Fear of Birds Phobia – Ornithophobia You are here: Home / Phobias / Fear of Birds Phobia – Ornithophobia Fear of Birds Phobia – Ornithophobia A phobia is an irrational fear about certain objects, features or animals that is out of proportion to the existing circumstances. Thus, Ornithophobia, or the fear of birds makes the sufferers extremely uncomfortable around birds. For some individuals, such fear is only directed towards the birds of prey such as vultures, hawks, and eagles etc, whereas in other cases, even household birds like parrots or parakeets as well as the sight of their feathers are enough to trigger an anxiety attack. Causes of Ornithophobia There may be different causes or reasons behind the excessive fear of birds: Young children can develop Ornithophobia if they have felt threatened by aggressive birds like vultures, hawks or geese. In some cases, the birds might not have shown any violence, but their mere presence at traumatic events such as funerals or accidents can be enough to trigger a phobia in a young child. Birds flying inside the homes through an open window and causing upheaval might have made the parents nervous and this can trigger anxiety attack in the child.

Ornithophobia can also be instigated by folklore or movies. Alfred Hitchcock’s film The Birds, or Edgar Allan Poe’s poem ‘The Raven’ also portray birds in negative light or as killing machines. Images of carnivorous birds attacking small prey like rabbits seen on TV shows can sometimes develop a fear of birds in young minds. Most cases of childhood Ornithophobia go away on their own while others may persist even in adulthood. Symptoms of Ornithophobia The symptoms of this phobia vary based on the severity of the condition. As with any other type of phobia, Ornithophobia symptoms can be categorized broadly as mental, physical or emotional. Some people refuse to eat in places where birds may be present from the fear of having their food stolen by the birds. Ornithophobic individuals are afraid of birds preserved by taxidermists and present in museums etc. Still others are afraid of all images, photos or even the feathers of birds. Physical symptoms of this phobia typically include breaking in cold sweat, trembling or shaking, screaming or crying, having an increased heart rate, freezing in place or attempting to flee at the sight of birds. Some individuals are known to experience such anxiety attacks days before an actual confrontation with the birds.

Like many other types of phobias, the fear of birds can sometimes be severely debilitating in that; the individual might refuse to leave his home entirely, thereby affecting the day-to-day life. Treatment for fear of birds Overcoming Ornithophobia is essential specially if it causing one to be anxious or depressed all the time. A severely crippling phobia needs professional treatment. In milder cases, one can develop and stick to some self help routines such as positive reaffirmations and visualizations, meditation, or controlled deep breathing and so on. For people with severe anxiety, doctors might prescribe tranquilizers and other medicines to reduce the severity of the symptoms. However, care must be taken when using them. Weaning off such medications can cause withdrawal symptoms and they do not do much for the fear itself rather than providing symptomatic relief. Since most phobias are defined as “a conditional reflex or learning gone wrong”, psychotherapists also recommend behavior therapy to help the phobic individual unlearn these reflexes. Behavior therapy is known to be effective in nearly 9 out of 10 cases of Ornithophobia. Gradual desensitization is another effective method of treating the fear of birds or fear of feathers.

Ten to thirty sessions (depending on individual cases) may be used for exposing the person to his/her objects of fears. The patient is shown slides or images of birds or their feathers, taught to imagine approaching the birds until s/he gradually learns to cope without distress. In conclusion Here are the Top 10 Books for Overcoming Phobias If you or a person you know is suffering from Ornithophobia so much so that it causing great deal of tension or anxiety all the time, then one of the aforementioned psychotherapies is sure to help treat the condition successfully. What do you fear? Share your phobias with visitors on this site, read their stories and connect with them. What is Ornithophobia? (with pictures) What is Ornithophobia? Last Modified Date: 08 January 2017 Copyright Protected: Top 10 unbelievable historical concurrencies Ornithophobia is the irrational, causeless fear of birds. It is a specific phobia , meaning that it is a psychological trait that causes unreasonable and irrational fear and anxiety as a result of exposure to a certain type of creature or object.

