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EspañolSPECIFIC PHOBIA
A 'specific phobia' is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amount to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations. As a result, the affected persons tend to actively avoid direct contact with the objects or situations, and in severe cases any mention or depiction of them.
It seems to be innacurate that any fear which is focused on a dangerous subject (ie heights, deep water, large animals, guns, fire, etcetera,) should be called a phobia. The expression 'healthy fear of ---' comes to mind.
The fear or anxiety may be triggered both by the presence and the anticipation of the specific object or situation. A person who encounters that of which they are phobic will often show signs of fear or express discomfort. In some cases it can result in a panic attack. In most cases of adults, this kind of phobia is consciously recognized by the person; still, anxiety and avoidance are difficult to control and may significantly impair person's functioning and even physical health.
According to the fourth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders phobias can be classified under the following general categories:
★ Animal type
:For example the fear of spiders (arachnophobia) and the fear of snakes (ophidiophobia).
★ Natural environment type
:Like the fear of heights (acrophobia) and the fear of lightning and thunderstorms (astraphobia).
★ Situational type
:Like the fear of small confined spaces (claustrophobia) and being "afraid of the dark," (nyctophobia).
★ Blood/injection/injury type
:Like the fear of medical procedures including needles and injections (aichmophobia)
★ Other
:Like the fear of the number 13 (triskaidekaphobia), and the fear of clowns (coulrophobia).
It is believed by Scientists that a common ancestor of primates, including the human, evolved the ability to develop phobias as a result of the dangers which plagued them. This is not to be confused with the idea that humans are born with specific phobias built-in, but that their genetics are coded to have a tendency to develop some fears more easily than others. There are five dangers which predominantly affected the human's evolutionary ancestor:
★ The dark
:Fear and avoidance of the dark resulted in minimal deaths and injuries to pre-humans caused by that which they were incapable of seeing.
★ Heights
:Avoiding heights prevented fatal falls from bringing an end to one who could possibly have future offspring
★ Spiders/snakes/cats
:Poisonous spiders and snakes are stealthy killers who appear mostly harmless to an uninformed being. Big cats, such as lions and tigers were the pinnacle predators of pre-humans in the wild.
★ Being alone
:The idea of there being safety in numbers is founded in animal instinct. It can be observed biologically in the swarm.
★ Enclosed Spaces
:Anxiety of enclosed spaces resulting in a fight-or-flight response would allow pre-humans to quickly realize the danger of falling into a hole, being trapped in a cave, etc.
It must be understood, however, that these behaviors themselves are not genetic traits. Predisposition to being a victim of these phobias is what is coded for within the human DNA. This does mean that those who have a family history of a specific phobia will be far more likely to develop the phobia themselves[1].
★ List of phobias
★ Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders - Specific phobias
It seems to be innacurate that any fear which is focused on a dangerous subject (ie heights, deep water, large animals, guns, fire, etcetera,) should be called a phobia. The expression 'healthy fear of ---' comes to mind.
The fear or anxiety may be triggered both by the presence and the anticipation of the specific object or situation. A person who encounters that of which they are phobic will often show signs of fear or express discomfort. In some cases it can result in a panic attack. In most cases of adults, this kind of phobia is consciously recognized by the person; still, anxiety and avoidance are difficult to control and may significantly impair person's functioning and even physical health.
| Contents |
| Categories of specific phobias |
| Phobias and evolution |
| See also |
| External links |
Categories of specific phobias
According to the fourth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders phobias can be classified under the following general categories:
★ Animal type
:For example the fear of spiders (arachnophobia) and the fear of snakes (ophidiophobia).
★ Natural environment type
:Like the fear of heights (acrophobia) and the fear of lightning and thunderstorms (astraphobia).
★ Situational type
:Like the fear of small confined spaces (claustrophobia) and being "afraid of the dark," (nyctophobia).
★ Blood/injection/injury type
:Like the fear of medical procedures including needles and injections (aichmophobia)
★ Other
:Like the fear of the number 13 (triskaidekaphobia), and the fear of clowns (coulrophobia).
Phobias and evolution
It is believed by Scientists that a common ancestor of primates, including the human, evolved the ability to develop phobias as a result of the dangers which plagued them. This is not to be confused with the idea that humans are born with specific phobias built-in, but that their genetics are coded to have a tendency to develop some fears more easily than others. There are five dangers which predominantly affected the human's evolutionary ancestor:
★ The dark
:Fear and avoidance of the dark resulted in minimal deaths and injuries to pre-humans caused by that which they were incapable of seeing.
★ Heights
:Avoiding heights prevented fatal falls from bringing an end to one who could possibly have future offspring
★ Spiders/snakes/cats
:Poisonous spiders and snakes are stealthy killers who appear mostly harmless to an uninformed being. Big cats, such as lions and tigers were the pinnacle predators of pre-humans in the wild.
★ Being alone
:The idea of there being safety in numbers is founded in animal instinct. It can be observed biologically in the swarm.
★ Enclosed Spaces
:Anxiety of enclosed spaces resulting in a fight-or-flight response would allow pre-humans to quickly realize the danger of falling into a hole, being trapped in a cave, etc.
It must be understood, however, that these behaviors themselves are not genetic traits. Predisposition to being a victim of these phobias is what is coded for within the human DNA. This does mean that those who have a family history of a specific phobia will be far more likely to develop the phobia themselves[1].
See also
★ List of phobias
External links
★ Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders - Specific phobias
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