. it's normal to fear the destructive power of lightning or severe storms and to require steps to seek out a secure place. Fearof storms is common in children and pets (especially dogs).
Scientists estimate that almost 9 percent of individuals will have a storm phobia at some point in their lives, and there are several types. While the name astraphobia comes from the Greek word for “lightning,” astrape, there's also brontophobia, or fear of thunder, and lilapsophobia, or fear of severe storms, like tornadoes or hurricanes.
Fear of spiders can range widely, from very minor and occasional to being too afraid to steer on the grass, enter your home, or travel if you think that you would possibly encounter a spider. Interestingly, and to form matters worse, studies have shown that folks who are scared of spiders actually see them as bigger than they really are; the greater a person’s fear, the larger the spider appears. Fortunately, arachnophobia responds well to the sort of treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy.
2. Astraphobia = Fear of thunder/lighting
Astraphobia is one among those ancient fears that probably had our ancestors huddled under bear skins in their caves. it's normal to fear the destructive power of lightning or severe storms and to require steps to seek out a secure place. Fearof storms is common in children and pets (especially dogs).
Scientists estimate that almost 9 percent of individuals will have a storm phobia at some point in their lives, and there are several types. While the name astraphobia comes from the Greek word for “lightning,” astrape, there's also brontophobia, or fear of thunder, and lilapsophobia, or fear of severe storms, like tornadoes or hurricanes.
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
Cognitive behavioral Therapy may
be a common and effective treatment for
many storm phobias, and therapists have begun using computer
game programs to simulate storms as how to
reduce people’s fears of them. However, since storms are
often dangerous, it’s also helpful to be prepared. Knowing you’ve done all you'll do to
organize for a dangerous storm will help lessen worries.
3. HEMOPHOBIA=FEAR OF BLOOD
If the sight of blood causes you to feel sick to your stomach, dizzy, or faint, you've got many company. Hemophobia —the term springs from the Greek word for “blood,” haima—is quite common . Experts say that almost 15 percent of us have passed out at the sight of blood at some point.
And while many of us with hemophobia don’t report being afraid of blood itself, once they need this reaction, they fear they will faint again and make a spectacle of themselves.When people with hemophobia see blood, their blood pressure drops, and that they often lose consciousness. Scientists believe there could be an evolutionary explanation for this. Say you were fighting during a battle, saw blood, and fainted.
Your enemies might think you were dead and pass
you over. And if the blood happened to be your own, you'd be less likely to bleed to death if you were lying
quietly. This reaction won't win you any prizes for
courage on the battlefield, but a
minimum of it might assist
you survive to expireyour genes.
Fortunately, there's tons of help available for overcoming hemophobia and therefore the “playing possum” reaction to the sight of blood. If you suffer from this, hunt down a professional therapist. one among the foremost effective techniques is named applied tension. It works like this: A therapist gradually shows you different pictures and videos of blood in everyday, nonthreatening situations (such as blood during a vial,videos of somebody taking a blood sample or getting a blood test, then on). once you begin to feel light-headed, you’re instructed to tense the muscles in your arms, legs, and body for a couple of seconds; this helps raise your vital sign so that you don’t faint. many of us say that they will overcome their blood phobia after a couple of sessions.
Fear of the dark is
sort of common and doubtless natural.Children often develop a fear of the dark round
the age of two. most of the people outgrow their fear, but a
surprising
number of adults fess up to being scared of the dark. Sleep researchers have found that folks who are scared of the dark are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Little kids who develop nyctophobia (the term is from the Greek word nyktos, meaning “night”) aren’t usually scared of monsters under the bed—not initially . Young children are
most likely to associate darkness with separation from their parents. That’s a scary thing. It’s only as children get older and their thinking becomes more sophisticated that they begin to imagine that they see or hear monsters, ghosts, or other bogeymen. The darkness provides a blank canvas onto which we will project our fears. And if we can’t see it, who’s to say it isn’t there?. Then, of course, on a practical level, nighttime are often more dangerous than the daytime. We are indeed more vulnerable to thieves and criminals if we’re walking down poorly lit streets after dark. Fear and anxiety during this situation, however, is related to a reputable threat; this is often not nyctophobia. Indeed, what defines fear of the dark as a phobia is that it strikes us even once we know we are perfectly safe and there's no reason to be frightened.
Sleep is as necessary for survival as eating and drinking.It’s not just a matter of feeling cranky once we don’t get enough sleep—although there’s that—but of stayinghealthy. Extreme, long-term sleep deprivation can even be deadly. But many of us with anxiety disorders fear sleep for a spread of reasons.
Indeed, somniphobia—the term is from the Latin word somnus, meaning “sleep,” and therefore the fear is additionally referred to as hypnophobia—is associated with a number of other fears: fear of sleepwalking, fear of somniloquy , fear of nightmares or night terrors, and even fear of death. In the most elementary terms, if you’re anxious or stressed, it’s harder to sleep, and you’re more likely to be suffering fromnightmares.