Animals are often the object of such specific phobias, though the fear of spiders , insects, mice, snakes, and other smaller creatures are much more prevalent than ornithophobia. Phobias can take many different forms and are not always caused by physical objects; for example, triskaidekaphobia is the irrational fear of the number 13 and nyctophobia is the unreasonable fear of darkness. While ornithophobia always involves birds, it is not always generalized to include all birds. Some people only fear large birds or birds of prey. The phobia can also present itself in a variety of ways. In some cases, the ornithophobic individual may simply be highly uncomfortable around birds. in other cases, he might fear an imminent attack by the birds. Direct exposure to birds is not the only thing that can trigger discomfort in someone who fears birds; this is true of all phobias. In some cases, simply thinking about the object of a phobia can lead to some anxiety. Sounds or smells can also lead to a feeling of discomfort. In extreme cases, usually involving direct exposure, an individual with a phobia can experience a full-fledged panic attack involving dizziness , nausea, shaking, and heart palpitations.

Such an attack can also involve sweating, an inability to think or speak clearly, and a loss of motor control. Ornithophobia and other phobias tend to present themselves when an individual is in childhood or early adolescence. Sometimes, the phobia exists because of some trauma early on in the child's life, such as an attack by a particularly vicious bird, while in other cases the fear has no apparent cause. Phobias, especially those relating to animals, are generally more common in women than in men. Although it can be controllable, ornithophobia can be a very complicated and restricting disorder to have. In mild cases, it merely results in discomfort and some anxiety. Sometimes, though, the fear of encountering birds can be so overwhelming that the afflicted individual fears leaving his home at all. This renders such activities as beach trips, picnics, and walks through the park nearly impossible in most parts of the world given the widespread existence of birds. Ornithophobia treatment has been shown to be quite successful in many cases. Treatment usually involves cognitive-behavior treatment techniques in which a therapist talks the fearful individual through his fear. Therapists also teach relaxation techniques to minimize the effects of panic attacks and other fear-related symptoms.

In very severe cases, medication and hypnosis can be used to treat ornithophobia and other phobias. Ad Ornithophobia - Fear of Birds Ornithophobia - Fear of Birds By Lisa Fritscher Updated May 08, 2016 Ornithophobia, or fear of birds, can take many forms. Some people fear only birds of prey, such as vultures, while others are afraid of household pets like parakeets. Causes of Ornithophobia Like all animal phobias , the most common cause of ornithophobia is a negative encounter with the feared animal. Many birds can be somewhat aggressive in hunting for food, and childhood run-ins with pigeons or seagulls bent on stealing popcorn or other snacks are common. You don't have to experience the negative encounter directly. Birds sometimes fly through open windows or down chimneys, causing an uproar in the home. If your parents were nervous during such events, this could be enough to trigger a phobia. Ornithophobia in Popular Culture Who could ever forget the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds? In that film, birds that appear intent on attacking humans overrun a California town.

The suspense builds as the attacks increase from small nips to scenes of carnage. No reason is ever given for the small and normally docile birds’ transformation into killing machines. Edgar Allan Poe’s features a solitary bird that observes and provokes a grieving man’s descent into madness. There are various interpretations of the poem, some casting the raven as an unknowing chance visitor, others implying that the bird’s intention was to bring about the narrator’s destruction. Ornithophobia and Folklore Throughout history, birds have often been associated with good and evil, fortune telling and rebirth. From the legendary phoenix, believed to rise from its own ashes, to the unlucky albatross, folklore tales regarding birds come from all corners of the world. Symptoms of Ornithophobia The symptoms of ornithophobia vary according to its severity. You might fear only large birds or only wild birds. You might be afraid of specimens that have undergone taxidermy, such as those in natural history museums. You may fear all representations of birds, including photos.

