Phobias - What Are They?
Even for someone who is empathetic, it can be difficult to understand why people act the way they do when they have a phobia. Many people who have phobias do not understand their reactions and many times feel strange and confused. Because of the oddity of phobias, it is easy to suspect someone who is having a phobic episode, or has many phobic episodes, of acting strange in order to get attention or make others feel sorry for them. A phobic reaction appears so strange because the person having the reaction freaks out about something that does not truly bother anyone else, especially not to the same extent. Most phobia sufferers know their reactions are bizarre, but they cannot do anything to stop their phobic reaction because phobias are completely irrational. If you know a phobia sufferer, it is good to learn about phobias and how to deal with the situation if they have a phobic episode.
When a phobia is triggered, it is a very stressful time for the phobia sufferer. They may not understand why, but they are intensely frightened of something and their heart rate increases, hands get sweaty, and they might even have a panic attack. Most phobia sufferers hate the idea of the phobic response as much as the response itself. They feel this way because they know that they should not be as frightened of their phobic trigger as they are.
The fight or flight response is a term for the biological process your body undergoes when under a lot of immediate stress. The fight or flight response essentially is the result of your brain perceiving a serious threat and adding adrenaline to your bloodstream, making you temporarily stronger, faster, and more able to act instinctively to overcome a potentially life threatening situation. The fight or flight response occurs in different levels; sometimes a little adrenaline is added to the bloodstream, while other times your body is flooded with adrenaline.
Our ancient ancestors relied heavily on this response for survival when the world was not so civilized and they were constantly struggling to survive. Although the fight or flight response is not as crucial today, it is a natural response that can be very helpful, or harmful if it is triggered unnecessarily. The fight or flight response is responsible for news reports of people lifting extremely heavy objects off of people and other extraordinary physical feats.
The fight or flight response is even more developed in wild animals. It is not uncommon for a deer that has been shot through both lungs or the heart to run the length of a football, or for several miles if these vital organs are not hit. When someone has a true phobia, these are the intense feelings that they have to deal with, but instead of escaping an imminent threat, they are responding to a spider, snake, clown, or some other stimulus that triggers their phobia. What is even worse is that many phobias happen in common every day places such as school, work, or social functions where the fight or flight response is totally inappropriate.
Although a person can have a phobia of almost anything, a phobia usually develops as a result of a traumatic experience or an internalized fear. Even if the person knows their phobia is ridiculous, they cannot simply turn it off like a light switch because it causes a complex biological response. There are ways to treat people for phobias, but if you are around someone who is having a phobic reaction, it is helpful to understand what they are experiencing.
For a great deal more informational value go here: Controlling Your Panic Attacks also click here Panic Attack And Public Speaking and more information at Best Treatments For Panic Attacks
