Phobia Test: What Phobia Do You Have?

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From rational fears to irrational fears, a lot of people have things they are terrified of which can often known as a phobia. Sometimes, you can overcome your phobia if you understand it.

Before you jump to conclusions with the results of this phobia test, start with a basic understanding of what a phobia actually is and how one should respond to it.

What Is Phobia?

“A phobia is an excessive or irrational fear of something i.e object, situation or living specie which can affect your daily routine, relationships, work etc”

Fear felt by the person suffering from phobia is intense and exaggerated than a normal person. They try avoiding situations or objects that are the source of their phobia.

If they come in contact with the source, they act in an unusual and strange manner, can experience extreme anxiety and can sometimes faint. However, being aware of their uncommon behavior, they can not control their reaction.

A person could have more than one phobia at a time.

How Are Phobias Developed?

Phobias can either be inherited or can be developed by experiencing traumatic events and long-term stress. Children can also learn phobias by watching their family members being afraid of something.

Let’s learn about some different types of Phobias, before you finally determine, which Phobia you have.

Phobia Test Step 1: Learning About Types of Phobia

Different Types of Phobia:

Phobias can not be accurately estimated as there could be as many phobias as many situations in the world. But the two major types of Phobias are:
1. Complex phobia
2. Specific phobia

Complex Phobia:

Complex phobias affect your life more than specific phobias. They can limit your normal, everyday routine. People suffering from such phobias avoid going out and stay at home.

This type of Phobia usually develops in adulthood. Complex Phobia is associated with deep-rooted circumstances or the situation that one may have faced, which deeply impacts his life.

Phobia Test: Have you ever faced a situation which deeply affected your feelings, which you cant stop thinking about?

If you have, then you have found some success at the first step of Phobia test. But Wait! These are two types of complex phobias as well.

Two common types of complex phobias are:

Social Phobia
Agoraphobia

1. Social Phobia

Social phobia is also known as Social Anxiety Disorder. This is a condition where a person is afraid and nervous when attending gatherings and blushes extremely when talking to new people.

This person is unable to act normally and freely when he meets new people. Therefore, the person tries to avoid interacting with people he isn’t familiar with, which might become a barrier in his success. Individuals with social phobia have a fear of being negatively judged or criticized.

People with Social Phobia are mostly perceived as being shy, introvert, unconfident, quiet and reserved. People suffering from Social Phobia can face extreme anxiety when:

Talking to someone he/she likes
Attending a meeting
Communicating with people he/she doesn’t know
Talking on a phone call
Calling a waiter at restaurant
Going to a doctor
Talking to his/her teacher, etc
Making eye contact

Phobia Test: Do you have any symptoms of Social Phobia?

If you also face difficulty in talking to people, and communicating with others, you might be facing social phobia.

Social phobia is a curable disorder. It can be cured by active behavioral therapy or by medications, depending on the seriousness of the disorder.

2. Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is a disorder in which a person feels distress in bad situations and where escaping is not really easy. People prefer staying at home to avoid such situations. People may suffer panic attacks when they are in:

Public places
Large open spaces
Being outside alone
Small places

Phobia test: Do you have Agoraphobia?

Wait for a moment and think, do you fear public places and large gatherings too? Have you ever faced panic attack to such stressing situation?

List of Specific Phobias:

Specific Phobias are caused by particular animals, insects, heights, water, darkness, etc. There are numerous kinds of specific phobias. Some common types of phobias are defined under:

Acquaphobia: Fear of water
Acrophobia: Fear of heights
Astraphobia: Fear of lightning and thunderstorms
Gerascophobia: Fear of aging
Claustrophobia: Fear of small places
Nyctophobia: Fear of darkness
Hemophobia: Fear of blood
Trypanophobia: Fear of medical procedures
Aerophobia: Fear of Flying
Zoophobia: Fear of animals
Ornithophobia: Fear of Birds
Thanatophobia: Fear of death
Glossophobia: Fear of public speaking

Phobia Test: How will you know if you’re suffering from a phobia?

If you feel the following symptoms in the above mentioned situations, it means you are suffering from a particular phobia:

Increased heart rate
Increased breathing
Sweating
Nervousness
Panic attacks
Chest pain
Trembling
Headache
Dizziness
Secretion of saliva and mucus decreases
Blood sugar level increases
Pupil dilates
Adrenal gland release stress hormones
Increased blood pressure
Digestion slows
In case of wound, the blood clots more quickly
Confusion

Medications for Anxiety:

Your doctor may suggest following medication to treat phobia based on your symptoms. Do not use any medication without proper prescription from your doctor. Most common medicines prescribed to a person suffering from phobia are:

Antidepressants: Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIIs) are the most prescribed medications for anxiety disorders. They help with improving moods and handling emotions.

Beta Blockers: These help to reduce the signs of anxiety.

Tranquilizers: Benzodiazepines are also very commonly prescribed for anxiety. They also help to reduce the physical signs of anxiety through their sedating effects.

Therapy for Anxiety:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It is used to change the way of thinking of a person to cope with the phobia.

Exposure Therapy: The person suffering from this phobia is exposed to the source of phobia with the intention of not causing any danger, to help him overcome the phobia.

General FAQs on Phobia

What causes phobia?

Mostly genetic and some environmental factors cause phobias. Those children with a relative suffering from an anxiety disorder can be at a higher risk of developing phobia. Some distressing event, that can deeply impact ones feeling, can also cause phobia.

How can you get rid of phobias?

Almost all phobias can be treated. Some phobias can be cured by counseling, while others need to be treated through medications.

It is good to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist if you find the above mentioned symptoms in particular situations.

Some phobias are quite “normal”, do not disturb your daily life and can be ignored by avoiding the situations which create panic attacks. In severe cases, you may need to go for therapy, or get prescribed medications from your psychiatrist.

Is Agoraphobia curable?

Agoraphobia is considered manageable, and it can eventually be effectively cured by cognitive behavior therapy or by medication in some cases.

Is Social Phobia curable?

Social phobia is a treatable or manageable disorder. It can be managed and even possibly cured by active behavioral therapy or by medications, depending on the seriousness of the disorder.

However, this is considered quite rare and is not usually the goal in mind. Rather, learning how to handle these feelings in a healthy manner will help the disorder not be in charge of your life and outlook.

How many types of phobias are there?

Phobias can not be accurately estimated as there could be as many phobias as many situations in the world. Nevertheless, the two major types of phobias are:
1. Complex phobia
2. Specific phobia

Take Away!

Many people suffer from phobias, and there is no shame in admitting if you’re having one. Keeping your concerns about your fears can only worsen them over time, therefore, it’s important to speak to a psychologist about your symptoms.

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