What Phobias are
Panic Attack Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
When you encounter irrational fear for something, this is known as a phobia. It can be an animal object or any situation- people have different perceptions regarding different things so the phobias can vary from person to person.
It is an anxiety disorder that can occur at any stage of life, and the symptoms for phobias can range from least to most affecting. If you are suffering from a phobia that is extreme and affecting your daily routine, immediately speak to a doctor for help.
Whom Phobia can affect
It can affect anyone at any time. Some develop during childhood and some at any stage of life.
Types of Phobia
There is a wide variety of phobias with many different types. Some of the common types include dogs, spider, flying or heights. These are known as "Simple Phobias," they usually develop in teenage, or childhood, a traumatic event can also cause a phobia.
There is another type of phobia which is known with the name of "Complex Phobias," it is a less common type of phobia. This includes agoraphobia or social phobia (social anxiety disorder). Such phobias develop at the stage of adulthood, and they can be debilitating, it makes you struggle for every day in life.
If you believe that you need help regarding your complex or simple phobia, you can consult a doctor about it, and they will surely provide you with appropriate help.
Symptoms of Phobia
Symptoms and intensity of phobia vary from person to person.
The symptoms for phobia can be both psychological and physical.
Some physical symptoms may include:
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Tightness in your chest
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Shortness of breath
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Flushes of hot or cold
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Fast heart rate
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Pain in chest
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Not feeling in touch with reality
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Shaking or trembling
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If you think that it is difficult for you to cope with the symptoms of phobia, no matter how minor or insignificant you think they are, you should discuss it with the doctor. Our doctors will help you in finding a way to deal with such symptoms.
Diagnosis of Phobias
Commonly most of the phobias are not diagnosed, as people adjust and start living with them. They try to avoid the causes and situations that trigger it. However, you should not ignore or avoid phobia and should get it treated as soon as possible because they can make the situation worse. Discuss your phobia with a doctor, especially if it is disturbing your routine.
Our doctors will as ask a question about your situation so that they can find out the particular cause of phobia. Moreover, they can suggest you a specialist that can deal with your phobia. They will make sure that you get the right specialist and the right treatment that can help in reducing the impact that is disturbing your life.
Causes of Phobias
The causes of phobia may not be visible to you, but our doctors will discuss the symptoms with you to reach the potential root of the issue.
As it is already mentioned above, simple or complex phobias are usually the result of stressful events faced in childhood or teenager. These can lead to most common phobias such as confined spaces or fear of height.
Cause for such type of phobia includes:
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Learned behaviour (living with someone who has a phobia)
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Stressful situation
Treatment for phobias
There is a possibility that you have been living with it for a long time, or it can be a recent development in your life. Whatever the conditions are, the initial step is to consult a doctor, and surprisingly all the phobias can be controlled and treated.
There are numerous treatment options for phobias, which includes:
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Medication
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
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Psychotherapy
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Self-help, including books, online programmes and support group
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Our doctors can recommend the best-suited treatment option for you.
The decision of the doctors depends on how the phobias are affecting you; for an effective result, the treatment plan for phobias can include both medication and therapies.
Consult a Doctor online
our GP`s is there to help you for 365 days. You can have an online face to face consultation with our doctors through your laptop, smartphone or tablet. We will do anything for your ease; moreover, there is no pressure or judgment.