If sleep problems are caused by anxiety and stress, some of the relaxation techniques described in “Overcoming the Fear” can often help. Prime your body for an honest night’s sleep by taking a warm bath, drinking warm milk, or listening to some calming music. If you’re susceptible to nightmares, don’t eat any late-night snacks: They signal yourbrain to be more active. Don’t drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks within the four or five hours before bedtime. Exercise regularly—but not too on the brink of bedtime. Finally, avoid sitting ahead of a lighted display screen right before bedtime: That bright light sends the incorrect signals to your brain. If nothing helps and you're still scared to sleep, talk to a therapist who focuses on sleep disorders.
Typically, aquaphobia is treated through acclimatization.That is, swimming lessons. Building a person’s confidence in water, and teaching them to swim, is one among the
simplest waysto overcome aquaphobia, and lots of organizations offer lessons specifically aimed toward aquaphobes. “There is simply one remedy, to throw the
Fear of heights is one among the foremost common phobias, as
it’s associated with the very understandable (and healthy) fear of falling. The name itself springs from the Greek word ákron, meaning “peak,” “summit,” or “edge.” most of the
people have some fear of heights, a minimum of under certain circumstances (such as standing at the sting of the Grand Canyon), but like all fears, it becomes a phobia when the reaction is so extreme or persistent that it interferes with everyday life. People with acrophobia might become very anxious and dizzy just brooding about being during a high
place, and if they found themselves high above the bottom , they might freeze and be unable to maneuver or get down safely without help.
Cynophobia—the term is from the Greek word kýõn, meaning “dog”—is one among the foremost common animal phobias, especially among children. C 00onsidering the amount of companion dogs within the world, cynophobia are often
quite troublesome in lifestyle , since avoiding dogs can get pretty tricky. As with many animal phobias, cynophobia is usually caused by a nasty childhood experience with an animal. Whether it was something as innocent as being knocked over by an overenthusiastic puppy or as truly dangerous as actually being bitten by a dog, those initial feelings of fear can
grow into a full-blown phobia; the fear of the trauma happening again can get transferred to all or any dogs. But a phobia
isn’t always a reaction to at least one specific incident. If you
grew up next door to a home with a “Beware of the Dog” check in the front window, and a growling, snapping animal within the
yard, you might develop a phobia of all dogs. Of course, some dogs
are aggressive and do bite. Particularly with strange dogs, it’s knowing approach them with caution
(if not anxiety). this is often a part of what makes it easy
sometimes for reasonable fears to slip into relatively unreasonable phobias: In certain situations and with certain animals, it makes common sense to be wary. Ideally, you don’t want to be too afraid to go to your friend’s house because she features
a big friendly St. Bernard who wouldn’t bite if you were wearing a bacon shirt. (I know; I had one among those dogs!) But if an unknown dog is straining at its leash or seems aggressive in any way, you aren’t wrong to offer that animal a good berth, either. Though it doesn’t change things , it’s also worth remembering that, most of the time, an aggressive dog is
that the fault of the owner, who has either neglected the animal or
Agoraphobia (the term is from the Greek word agora, for “marketplace”)is really more complicated than a simple fear of public or open spaces. an individual with agoraphobia is extremely scared of having a scare during a place or situation where escape could be difficult or embarrassing. this is often closely associated with claustrophobia, or the fear of confined spaces, and lots of people that are afraid of wide-open spaces also are scared of small, tight spaces. However, agoraphobia are often even more debilitating than claustrophobia: the thought of freaking out while on a train, in an elevator, or during a crowded room fills some people with so much dread that they simply refuse to go away home—whether
for school, for work, orto ascertain friends.
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
Fortunately, there's tons of help available for overcoming hemophobia and therefore the “playing possum” reaction to the sight of blood. If you suffer from this, hunt down a professional therapist. one among the foremost effective techniques is named applied tension. It works like this: A therapist gradually shows you different pictures and videos of blood in everyday, nonthreatening situations (such as blood during a vial,videos of somebody taking a blood sample or getting a blood test, then on). once you begin to feel light-headed, you’re instructed to tense the muscles in your arms, legs, and body for a couple of seconds; this helps raise your vital sign so that you don’t faint. many of us say that they will overcome their blood phobia after a couple of sessions.
4. NYCTOPHOBIA= FEAR OF DARKNESS
number of adults fess up to being scared of the dark. Sleep researchers have found that folks who are scared of the dark are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Little kids who develop nyctophobia (the term is from the Greek word nyktos, meaning “night”) aren’t usually scared of monsters under the bed—not initially . Young children are
most likely to associate darkness with separation from their parents. That’s a scary thing. It’s only as children get older and their thinking becomes more sophisticated that they begin to imagine that they see or hear monsters, ghosts, or other bogeymen. The darkness provides a blank canvas onto which we will project our fears. And if we can’t see it, who’s to say it isn’t there?. Then, of course, on a practical level, nighttime are often more dangerous than the daytime. We are indeed more vulnerable to thieves and criminals if we’re walking down poorly lit streets after dark. Fear and anxiety during this situation, however, is related to a reputable threat; this is often not nyctophobia. Indeed, what defines fear of the dark as a phobia is that it strikes us even once we know we are perfectly safe and there's no reason to be frightened.
