More Than One Kind Of Anxiety Disorder: Part Four
This is part four. Recognizing that you face a problem is just the first step in treating an anxiety disorder. However, as you speak to your therapist you will realize that he or she is trying to identify the specific disorder that may be afflicting you so that your condition may be treated effectively. So now you may wonder if there is more than one kind of anxiety disorder and if so, what are the different kinds or types?
Health experts have identified six major types of anxiety disorders:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
3. Panic Disorder
4. Phobia
5. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
6. Social Anxiety Disorder.
Each one of these has their own distinct symptoms, as we will get to know in the following sections.
Today we will cover number four:
4. Phobia
If you have a very unrealistic and yet strong fear of some specific situation, activity or object when it actually poses very little or hardly any danger at all, you may be suffering from a phobia. The most common fears are those of heights and small spaces, fear of flying, of snakes and spiders. If you suffer from phobia, you will go to any length to avoid being near the object or in the situation that you are afraid of. However, trying to avoid the object or the situation that you are so fearful about only ends up strengthening the phobia.
We have to bear in mind that almost all of us have some or the other irrational, almost child-like fear of something. You may know many who are scared of needles, others who cannot stand the thought of bugs or mice. Many feel woozy when they are at great heights while others feel very uncomfortable in elevators or small, cramped spaces. For most people, these fears are minor and do not interfere with their thoughts or their daily activities. However, for some the fears are so intense and so overwhelming that they cannot get them out of their mind and take great efforts in avoiding the object of fear. They go through the entire day with great anxiety, so much so that it starts affecting their daily lives. Such fears that are not only irrational but tend to be crippling as well are called phobias.
Though we have mentioned some of the most common fears that develop into intense phobias like fear of heights, needles, small spaces, insects, snakes, even highway driving, it is true that one can develop a phobia of almost anything. It is also true that while some phobias grow out of certain childhood fears, many adults too develop phobias.
If you are suffering from a phobia, you may try very hard to avoid facing what you fear so much. In fact, you may go to extraordinary lengths, even to the extent of making major changes to your lifestyle. For example, it is not uncommon for people who are scared of small spaces, to turn down lucrative promotions because they may have to ride an elevator to work everyday. There are cases where people who are afraid of heights, take a round about route, driving twenty-thirty miles more to avoid one tall bridge that is enroute to work.
To make matters worse, you may even realize that your fears are unreasonable and that there is no real danger in any of the situations you are so scared of being in. However, no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to control your feelings or your fears. Just thinking about your fears starts making you anxious and when you are actually placed in a situation you dread, you are filled with an overwhelming feeling of terror.
The most commonly found fears or phobias are –
· Fear or phobia of animals like snakes, mice, spiders and dogs.
· Fear of certain natural environments like fear of heights, fear of the dark, fear of storms.
· Fear of certain situations like fear of elevators, fear of small spaces, fear of flying, fear of driving.
· Fears of certain medical procedures or situations like blood, injections and so on.
Living with phobias can be life crippling. There is hope however, a great non-pill, behavior program can be life freeing. For a recommendation click here.
