What exactly is fear? Sure, everyone had been afraid at one point or another. It could be over little things, like a test that wasn’t studied for or when the light flickers for no reason before turning back on again. It could also be over larger things, like a sudden noise in the dark or right before the roller coaster goes down the first drop. When most people think of fear, the quick pulse, sweaty palms, and the adrenalin rush usually come to mind. These are all things that are classified as ‘fear symptoms’. Fear itself is an entirely different matter.
Fear is a chain reaction that starts in the brain. When a stimulus, something that activates a reaction, is perceived by one or more of the senses, the reaction begins. There are five parts …show more content…
For example, people with ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, will get the fight-or-flight feeling when looking at a photograph of a snake. There is no way that the snake in the photo could hurt them, but they are still afraid, making it a phobia. Phobias are sometimes caused by traumatic events causes in childhood. There are three main types of phobias: agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobias.
Agoraphobia is a fear of places where escape might not be easy or where help might not be available if something bad happens. It causes people with a phobia in this category to have anxiety about being in places or situations where it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape, such as being in an elevator. In severe cases, a person with agoraphobia might be afraid to leave their house. Agoraphobia is often confused with shyness, but this is not the case. Shy people do not experience extreme anxiety in social situations, and they do not necessarily avoid …show more content…
They produce intense fear of a specific object or situation that is relatively safe. People who suffer from specific phobias are aware that their fear is irrational, but facing the object or situation often brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety. It is unknown what causes them, but they seem to run in families and are slightly more prevalent in women. Specific phobias tend to begin in adolescence or adulthood. They start suddenly and are usually more persistent that childhood phobias. When children have specific phobias, such as a fear of animals, the fear usually disappear over time, thought they might continue into adulthood. It is unknown why specific phobias persist in some people and disappear in others.
Fears and phobias are completely normal things, and are quite common. The fight-or-flight response can be triggered by anything, depending on the person and situation. Anyone can be afraid and, by being afraid, humans are protecting themselves. It’s all apart of evolution and the way humans have, and will, protect themselves from potential
Fear is a chain reaction that starts in the brain. When a stimulus, something that activates a reaction, is perceived by one or more of the senses, the reaction begins. There are five parts …show more content…
For example, people with ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, will get the fight-or-flight feeling when looking at a photograph of a snake. There is no way that the snake in the photo could hurt them, but they are still afraid, making it a phobia. Phobias are sometimes caused by traumatic events causes in childhood. There are three main types of phobias: agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobias.
Agoraphobia is a fear of places where escape might not be easy or where help might not be available if something bad happens. It causes people with a phobia in this category to have anxiety about being in places or situations where it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape, such as being in an elevator. In severe cases, a person with agoraphobia might be afraid to leave their house. Agoraphobia is often confused with shyness, but this is not the case. Shy people do not experience extreme anxiety in social situations, and they do not necessarily avoid …show more content…
They produce intense fear of a specific object or situation that is relatively safe. People who suffer from specific phobias are aware that their fear is irrational, but facing the object or situation often brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety. It is unknown what causes them, but they seem to run in families and are slightly more prevalent in women. Specific phobias tend to begin in adolescence or adulthood. They start suddenly and are usually more persistent that childhood phobias. When children have specific phobias, such as a fear of animals, the fear usually disappear over time, thought they might continue into adulthood. It is unknown why specific phobias persist in some people and disappear in others.
Fears and phobias are completely normal things, and are quite common. The fight-or-flight response can be triggered by anything, depending on the person and situation. Anyone can be afraid and, by being afraid, humans are protecting themselves. It’s all apart of evolution and the way humans have, and will, protect themselves from potential