What Are Phobias?: Everything You Must Know About Irrational Fears And More!

Have you ever wondered why Ron was so afraid of spiders? Or why are some people scared of the dark? Even after becoming an adult they can never shake away that eerie feeling they get when they are in a dark room. Well, a few days ago while light reading on a sunday, I read an article that was diving into the psychology behind phobias. 

Phobias are the scientific term for what we call irrational fears. 

The insightful article introduced a fresh perspective on the root of irrational fears and why it is occurring. It is easy to understand that most people have a fear of things that may be due to an incident in their childhood. This article presents the angle of childhood trauma as well. 

It is not easy to live with an irrational fear, especially when you have a fear of things that are commonly present in the surrounding. An irrational fear is something that leaves you dreading a situation such as facing a room full of people. 

Trigger warning: The following sections contain images that may be disturbing if you experience any of the described phobias. 

What Is Irrational Fear? 

Caption: Irrational fear may be considered harmless by someone who is not experiencing the fear. 

Irrational fears definition says that a circumstance or object that elicits fear or dread can be so much that it restricts your life. It is not being scared of the dark after watching a horror movie, it can be likened to the sensation of feeling scared of the dark persistently, irrespective of watching a thriller or horror flick. 

Something as persistent as addiction can be likened to phobias or fears that take a long time to overcome. 

A fear becomes a phobia when it starts restricting your activities, not allowing you to live your life to the fullest. It is easy to get rid of a fear, however, it is very difficult to rid yourself of a phobia. 

As per the American Psychological Association, an irrational fear, thus, by definition is a persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation. That a person constantly avoids or endures with a lot of distress. 

Experts such as Professor Isaac Marks of King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry opine that all phobias are treatable. No one has to suffer, and they can “overcome phobias.” 

There are several treatment strategies for overcoming something as chronic as addiction or phobias. It may include behavior therapy or psychoanalysis to find out the root cause of a condition. 

Irrational Fears List

The different kinds of irrational fears that affect people all around the world. It is important to know that the different kinds of phobias require different approaches for treatment. These can depend on the person as well as the type of psychological state they are in. 

Nearly 10-15% of the population in the US alone experience a type of phobia. It is difficult to list all the phobias that exist, however, as an example of irrational fears, the following make the list: 

1. Sociophobia

We have all been there, no? That weird feeling in your tummy right before you have to go to a social gathering? That is a mild form of social anxiety that most of us have experienced at least once in our lives. However, for some people it can be extreme and they may even go on to have extreme symptoms associated with the condition. 

This type of phobia is an extreme fear of social gatherings or the fear of socializing that can stem from several reasons. It is mostly known as social pressure, social anxiety or social phobia that may not ‘make sense’ to people, however, it has serious implications for the person experiencing it. 

So much so that the person may develop low self confidence, have weak relationships at work or school and may even feel excluded. Medically, the condition is also known as social anxiety disorder. 

2. Entomophobia

You may relate this better with the following reference! Remember how Ron Weasley could not go into the already terrifying forest after finding out that the spiders are guiding their way? 

Everyone with a fear of insects related to poor Ron and empathized with him. However, for people who do not have any such difficulty, it was funny to watch him squeal. 

Entomophobia would be the most terrifying fear that one has when seeing or even thinking about insects. 

The most important point of this phobia is that a person can kind of become someone with social anxiety. The anxiety in this case comes from the fear that the outer environment has many insects. 

As there are high chances they will be exposed to the insects they fear such as spiders, ants, bees or mosquitoes. All of which can be pretty terrifying. (Please don’t report this to the PETA of insects). 

3. Megalophobia

The fear of large objects is what this phobia denotes. A person with this fear can have intense anxiety or fear when thinking of large objects or being surrounded by them. The people with such a phobia can be scared of buildings, statues, vehicles or even large animals. 

This fear may stem from an unfortunate interaction with an animal during childhood that has left a scar in their memory. The type of anxiety from the visual of large objects can differ between people and may lead to extreme reactions. The underlying cause of the anxiety cannot be addressed unless there is a proper treatment for the same. 

People can also avoid going outside due to the fear of seeing huge buildings. Which is more difficult nowadays due to the renovation of most cities to look like concrete jungles. For someone who may have experienced a traumatic incident in relation to a huge structure or vehicle can develop the fear of the same. 

4. Thalassophobia

The people who experience thalassophobia are more likely to fear large water bodies such as the ocean or large lakes. They may easily fear the sight of a large water body or the creatures of the ocean. Sometimes a thalassophobia person may fear both the vastness of the ocean and the animals that dwell in it. 

Most importantly the cause of anxiety may not be solved when they avoid the sight of the ocean or the animals in it. The fear may be delayed, however, the person may just suppress that feeling than treat it. The condition is also recognized as a distinct disorder whose symptoms fall under Specific Phobia: Natural Environment Type. 

5. Astraphobia 

The intense fear of thunder and lightning categorizes this phobia. More common in children (Cue Rain Rain Go Away!) It is also observed in adults. Similar to other phobias, this is also related to a traumatic event that may have occurred with respect to lightning. 

I used to be scared of lightning when I was child, however, as I grew up, it did not really scare me anymore. I have become an admirer of these streaks during rain or storms, but it still does scare me when I think of the visuals in Stranger Things. 

More likely, people who witness someone get hurt by lightning, are more likely to develop this phobia. Which is understandable, similar to other phobias. 

How To Deal With Irrational Fears

Most of the treatment therapies include grounding exercises that can calm the person and make sure they are not experiencing excess fear. The various alternatives include exposure therapy, that focuses on changing the response to the object that elicits a fearful reaction in a person. In addition, the repeated exposure is known to reduce the intensity of the anxiety or fear. 

A trained professional is the best way to cure phobias as they have a psychological aspect. Thus, a mental health professional who is capable of addressing the triggers and working towards a solution is advised. 

Conclusion

We fear a lot of things, some people fear death, some fear clowns, all of these fears are relevant and can be resolved through proper guidance. Moreover, it is best to make sure that you are addressing the issues rather than keeping them at the back of your mind. This reduces your quality of life and restricts your ways to enjoy your life. 

The aim of the article was to ensure that there are no misconceptions about the phobias and the treatments related to them. 

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