When forced to confront a bird, you might: shake Ornithophobia (The irRATIONAL Fear of Birds) (Casual MTG Deck) "Well, that's the common term for an irrational fear of birds." "What do they call a rational fear of birds, then?" --Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys This is the latest build of my casual, but competitive tribal Bird deck, in play testing now. It is designed to escalate quickly, pack a punch, and yet be fun to play and play against. I've spent the last few months tweaking the deck and really refining the deck list. Thank you everyone for the myriad of suggestions!! At this point, I am mostly looking to work on a sideboard that will add versatility across any deck I might play against, so I welcome any suggestions and advice. Building sideboards isn't my strong suit. Any thoughts, comment, compliments, suggestions, or bread crumbs are appreciated (these guys get really hungry) Phobias: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis - Medical News Today Phobias: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis Written by Christian NordqvistReviewed by Timothy J.

Legg, PMHNP-BC, GNP-BC, CARN-AP, MCHES 4 14 A phobia is an irrational fear, a kind of anxiety disorder in which the individual has a relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place, or thing. Individuals with a phobia go to great lengths to avoid a perceived danger which is much greater in their minds than in real life. If confronted with the source of their phobia, the person will suffer enormous distress, which can interfere with their normal function; it can sometimes lead to total panic. For some people, even thinking about their phobia is immensely distressing. A phobia starts when a person begins organizing their lives around avoiding the object of their fear. A phobia is much more serious than a simple fear. People with a phobia have an overpowering need to steer clear of anything which triggers their anxiety. Contents of this article: Fast facts on phobias Here are some key points about phobias. More detail and supporting information is in the main article. Phobias are much more serious than simple fears Over 50 million people in the U.S.

have a phobia Females more commonly suffer from phobias than males Despite phobic individuals being aware that their fear is irrational, they cannot control the feelings Symptoms may include sweating, chest pains, and pins and needles Specific brain areas are involved in phobias What is a phobia? The word "phobia" is used for a number of quite different concepts. If the phobia is of something that the phobic person very rarely comes into contact with, such as snakes, their daily lives will not be affected. However, some complex phobias are impossible to avoid, such as agoraphobia (fear of leaving home or being in public places) or social phobia (fear of being among groups of people). There are three main categories of phobias: Specific phobias (simple phobias) A disproportionate fear about specific situations, living creatures, places, activities, or things. Examples include a fear of: Dentists (dentophobia) Birds (ornithophobia) Frogs (ranidaphobia) The two examples below, social phobia and agoraphobia, are known as complex phobias.

They are linked to a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about certain situations, incidents, or circumstances, which make them much more disabling than simple phobias. Social phobia Social phobias are now called social anxiety disorder. A person with social phobia finds being in social situations difficult and sometimes unbearable. Going to parties, weddings, functions, or exhibitions cause sufferers anxiety; there is fear of being embarrassed or humiliated in public. It often includes a fear of being judged by other people. People affected with social phobia feel that they will be scrutinized and singled out in the crowd; they prefer to avoid social gatherings altogether. Psychologists say that a high proportion of adults with social phobia start taking measures to avoid social situations during their teenage years. Studies have shown that their progressively isolated lifestyles make them more susceptible to developing depression . Experts emphasize that social phobia is not the same as shyness . Obese people may develop social anxiety disorder , simply because of their weight. Agoraphobia An individual with agoraphobia is frightened of finding themselves in situations where there is no escape; they fear being stuck in a desperate situation with no help.

Agoraphobia may include a dread of traveling on buses or trains or going into large shops or shopping malls. When symptoms are severe, the patient may find stepping out of their own home unbearable. Sufferers have an increased risk of also suffering from panic disorder. As with social phobia, crowded and public places are avoided. How common are phobias? In industrial nations, phobias are the most common kind of anxiety disorder. They can affect people of any age, sex, and socioeconomic status. An estimated 19 million Americans have a specific phobia, 15 million have a social anxiety disorder , and 1.8 million have agoraphobia. A higher percentage of women suffer from phobias than men. Simple phobias usually start early on in life - during childhood, and often go away by the time the person reaches late teens. Complex phobias generally start later on. Most common phobias Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) is among the top ten phobias worldwide. The ten most common phobias in the U.K. and U.S.

