AFRAID OF BEING AFRAID?

Everyone has fears, rational and irrational, but most can be controlled. Rational fears include
fear of dropping off the edge of a high building, fear of death from drinking poison and other
genuine life-threatening situations. Most people would find it hard to agree that cockroaches,
blood or lifts fall under this description. These phobias may be found in even the most
sensible Malek Noor types.

Phobics often exhibit extreme panic and may become unconscious. The Greek word phobos
means extreme fear, irrational and uncontrollable terror of natural situations or objects.

This great fear of what others consider natural and acceptable is precisely why phobics are
often embarrassed. They are fully aware that their particular fear is irrational, therefore
unacceptable. Lets face it we usually laugh at people who are afraid of harmless things,
especially so if we ourselves are not frightened. Doctors, too, tend to be unsympathetic
unless the phobia disrupts the phobics daily life or poses a danger to himself and others
around.

The roots are often in childhood or a bad experience in a similar situation. The association of
an object or situation with a completely unrelated, but nonetheless, unpleasant experience
occurring simultaneously may give rise to phobia. Sometimes the trauma of war, death of
someone close or superstitions, belief and culture may also play a significant part.

The fear of specific objects, creatures or of specific situations is usually related to a bad
experience, while social phobia has its roots in underlying conditions which may not be so
obvious. Social phobia often manifests itself as extreme self-consciousness and social
incompetence stemming from lack of confidence. Other symptoms include excessive
shyness, fear of relationships, inability to talk to groups, reluctance to look people in the eye,
anxiety about people, trembling and frequent blushing. Luckily, therapy, leading to a cure, or
at least at abatement of the condition, is increasingly available.

Cures usually take the form of therapy in the care of a professional, although some sufferers
have been successful with self-cures. First of all, there must be acceptance of the condition
so that you can overcome the neurotic fear of attacks. Psychiatrists help you disassociate
places and situations with the fear.

Some common techniques used include hypnosis, tranquillisers, therapy, counseling,

reassurance and gradual desensitization in behavior therapy. Phobics are led to understand
the basis for their irrational fear and guided through a gradual acceptance of it. Some can be
taught to change their attitude toward whatever it is that causes this fear but others have to
be content to simply learn how to deal with the attack when it occurs.