Fears and phobias - why put up with them?
(Note that any physical problems should be ruled out by consulting a physician first.) The ‘panic’ reaction to a phobic situation can include:
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Profuse sweating and flushes.
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Rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing.
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Feelings of panic, and a fear of dying.
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The Old English noun for fear meant ‘danger’. Fear and anxiety are really the same, but we tend to think of fear as a more immediate emotional response to danger, and anxiety as being troubled about something that’s not obvious or is ‘uncertain’. A phobia is a kind of fear that goes beyond the needs of the situation, is beyond voluntary control and often leads to avoidance of the situation.



People have phobias about almost anything, but some are more common than others (email me if yours is not listed here and I’ll look its name up for you):
ANIMALS- Zoophobia, BEES- Apiphobia or Melissophobia,
BIRDS-Ornithophobia, BRIDGES (or crossing)- Gephyrophobia,
BURIED ALIVE- Taphephobia or Taphophobia, CANCER- Cancerophobia or Carcinophobia, CAR, being in a moving- Ochophobia, CHILDBIRTH- Maleusiophobia, Tocophobia or Parturiphobia, CHOKING or being smothered- Pnigophobia, CONFINED SPACES- Claustrophobia, CONTAMINATION with dirt or germs- Misophobia or Mysophobia, DARKNESS- Achluophobia or Myctophobia, or Scotophobia, DEATH or dying- Thanatophobia, DENTISTS- Dentophobia, FLYING- Aviophobia or Aviatophobia or Pteromerhanophobia, GERMS- Verminophobia, HEIGHTS- Acrophobia, Altophobia, Batophobia or Hypsiphobia, HOSPITALS- Nosocomephobia, LOVE, falling or being in- Philophobia, MICE- Musophobia, Murophobia or Suriphobia, MOTHS- Mottephobia, NEEDLES- Aichmophobia or Belonephobia, NEW, or novel -Kainophobia, Centophobia, or Neophobia, OCEAN or sea- Thalassophobia, OPEN SPACES (also crowded places like markets)- Agoraphobia, OPERATIONS- Tomophobia, PENIS, losing an erection - Medomalacuphobia, SEXUAL INTERCOURSE - Coitophobia, SOCIAL SITUATIONS, fear of being evaluated negatively- Social Phobia, SNAKES- Ophidiophobia or Snakephobia, SPEAKING IN PUBLIC (and making presentations)- Glossophobia, SPIDERS- Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia or Keraunophobia, VOMITING (being sick)- Emetophobia


