Psychological Disorders: Specific Phobias

Since ancient times, humans have lived in different types of environments, societies, and hierarchical structures. Due to each individual's uniqueness, and the different experiences that each person goes through during his/her lifespan, it is understandable that psychological disorders can affect anyone. Many people suffer from some type of an anxiety disorder, a psychological irregularity caused by "persistent and unrealistic worry" which hinders an individual's everyday life. This family of disorders is broad, and includes different subcategories, such as the generalized anxiety disorder, the panic disorder, as well as various phobias. Nearly even one of us is familiar with someone who has an irrational fear of something, be it an object,

These fears are irrational and intense; the individual who suffers from a specific phobia is often aware that their fear is unjustified. Despite the awareness, the individual has no control over his/her persistent fear. An example of a common specific phobia would be claustrophobia, the fear of small, narrow, spaces. An individual suffering from this specific phobia will often have a difficult time being in a small elevator. Due to the intense fear associated with specific phobias, most people try to avoid the cause of their fear at any possible cost. Research has shown that specific phobias are more common in women than they are in men; they are fairly widespread, and have a "lifetime prevalence of over

In Ancient Greece, agoras were public spaces used for large gatherings and open, public markets. Agoraphobia, as the root of the word suggests, is the fear of being public. It is less common than the social anxiety disorder and specific phobias, and affects about 3% of Americans. People suffering from agoraphobia are often known to have a history of panic attacks, which serves as a key reason for their fear of the public; they do not want others to witness their panic attacks, so they do not feel embarrassed. Due to the social and outgoing nature of most individuals, and the closed-off nature of people suffering from agoraphobia, individuals with this disorder have a hard time adjusting to life. This phobia can develop suddenly, and often times forces people to become prisoners of their own home; it makes these individuals afraid to go outside even for a brief moment. Due to the more intense type of fear associated with agoraphobia, the help of psychotherapists is often needed in order to help an individual adjust and live with this