are: Social phobia - fear of being in places with a lot of people Agoraphobia - fear of being somewhere with no support, away from home, open spaces Claustrophobia - fear of being in constricted, confined spaces Aerophobia - fear of flying Headache A feeling of anxiety is produced by simply thinking about the object of the phobia Children may cry, become very clingy, attempt to hide behind a parent's legs or an object, or have tantrums Complex phobias Complex phobias are much more likely to affect the patient's well-being than specific phobias. Those who suffer from, for example, agoraphobia, may have a number of other associated phobias as well, such as monophobia (fear of being left alone) or claustrophobia (fear of feeling trapped, closed spaces). In severe cases, agoraphobics will rarely leave their homes. Causes of phobias It is unusual for a phobia to start after the age of 30; most of them begin during early childhood, teenage years, or early adulthood.

They can be caused by a stressful situation or experience, a frightening event, or a parent or household member who has a phobia which the child becomes progressively aware of. Common causes for specific (simple) phobias These usually develop when the child is aged 4-8. In some cases, it may be the result of something that happened early in life. The trigger might have been an unpleasant experience in a confined space, which festered and developed into claustrophobia over time. As mentioned above, witnessing a family member's phobia is a common cause for phobias that started during childhood. A child whose mother has arachnophobia is much more likely to develop the same phobia. Experts stress that phobias picked up from parents are learned fears - they are not genetically inherited. Common causes for complex phobias The causes of agoraphobia or social phobia are still a mystery; nobody is sure exactly why they appear. Researchers believe they are caused by a combination of life experiences, brain chemistry, and genetics. Social phobias are more likely to be caused by an extremely stressful experience than agoraphobia, researchers say. Phobias and survival - there may be evolutionary explanations for many phobias.

In prehistoric environments, remaining in wide open spaces would have increased the risk of being attacked and eaten by a predatory animal. The instinct to stay at home, especially for young children, aids survival. Young children in their caves and huts would have had to learn to avoid dangerous snakes and spiders quickly. Social phobia may have been a useful survival instinct during ancient and prehistoric times. Being among people you do not know, from perhaps another tribe, was much more dangerous than finding yourself among a crowd of strangers in a shopping mall today. Neurobiology of phobias Specific areas of the brain - the amygdala in particular - are associated with phobias. Some areas of the brain - the prefrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the amygdala - store and recall dangerous or potentially deadly events. In future occasions, if a very similar event is confronted, those areas retrieve that same memory, causing the body to react as if it was happening again. With some people, the event may feel as if it is repeating itself many times. Some effective treatments manage to get the brain to replace the memory and reactions with something more rational.

Phobias are irrational phenomena - the brain overreacts to a stimulus. Unfortunately, the brain areas that deal with fear and stress keep retrieving the frightening event inappropriately. Neuroscience researchers have found that phobias are often linked to the amygdala , which lies behind the pituitary gland. The amygdala can trigger the release of "fight-or-flight" hormones, which put the body and mind in a highly alert and stressed state. Tests and diagnosis of phobias When diagnosing a phobia, a doctor will aim to determine whether or not an object triggers unreasonable fear. People with a phobia are nearly always aware that it is present, and they are not defensive when discussing their symptoms with a doctor. This helps diagnosis enormously. Even so, millions of sufferers never discuss their fears with a doctor. This is unfortunate because there are effective treatments available. Treating phobias If the phobia does not cause severe problems, most patients find that by simply avoiding the source of their fear is enough to stay in control. Some phobias are not possible to avoid, as may be the case with aviophobia (fear of flying). In such cases, professional help should be sought.

