PHOBIA: part 1

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Women are twice as likely to suffer from a phobia compared to men. So whether you’re a “baby oku” or “baby oyii” lol, phobias are something you can’t run away from. There’s always that one thing that triggers your sympathetic nervous system (the system responsible for fight or flight response) and the adrenal-cortical system (which dumps hormones into the bloodstream). In other words there’s that one thing that instills fear in you…well in this case a more intense kind of fear.

WHEN DOES IT START- A phobia starts when a person starts shaping their lives around avoiding the object of their fear. Phobic people (person with phobia(s) usually have an overwhelming need to steer clear of anything which triggers their fretfulness.

CAUSES- as common as phobias are, researchers haven’t been able to come up with the main cause of it, however if you have a family member with a phobia, it is more probable for you to have a phobia. Phobias could also arise as a result of one’s past experience or an experience one witnessed or heard about. For example if you;

  • Had something bad happen, like being bitten by a dog.
  • Witnessed something bad happen to someone else, such as seeing a person fall off of a building.
  • Had a panic attack in a specific situation, such as being in an elevator.- Claustrophobia.
  • Saw someone else who was very scared of something, and how it affected the person, or how the person reacted to it. Such as sitting in an airplane near a person who is afraid of flying.
  • Learned about something bad happening, such as a plane crash.

SYMPTOMS-  So how do you know when you have a phobia? Well the main symptom of a phobia is being more afraid than most people are, of being around an object, being in a situation, or doing something. The average age that phobias begin is about 10 years of age. There are two groups of symptoms; physical signs and emotional signs.

Physical signs and symptoms of a phobia

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Racing or pounding heart
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • A churning stomach
  • Hot or cold flashes; tingling sensations
  • Sweating

Emotional signs and symptoms of a phobia

  • Feeling of overwhelming anxiety or panic
  • Feeling an intense need to escape
  • Feeling “unreal” or detached from yourself
  • Fear of losing control or going crazy
  • Feeling like you’re going to die or pass out
  • Knowing that you’re overreacting, but feeling powerless to control your fear

It should be noted that these symptoms could occur for another problem, but as regards noticing whether or not you have a phobia, these are the symptoms to watch out for.

PHOBIAS- The three classes of phobias are social phobia (fear of public speaking, meeting new people or other social situations), agoraphobia (fear of being outside), and specific phobias (fear of other items or situations). But to find out the particular ones that affect us ladies,(baby okus)  and when to seek help, stay tuned!…. or rather stay online!! lol happy salah!! don’t be scared #identifyyourphobia