Fear is a natural emotion and, perhaps, an inevitable one, something that we can all expect to experience at some point in our lives. If, however, our fears become irrational and hard to control, it’s possible that they can then turn into a phobia of some kind and have a big impact on our mental health and overall wellbeing.
Some phobias are more common than others and familiarising yourself with them can help you decide whether it may be beneficial to seek help in overcoming them. Here are just four of the most common phobias that people experience.
Social phobia
Also known as social anxiety, this phobia is one of the most common phobias of them all. It can make it very difficult indeed to carry out typical everyday interactions, with physical symptoms including sweating, trembling, increased heart rate, blushing, nausea, dizziness and so on.
Arachnophobia
Another very common phobia is arachnophobia, or the extreme fear of spiders and other arachnids. This fear often manifests itself in childhood, although adults can develop it later on in life as well. Symptoms include immediate anxiety and fear when thinking about or seeing a spider, fear that it is disproportionate to the danger presented.
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed or confined spaces and, again, it’s a particularly common one that many people experience. Symptoms include hyperventilation, shortness of breath, anxiety, trembling, sweating, hot flashes and a feeling of intense fear or panic.
Acrophobia
Also known as a fear of heights, acrophobia can cause the sufferer to experience significant panic and anxiety. Those with this phobia can experience symptoms even when thinking about crossing a bridge or looking at a picture of a mountain, leading them to avoid heights altogether.
Symptoms include nausea, shaking, trembling, dizziness, increased sweating and chest pain/tightness.
Do you think you could benefit from hypnotherapy for phobias? Get in touch with Clear Physio today to see how we can help.