The good news is that with proper treatment, most phobias can be cured. Treatment needs to be tailored to the patient for it to work - no single treatment works for everybody. The doctor, psychiatrist, and/or psychologist may recommend behavior therapy, medications, or a combination of both. Therapy is aimed at reducing the symptoms of fear and anxiety, and to help patients manage their reactions to the source of their fear. Medications How to Overcome Fear of Birds: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow How to Overcome Fear of Birds Two Parts: Preparing a Strategy to Overcome Your Fear Overcoming Your Fear of Birds Community Q&A Ornithophobia is an irrational and overwhelming fear of birds in which no real danger is present. The fear provokes anxiety and possibly behavior to avoid birds. [1] You may experience terror or dread, and have physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat and sweating, and you may experience feelings of powerlessness when around birds.

[2] If your fear of birds keeps you from going to work in the morning or causes you to take the longest route possible to avoid seeing birds, then your fear affects your functioning life, and you should consider getting help, such as self-exposure or seeking treatment from a professional. Steps Preparing a Strategy to Overcome Your Fear 1 Learn about exposure therapy. The most effective way to begin dismantling your fear of birds is by exposure to them. The goal of exposing yourself to birds is to gradually decrease your fearful reactions through prolonged contact. [3] Research shows that exposure therapy—in its different forms—is highly effective for phobias. [4] There are different types of exposure therapy, and the approach often starts with less fear-inducing steps. [5] Exposure therapies that can help with your phobia (often in conjunction) include: [6] Imaginal exposure - This entails closing your eyes and imagining birds or a situation where you are around birds in vivid detail. In vivo exposure - This type of exposure means facing the fear in real life. In this case, you would actually have to be around birds. 2 Think about why you’re afraid of birds.

Most phobias are a “conditioned” response, meaning that you learned it from an outside source. You weren’t born afraid of birds. Spend some time exploring the roots of your ornithophobia. It might be helpful to keep a journal, as writing thoughts down makes you process the information more slowly and thoroughly. Recount your earliest fearful memory of birds. Was there a particular experience that triggered a life-long phobia? Were you always afraid of birds? If not, recall some positive or neutral memories you have of birds, before they became a source of anxiety for you. 3 Detail your triggers. As uncomfortable as it will be, you won’t be able to manage your stress and move beyond it until you fully understand the anatomy of your fear. [7] What are the particular characteristics of birds that cause you the most anxiety? Some common triggers for ornithophobia include: [8] That they swoop down from above The way they flutter their wings Their gait when walking on the ground A fear of diseases they might carry The way they approach humans looking for food scraps 4 Create a hierarchy of your phobia. Creating a hierarchy will give you a roadmap to getting rid of your fear of birds.

It is simply a list of steps regarding birds starting with options you find least frightening and ending with steps you find most frightening. Your personal hierarchy will be unique to you based on the specific birds you may fear or your unique triggers. Remember that you are the expert of your experience of fear, so create a hierarchy that is useful to you. Your hierarchy can also serve as your way to monitor your progress as you move from one level to the next of exposure therapy. Here is an example of a hierarchy for fear of birds: [9] Draw a picture of a bird Look at black and white photos of a bird Look at color photos of a bird Watch videos of birds without sound Watch videos of birds with sound Look at birds in the backyard with binoculars Sit outside where birds might be Visit a bird exhibit at the zoo or in a pet shop Take part in a controlled bird petting or feeding exhibit Care for a friend’s pet bird 5 Familiarize yourself with a discomfort scale. Another useful tool for measuring your progress is a discomfort scale. A discomfort scale is used to monitor your level of discomfort during each exposure.

[10] It gives you a baseline reading for how your fear hierarchy affects you at each step, as well as showing when you might be ready to move on to the next level of your hierarchy as you begin becoming less fearful of earlier steps. Consider a discomfort scale where: [11] 0-3: At zero, you are completely at ease, and at a three, you feel mild anxiety that is noticeable but in no way affecting your functioning. 4-7: At four, the mild anxiety has started to make you slightly uncomfortable, and at seven, you are quite anxious with the feeling beginning to affect your ability to focus and function in the situation. 8-10: At eight, you are very anxious and cannot concentrate due to the exposure, and at ten, you would be on the verge of—or already having—a panic attack. 6 Decide the pace at which to move through your hierarchy. In addition to types of exposure therapy, you can also decide a pace for your therapy.

