PHOBIA

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. There are many specific phobias. Acrophobia is a fear of heights. You may be able to ski the world's tallest mountains but be unable to go above the 5th floor of an office building. Agoraphobia is a fear of public places, and claustrophobia is a fear of closed-in places. If you become anxious and extremely self-conscious in everyday social situations, you could have a social phobia. Other common phobias involve tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, animals and blood.

People with phobias try to avoid what they are afraid of. If they cannot, they may experience
1.Panic and fear
2.Rapid heartbeat
3.Shortness of breath
4.Trembling
5.A strong desire to get away
Treatment helps most people with phobias. Options include medicines, therapy or both.





Having a phobia may produce the following signs and symptoms:

1.A persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation
2.An immediate response of uncontrollable anxiety when exposed to the object of fear
3.A compelling desire to avoid what you fear and taking unusual measures to stay away from what you fear
4. impaired ability to function at normal tasks because of the fear
Often, the knowledge that these fears are out of proportion with the stimulus
5.When facing the object of your phobia, an experience of panicky feelings, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, avoidance behavior, difficulty breathing and intense anxiety
6.In some cases, anxious feelings when merely anticipating an encounter with what you fear.

Children may develop symptoms of specific phobia as young as age 5, especially phobias related to the natural environment — such as storms or animals — or to bodily injury. Social phobia and situational phobias, such as fear of heights or of closed-in spaces, typically appear by the mid-20s.

Why Do Kids Get Phobias?

No one really knows exactly why certain kids get phobias. Some scientists think that a person's genes may have something to do with it, and that a kid who has a social phobia may have a parent with one, too. Sometimes a traumatic thing in a kid's life - like the death of a parent, dealing with a parents' divorce, or a big move - can cause a phobia to start.

Scientists do know some things about phobias, though. They know that about five out of 100 people in the United States have one or more phobias. Women are slightly more likely to have phobias than men. Most social phobias start when a person is a teenager, although this and other kinds of phobias can also start when a kid is younger.

How Are Phobias Treated?
Kids who have phobias often start by seeing their doctors. In many cases, the doctor will suggest that the kid visit a psychologist,psychiatrist or therapist. If one of these specialists diagnoses a kid with a phobia, he or she can help.

Some kids will take medications that help them better handle their phobias. Sometimes a kid can learn new ways of dealing with the phobia. This could include relaxation exercises that help the kid feel more in control. Part of handling the phobia may be facing it head on.

For instance, part of Hari's treatment might be riding on an elevator, though she might start slowly by just watching other people get on an elevator or just stepping inside with the doors open.

Depending on the kid and how severe her phobia is, treatment can take weeks, months, or longer. In the meantime, the important thing to remember is that phobias can be treated, and kids can learn to deal with them and feel more in control of their lives.