INDEPTH: PHOBIAS
Fear and Phobias
Lani Krantz, CBC News Online | October 31, 2003
Ghosts aren't the only things prickling spines on Halloween. For many people, fear is an element of daily life, with cases ranging from mild to crippling. Some scientists say phobias are indicative of the evolutionary tendency to protect ourselves from dangerous situations. They think that many phobia-related panic attacks are just exaggerated episodes of otherwise reasonable fears. While some fears are more easily rationalized than others, they can all be torturous for those who suffer from them. Here are some common phobias:
Aerophobia: After Sept. 11, fear of flying came to the fore. It's been around as long as commercial flight. Help for the condition ranges from education and guidance to support groups, psychiatric counselling, hypnosis and psychotropic medication.
Mysophobia: The fear of germs can last much longer than an outbreak of disease. Sometimes associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and characterized by handwashing, toothbrushing and frequent bathing, this anxiety can lead sufferers into an endless cycle of sanitization.
Fear of Driving: Driving phobias range from avoidance of left turns and parallel parking to fears of intersections and freeways. Some people who suffer from this anxiety are forced to give up driving entirely.
Triskaidekaphobia: On Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, Hamilton's Alan Dow turned 13. His time of birth was recorded as 13:13. For a person with a fear of the number 13, this would send shockwaves through their nervous system, causing hyperventilation, chest palpitations and a slimy, cold sweat. Fear of 13 is one of the most commonly reported fears.
Agoraphobia: The fear of leaving secure spaces is a condition that can cause elevated pulse levels, tightness in the chest and sweating. Many sufferers become confined to a tiny geographic radius. Others are completely unable to leave the house. Treatment often includes counselling and medication.
Claustrophobia: The fear of being in enclosed or confined spaces keeps sufferers out of elevators, trains, aircraft and crowds. This disorder can be particularly serious since sufferers can't always escape the cause of their panic. Cognitive therapy and antidepressant medication are commonly used to treat the condition.
Coulrophobia: Stephen King's It and clown-costumed killer John Wayne Gacy pulled the fear of clowns out of the shadows. But the muscular stiffening, sweating and goose bumps caused by the sight of a clown can be treated with relaxation and breathing techniques. The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center in Milwaukee also runs a special program to treat chronic fear of clowns.
Necrophobia: Fear of death often occurs in conjunction with other fears. Necrophobia also includes the fear of dead things.
Arachnophobia: Although it has been associated with crawling insects in general, arachnophobia refers specifically with aversions to spiders. Fear of other insects is called entomophobia. But, if it's the itching that "bugs" you, it's called acarophobia.
Acrophobia: Sometimes associated with aerophobia, acrophobics don't need to be in an aeroplane to experience their jitters. You won't find sufferers of this anxiety in tall buildings or riding roller coasters. Some of them aren't even able to climb a flight of stairs.
Zoophobia: This is the fear of animals. There exist more specific fears of cats, dogs, reptiles and other wild things, but zoophobics prefer humans.
Some fears aren't truly phobias in the clinical sense of the word, but the result of other factors. Aversions such as xenophobia (fear of strangers and the unknown), homophobia (fear of homosexuality), and islamophobia (fear of Islam) are terms that have taken on a popularized meaning and actually have no medical pathology.
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