Two common paces at which to administer the exposure include: [12] [13] Graded exposure - This method is much more common and entails slowly making your way up your hierarchy and advancing only as previous rungs of the ladder lose their ability to produce a fearful response. You will typically advance to the next step of your hierarchy when the current one produces a level on your discomfort scale of zero to three. Flooding - This is when the person starts at the top of the hierarchy with the item to which he or she feels the most discomfort. If you are interested in this method, you should probably do it with the direction of a therapist rather than on your own. 7 Familiarize yourself with relaxation techniques. [14] Since working your way through your hierarchy is bound to produce some stress responses, it can also help you to learn some relaxation techniques to calm yourself during your exposures. Being able to quiet your mind, focus on your breathing, and concentrate on relaxing your muscles might mean the difference between a panic attack and an exposure that reduces down to a seven on your discomfort scale. You can find more information on how to stay calm during your exposures at How to Calm Down .

Part 2 Overcoming Your Fear of Birds 1 Expose yourself to the first item at the bottom of your hierarchy. For most people, the very bottom on their hierarchies will be in the realm of imaginal exposure. [15] Start by simply closing your eyes and imagining a bird. Remember that your hierarchy is unique to you. Your phobia may be such that imaginal exposure produces a zero discomfort scale response, whereas someone else may have to start by imagining a cartoon bird because a real one would produce an eight of their scale. 2 Continue through the imaginal exposure parts of your hierarchy. As simply picturing various birds begins registering only a zero to three on your discomfort scale, continue through the parts of your hierarchy that qualify as imaginal. Additionally, try to describe the events you’re imagining aloud in the present tense to help make the experience more real. [16] You might picture, for instance: Contextualize the birds by picturing them on the telephone line outside your house or on your back fence. Imagine yourself in the situation, such as at a park with birds twenty feet away. Picture yourself feeding bread to ducks or geese at a local pond. Finally, imagine yourself actually handling the pet bird of a friend.

Keep coming back to the imaginal exposure on your hierarchy until it produces a minimal fear response. If your particular hierarchy has watching a video of a bird placed lower than imagining yourself handling a bird, you can still do it in that order. You don’t have to tackle all of the imaginal exposures first if that’s not how your hierarchy is organized. Ask yourself honestly what order makes the most sense for you. 3 Expose yourself to the virtual items on your phobia hierarchy. For most people, the virtual exposures to birds will be further up the hierarchy can the imaginal ones. Once you can imagine birds and yourself around birds with little to no effect, then begin exposing yourself to the next set of fears on your hierarchy. Virtual exposures to bird that produce a fear response may include: [17] Drawing birds (first rough drawings and small birds and later detailed pictures of larger birds) Looking at photos of birds (first in black and white and then in color) Listening to recorded birdsong Watching videos of birds (first without sound then with sound) Remember to keep a close inventory of your level on your discomfort scale for each step. Your goal is to reduce it to no more than a three (and hopefully a zero) for each virtual bird exposure.

4 Try your first in vivo (real life) exposure. The top items on your hierarchy are most likely the real experiences with real birds. Once you’ve mastered imaginal and virtual exposure to birds, try the in vivo exposure that you believe will produce the least fearful response. This could be as simple as using a pair of binoculars to look at a live bird out your window (from the safety of being inside). [18] As you begin acclimating to watching the live bird—registering a zero to three discomfort response—then try opening the window through which you’re looking. [19] 5 Watch a bird from an open door. After the open window no longer produces a strong effect, then try taking the next step—in this case, a literal step out your door. Walk outside while watching the nearby bird. Note the distance from your door that generates a response higher than a three on your discomfort scale and pause there. Watch from there until you begin to feel the fear ease away and take a few more steps. Consistently move closer to the bird while monitoring your comfort level. [20] 6 Work through the higher in vivo exposures on your hierarchy.