5.SOMNIPHOBIA=FEAR OF SLLEP
Sleep is as necessary for survival as eating and drinking.It’s not just a matter of feeling cranky once we don’t get enough sleep—although there’s that—but of stayinghealthy. Extreme, long-term sleep deprivation can even be deadly. But many of us with anxiety disorders fear sleep for a spread of reasons.
Indeed, somniphobia—the term is from the Latin word somnus, meaning “sleep,” and therefore the fear is additionally referred to as hypnophobia—is associated with a number of other fears: fear of sleepwalking, fear of somniloquy , fear of nightmares or night terrors, and even fear of death. In the most elementary terms, if you’re anxious or stressed, it’s harder to sleep, and you’re more likely to be suffering fromnightmares.
If sleep problems are caused by anxiety and stress, some of the relaxation techniques described in “Overcoming the Fear” can often help. Prime your body for an honest night’s sleep by taking a warm bath, drinking warm milk, or listening to some calming music. If you’re susceptible to nightmares, don’t eat any late-night snacks: They signal yourbrain to be more active. Don’t drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks within the four or five hours before bedtime. Exercise regularly—but not too on the brink of bedtime. Finally, avoid sitting ahead of a lighted display screen right before bedtime: That bright light sends the incorrect signals to your brain. If nothing helps and you're still scared to sleep, talk to a therapist who focuses on sleep disorders.
6. AQUAPHOBIA = FEAR OF WATER
Fear of water is an ancient and fairly common phobia. Atroot, it's associated with the fear of drowning, but not everyone is triggered within the same way. Some people are
only
afraid of entering trouble (even if they skills to swim), while others cannot bear to be near any body of water, regardless of how shallow. In rare cases, the phobia
can become so severe that folks are afraid to require a shower
or shower.
This extreme fear merits its own phobia name, ablutophobia, and, needless to mention , it can seriously
affect someone’s day-to-day life. The name aquaphobia comes from the Latin word aqua, meaning “water,” “the sea,” or “rain.” it's also sometimes referred to as hydrophobia, which
is a popular name for rabies. Typically, aquaphobia may be a learned phobia. Some kids develop the fear as a reaction to overly cautious parents (who may themselves have aquaphobia) who constantly warn them to remain faraway from the water.
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
7. ACROPHOBIA=FEAR OF HEIGHTS
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
Having a fear of heights is common and even healthy, since falling from even modest heights can hurt and end in real injury. The question, as with all phobias, is does the fear match the relative danger, and does the fear or maybe the anxiety interfere with a person’s everyday life? Anyone might experience a flash of dizzy concern searching the closed window of a skyscraper, but this wouldn’t necessarily be debilitating
8. CYNOPHOBIA = FEAR OF DOGS
taught it to fight or be mean.
9. AGORAPHOBIA = FEAR OF PUBLIC OR OPEN SPACES
Agoraphobia (the term is from the Greek word agora, for “marketplace”)
for school, for work, or
OVERCOMING THE FEAR
Agoraphobia is one among the foremost crippling phobias. If it goes untreated, it can cause depression and constant anxiety. People with agoraphobia often address drugs or alcohol to help deal with their feelings of fear, isolation, and loneliness. Almost by the character of the phobia, people with agoraphobianeed help to beat it. Therapists may prescribe antidepressant and antianxiety medications to assist manage symptoms, and that they work with patients to know what triggers their panic attacks and find the simplest techniques for coping with the symptoms.
10. KAKORRAPHIAPHOBIA = FEAR OF FAILURE
t’s safe to mention that almost everyone has failed at some point in their lives, and intrinsically , almost everyone has struggled with the fear of failure. Fear of failure is additionally extremely common among teenagers, who try so many things for the primary time, and who may lack the confidence that have brings. On some level, we all know that failing is feasible whenever we attempt something, and that we also know that occasional failure is inevitable, now matter how hard we try. But nobody wants to fail. therefore the question is, how does one tell the difference between the expected anxiety that accompanies reaching for any goal you care about and a full-blown phobia? The answer answer is especially during a person’s response to the fear: Does the anxiety become so intense that it stops the person from attempting new things, or is anxiety itself the rationale for failing? Then, if failure happens, what does the person do next? Do they hide and vow to never try again, or do they
keep at it (and perhaps learn from any mistakes that were made)? The Greek word kakorrhaphia—which means an ingenious or devious plot or plan—gives us the tongue-twister name kakorraphiaphobia. That Greek word, meanwhile, derives from kakos, for “bad” or “evil,” which is additionally a root for the word cacophony. All of which just about captures what happens in our head: Fear of failure may be a noisy, evil, deviousplot that undermines our efforts.
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