https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2 en-us 2020-10-09 06:38:13 UTC 2025-12-09 14:58:40 UTC hello@padlet.com 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816071310 Arachnophobia, or fear of spiders, is one of the most common simple phobias. In fact, 40% of people with simple phobias have arachnophobia. 
Other examples of common phobias include acrophobia (fear of heights), aerophobia (fear of flying), astraphobia (fear of thunderstorms), autophobia (fear of isolation), claustrophobia (fear of being confined), hemophobia (fear of blood), hydrophobia (fear of water), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), and zoophobia (fear of animals). ]]> 2020-10-09 06:42:04 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816071310 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816081781 Phobias are split into five categories. There are animal phobias, phobias linked to natural environments, phobias regarding medical events, blood, and injuries, phobias related to certain situations, and a final category composed of anything that doesn't fit into the previous descriptions. ]]> 2020-10-09 06:51:35 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816081781 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816082477 There are many different factors that can result in the development of a phobia. One is simple genetics--if someone has a family history of anxiety disorders, they are more likely to develop a phobia. People with long term health conditions often have phobias, as do people who have suffered from addiction or traumatic brain injuries. 
In addition, traumatic experiences with a certain situation or object may lead to the development of a phobia. ]]> 2020-10-09 06:52:18 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816082477 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816082641 There are a few main signs that a person has a phobia. Firstly, they might have an intense, irrational fear surrounding a particular scenario or object, and then actively avoid this scenario or object. When they cannot avoid the cause of their fear, they will suffer from intense anxiety. This may manifest in the form of a panic attack.]]> 2020-10-09 06:52:30 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816082641 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816083946 One method of overcoming a phobia is through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT. This method focuses on developing new thought processes, actions, and reactions to frightening stimuli. 
Two commonly used forms of CBT are exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. Exposure therapy is centered around slowly introducing a person to the cause of their fear in levels of intensity. It is the most effective treatment for simple phobias. Cognitive therapy is focused on identifying, debating, and revising negative and inaccurate thought patterns on the subject of a person's fear.]]> 2020-10-09 06:53:54 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816083946 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816084286 I became curious about this project in part because some of the people in my life suffer from phobias, and I wanted to understand their situations better. I also wanted to get a better idea of the difference between a phobia and a fear. ]]> 2020-10-09 06:54:18 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816084286 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816087502 Alektorophobia is the term for phobia of hens and chickens. The subject of this case study, and 18-year-od girl, suffered from this phobia as a result of a terrifying experience with a hen when she was 5 years old. Her phobia led her to experience intense panic attacks, and avoid chickens whenever possible. This avoidance even extended to chicken meals, which provides a good example of the extent to which a phobia can affect a person's actions. 
In response to her phobia, the subject underwent graded exposure therapy. Relaxation techniques were also utilized.  After only five sessions of therapy, the subject no longer had any symptoms of her phobia. This is a great example of the effectiveness of exposure therapy! ]]> 2020-10-09 06:58:04 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816087502 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816088052 The subject of this study had a family with mental health issues, and also suffered from social anxiety. The focus here, however, will be on his specific phobia: BII, or Blood-Injury-Injection phobia. 
The subject of this study experienced fainting episodes in response to his phobia. This is common for BII--in fact, 75% of people with this phobia experience fainting. 
In accordance with this reaction, the subject was taught the strategy of applied tension, which is a method of fainting prevention. He also underwent exposure therapy. These combined techniques were able to significantly reduce the fear he experienced in response to blood, injuries, and injections.]]> 2020-10-09 06:58:38 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816088052 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816103120 In this method of treating a phobia, a person is immediately introduced to the subject of their fear on an intense level. An example might include a hydrophobic (water fearing) person jumping into the deep end of a pool.]]> 2020-10-09 07:14:25 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816103120 223144 https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816105302 Medications do not actually treat the phobias themselves. Instead, they balance out the negative symptoms of a phobia to improve the experiences of the person living with it. ]]> 2020-10-09 07:16:33 UTC https://padlet.com/223144/dyow0bjyaakxenp2/wish/816105302