The top items on your hierarchy will ultimately depend on your specific phobia, as well as the degree to which you want to overcome it. Your ultimate goal may be to walk past a group of pigeons without panicking while someone else might want to be able to handle a friend’s bird without anxiety. Proceed up the remainder of the points along your hierarchy by exposing yourself to each progressive one until your discomfort scale response is a three or lower. If you find that you run into snags, remember that you can always amend your hierarchy. For instance, maybe being around your friend’s uncaged parrot no longer bothers you, but the thought of handling the large bird still produces an eight on your discomfort scale. Try having the friend accompany you to a pet store and see about holding a much smaller bird, such as a parakeet. 7 Consider therapist-directed exposure. If you run into roadblocks between rungs of your hierarchy that you can’t figure out how to grade in the right way—or even if you simply want to try exposure therapy under the direction of a professional—then consider seeing a therapist who specializes in helping those with phobias.

In addition to helping you find the best way to arrange and approach your hierarchy, a therapist can also provide steps for what is called “systematic desensitization.” This process combines graded exposures with learned relaxation exercises under the guidance of your therapist. [21] In addition, a therapist can help you learn cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques, in which you will learn how your thought processes reinforce your fear of birds. By doing this, you can be more aware of your fear-inducing (yet irrational) thoughts, and you can cognitively alter them before they produce the fearful response during exposures. [22] Research has shown that self-exposure is successful, but that therapist-directed exposure is more successful. One study showed that 63 percent of those who did self-exposure maintained their progress while 80 percent of those who had a therapist maintained their progress. [23] So if you’ve had difficulty overcoming your fear on your own, then make sure you look into therapist-directed methods. Community Q&A M.A, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Jessica B. Casey Because the intent of scary pictures is to induce fear, it is completely normal to feel fear when viewing these images.

If your fear is a true phobia and is inhibiting your functioning in normal life i.e. you are unable to keep a job or interact socially, then you need to make an appointment to see a counselor or psychologist to discuss your treatment options. What causes bird phobia? wikiHow Contributor It could be something you "inherited" from your parents, but in most cases the fear comes from your fight or flight response. In any case of fear, our brain triggers these responses, therefore providing us with protection (by flight -- no pun intended) from something that we fear is dangerous. Of course, if you had a bad experience with birds, that could also explain the onset of the phobia. How can I get over a phobia of geese and peacocks? wikiHow Contributor Try visiting a local zoo or pond. Even though they are big birds, they are most likely harmless if you keep your distance and don't provoke them. Learn About Phobias – Deep Irrational Fears Phobia SHARE Learn About Phobias – Deep Irrational Fears There are many things in life that need to cause some fear. Fear is a natural part of life – a healthy warning sign that there are things in the world that represent danger.

There's nothing wrong with fear. As the saying goes: The problem isn't fear. The problem is irrational fear. The problem is when your fears cause you to change your lifestyle and run your life in a way that no fear should. When you have something – or many things – that cause you intense, irrational fear, then you have developed a phobia. What is an "Irrational Fear?" The word irrational can be offensive for some people. After all, the fear seems very real – and in some cases, there may be a reason to have that fear. But even a legitimate fear can be irrational depending on the way that it runs your life. For example, let's say you have a fear of snakes – known as Ophidiophobia. Snakes can be dangerous – there are many poisonous snakes – but 99.99% of the time there are no snakes around you, and even if there were, snakes don't bite on a whim. In fact, in the United States, you have a 1 in 48,942,807 chance of being killed by a snake. Read that again: 1 in 48,942,807.

You have a better chance of dying in an earthquake (1 in 9,788,561). You have a better chance of being struck by lightning (1 in 576,000). There are reasons that someone may want to fear a poisonous snake, since snakes can be dangerous and possibly cause pain. But if you actually change your life to address that fear, you're likely suffering from a phobia. There are many examples of these type of phobias. Some of them are based on real fears, some of them are not. Examples include: Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) Mysophobia (fear of germs) Ornithophobia (fear of birds). Phobias don't have to be common either. Almost anything can cause a phobia. There is a phobia known as hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, or "fear of long words" which, if you have that fear probably forced you to run away from your computer. Phobias generally fall into the following categories: Animal Type Phobias: Fear of dogs, cats, snakes, rats, dogs, mice, or other animals.

