A phobia is a constant fear response that is out of proportion to the actual threat.
The occurrence of phobias can significantly hinder the everyday functioning of a person.
Phobia occurs in about 7-9% of the population, more often in women.
We can divide phobias into:
social phobias, specific phobias (before animals, before heights, dirt, darkness, etc.), situational phobias (travel by plane, means of transport, elevators, tunnels) and other types of phobias (before choking, contracting the disease).
Phobia - causes
Phobias are genetically conditioned to some extent. Their occurrence is also affected by irregularities within the brain structures.
Another explanation of the causes of phobia is the appearance of it after some unpleasant experience related to the situation or a factor causing uncontrolled fear (the appearance of phobia before dogs after a dog bites and attacks).
Phobia - treatment
Behavioral techniques are the most common methods used to treat phobias.
Mainly the so-called desensitization , exposures and modeling.
Each of these techniques aims to reduce the fear response to the phobic causative agent by gradually contacting it. This is done in safe conditions for the patient and after some time phobic disorders are extinguished .
These techniques bring good results because about 60 - 80% of patients show improvement.
