Fear is a very natural emotion and, in fact, it’s something that we’re born with, something that can actually help us from a survival perspective. For example, innate fears could be something like the fear of pain, heights, predators and so on, helping to keep us safe in the face of danger.
But fear can also be learned, whether that’s through direct experience with a threat of some kind or some other way, such as by observing others in social settings or hearing a verbal warning from an external source.
While fear can be useful, it can also be very detrimental if it gets to the point where it develops into a phobia, which is defined as an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of a stimulus that poses little danger or threat, but which incites feelings of anxiety and avoidance in any case.
Phobias are generally long lasting and can cause seriously intense reactions, both physically and psychologically, affecting how well you function in different areas of your life.
Common specific phobias include enclosed spaces, needles, dogs, spiders, heights, clowns, loud noises and so on. These issues are likely to produce certain types of reactions, such as intense fear, anxiety and panic, as well as an awareness that while your fear is exaggerated or unreasonable you are unable to keep them under control.
Many phobias develop because of a direct negative experience or panic attack related to a certain situation or object. It’s also possible that genetics or learned behaviour could contribute to the onset of phobias and/or anxiety.
Some factors may even increase the risk of phobias, such as age, inherited tendencies, your particular temperament or even just learning about negative experiences, rather than having the actual experience yourself.
If you’re concerned, you may want to consider hypnotherapy for phobias, which can help address your symptoms through a combination of hypnosis and therapy. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.
