I am terrified of standing on a balcony which is on the 30th floor of my building. I can’t even open my eyes and look at the vast sky.
Do you think this is what a phobia means? Yes and No. Just being scared of heights or other things does not mean one has a phobia.
What is a Phobia?
A phobia is much more than having a fear of something. Phobias are not just magnified fears, but it is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by irrational, unrealistic, unexplainable, persistent, and excessive fear of an object or a situation.
They are unlike regular fears where you get scared of a dog once in a while since they usually originate from deep anxieties or previous traumas and experiences that send ripples deep into the mind.
Being a type of anxiety disorder, phobias often overlap with other mental health conditions, adding more layers to the complexity. In this article, we have included 6 phobias that deeply affect mental health, often leading to significant emotional distress in life.
Phobias and Their Connection to Psychological Disorders
1. Agoraphobia: Fear of Open or Crowded Spaces
Agoraphobia is a phobia and a kind of anxiety disorder where an individual fears being exposed to large spaces where they meet a pool of new people, this phobia does not only include the fear of wide and open spaces but is also scared of not being able to escape that situation and get help.
People who are diagnosed with this anxiety disorder often find themselves in a panic situation when exposed to large crowds and due to fear and anxiety, people suffering from agoraphobia tend to avoid new places and unfamiliar situations, such as public transportation, crowds and usually places outside their homes.
2. Social Phobia: Fear of Social Interactions
Social Phobia, also known as Social Anxiety Disorder is yet another type of phobia where individuals fear engaging in social interactions or finding themselves in social situations.
It is extremely normal to get nervous or fear giving a speech in front of a huge crowd or talking to strangers in a new setting, but when everyday social interactions cause significant distress in life and affect daily functioning, that is when having a phobia comes into the picture. People diagnosed with social anxiety fear being judged or watched by others, and hence they avoid social interactions altogether.
3. Atychiphobia: Fear of Failure
Humans want to be happy and one can only be happy in their life when they succeed in their apparent attempts to achieve happiness, however, this is not always the case. There are times when we fail. We fail to get a desirable score that we wanted in an exam or we fail in a relationship and so many other instances, and honestly, who wants to fail in their attempts of being happy?
Not wanting to fail is very different from excessively fearing failure and as a result, not trying out things just because you could fail. Individuals who have atychiphobia get easily overwhelmed and dread making mistakes or failing in a desired task. As a result, this phobia creates a vicious cycle of doubting oneself and not even trying.
4. Claustrophobia: Fear of Confined Spaces
Claustrophobia is one of the most common phobias that you must be familiar with. It is characterized by an irrational and persistent fear of being stuck in a tight or crowded space. People who have claustrophobia are often triggered when they get stuck in between a lot of people in an elevator and have no space for themselves, or walking through a very busy street.
5. Anuptaphobia: Fear of Being or Staying Single
Humans crave love in all forms and one of the most desirable ways is by being in a romantic relationship and having a partner. Stemming from this, Anuptaphobia is a type of phobia where individuals intensely and irrationally fear that they will remain single and will never be able to get into a relationship.
The fear of being by oneself or being lonely is not anuptaphobia. Rather, it is an unhealthy dread of never having a life partner. Many a time, the only reason an anuptaphobe will enter a relationship is to be in one out of fear that they won’t be able to get in one. Even if they don’t love or feel strongly for the other person, many will nevertheless commit to a relationship, again for the same reason.
6. Decidophobia: Fear of Making Decisions
As strange as it might sound, decidophobia is yet another phobia that is characterized by an intense and irrational fear of making decisions. Individuals who have extreme levels of decidophobia experience panic and anxiety even when the thought of having to make a decision passes through their minds.
Decidophobics try to avoid circumstances that need them to decide, to escape unpleasant emotions, but since life is all about choices, this becomes too problematic for them and causes them to go through various negative emotions that affect them in many ways.
Although you may believe that having a fear is a serious weakness or an indication of weakness, this is not true. Each of us goes through various situations in life and might develop certain fears that we attach to, and it’s difficult to get past them.
Everyone is susceptible to phobias, regardless of age or background and one can get over it. Seeing a mental health expert for assistance with a phobia is perfectly acceptable, just as getting treatment for a physical ailment is perfectly acceptable.
Facing phobias can be overwhelming, but the GoodLives App offers gentle support through calming meditation practices, deep breathing exercises, and access to professional therapists for guided help. Take small, steady steps toward overcoming fear, with support that’s just a tap away.
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