Phobia is a common problem faced by many people. About 60% of the population has various phobias. Some phobias do not affect life, but a change in circumstances can lead to limitations. If you want to determine if you have a phobia, here are some signs to look out for:

An intense fear that does not correspond to a real threat, associated with certain objects or situations.

Active avoidance of objects or situations that cause fear.

The physical sensations of anxiety in phobia are similar to the symptoms of panic attack, such as palpitations, sweating, body tremors, feeling short of breath, chest pain or discomfort, nausea, abdominal discomfort, feeling of loss of consciousness, dizziness, hot or cold flashes in the body, derealisation.

The peculiarity of phobias is their irrationality - a person realises that the object or situation is actually not so dangerous, but this does not reduce the level of fear. Phobias can significantly affect the quality of life, relationships with loved ones and professional fulfilment. Avoidance of objects or situations limits opportunities and often interferes with the achievement of goals, so phobia treatment is necessary.

Phobias fall into several categories:

Phobias of animals (spiders, wasps, snakes, birds, dogs, cats),

Phobias of natural phenomena (water, thunderstorms, heights),

Phobias of certain situations (driving, flying, escalators, subways, injections, blood, bridges, crowds, darkness), claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces), sociophobia or social anxiety (fear of social situations, fear of being the centre of attention).

If you find yourself or your loved ones showing signs of any phobia, it is recommended that you see a specialist who can help you understand how to treat and cope with the phobia.

Phobias can occur at any age: in children, teenagers and adults. Some of them can be congenital or genetically determined and can start as early as childhood. Sometimes phobias help us in certain situations, for example, fear of heights protects us from falling, and fear of insects or animals prevents us from encountering them. Sometimes childhood phobias disappear over time, but sometimes they continue into adulthood.

The main reason for development is a negative experience or traumatic event. For example, a strong fear of dogs may arise after a dog attack, and a fear of driving may arise after a dangerous road accident. After these experiences, the person begins to avoid situations involving danger and develops a phobia. Phobia treatment can help to deal with these feelings and break the cycle of phobia and avoidance.

In the simple stage, the therapist works with the patient to analyse his or her thoughts, thoughts that are not in his or her head, and thoughts that are not in his or her mind.