Natural Environment Type: Fear of heights, firestorms, water, aging, or other natural phenomena. Blood-Injection-Injury Type: Fear of contamination, seeing blood, needles and similar phenomena. Situational Type: Fear of closed spaces, of the dark, of going to the dentist or other situations. Other Type: Fear of the number thirteen, fear of clowns or mimes, fear of loud noises and other phenomena. Some types of phobias – such as agoraphobia and social phobia – that are considered a bit different than traditional phobias. It's not just the existence of an intense fear that causes the diagnosis of a phobia. The be diagnosed with a phobia, you need to show one or more of the following: You experience severe anxiety when faced with a stimulus (the thing that causes fear). You experience severe anxiety when anticipating the possibility of facing the stimulus. The fear is uncontrollable, to the point where it can escalate – possibly into an anxiety attack. You alter your life in some way to avoid the stimulus. A little bit of fear may still be considered a phobia in the traditional sense, but probably won't require treatment.

If you get a little scared when you see spiders but can still pick them up and throw them outside, it's still a phobia, but it's not one that plays much of a role in your life. But if you're genuinely changing who you are because of your phobias, or you're going out of your way to avoid the fearful stimulus, or you experience severe and uncontrollable anxiety over the idea or the sight of the object that causes you fear, you have a phobia that needs help. Stop What Fears You Take my free 7 minute anxiety test to get started . What Causes These Phobias? As with most anxiety problems, it can be hard to pinpoint an exact cause of the fear. There may be some evolutionary reasons for some of the fears – at one point during evolution, there may have been reasons to fear some of these issues, even though now those fears make less sense. It may also be a misfiring of natural fear. There is reason to have a bit of fear of heights, for example (otherwise you would be jumping off buildings), but it's possible that a phobia is a misfiring of the natural fear system inside you. For others, the fear is learned.

Those that have a parent that shows extreme fear at the sight of a spider will often develop their own fear of spiders. Those that have been attacked by a scary dog may develop phobias of dogs. These are all examples of learned fears. Finally, a fear may also be developed out of nothing, but reinforced by fear itself. This is why phobias are somewhat of a catch-22. What happens is the following: You have a fear that you know is a bit unusual. You tell yourself that it shouldn't cause that much fear. You see the object that causes fear and experience severe anxiety. Your fear is now reinforced – your brain tells yourself that it really IS something that you should fear, and you become more likely to fear the object next time. Fear causes more fear, because fear tells yourself that you're right to fear it. Your brain convinces you that you must be afraid of something very real, because otherwise why would you experience that much fear? In the end, every time you encounter your phobia (even if it's just in a dream), your fear of that stimulus becomes even more pronounced. How Common is it to Experience a Phobia?

Because there are such a broad range of phobias in the world, nearly half of the country has some type of mild phobia. But as far as those that would be diagnosed with a specific phobia, the numbers are still very high. Some estimates put the number at 11% or higher, with many more that don't report it because they don't encounter the stimulus often enough to seek help. It may also be hard to diagnose specific phobias because the person may be suffering from other anxiety disorders. When other anxiety disorders are present, the "phobia" may really be the result of other anxieties, and if you can reduce those disorders, the hardest parts of living with the phobia should go away with them. Check out the chart below. You'll see a simplified way to get an idea of your anxiety: Of course the easiest way to tell what kind of anxiety you're suffering from is to take my free 7 minute anxiety test , where I look at your symptoms and give you an idea of what best characterizes your anxiety. If you haven't yet, take the test now . What Treatment is There For Specific Phobias? There are numerous treatments for phobias.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the best tools, as it deals with the fear itself rather than the cause, which is less unimportant for controlling phobia fears. One of the most common ways to treat phobias in known as "exposure therapy." Exposure therapy seeks to reduce the way that the phobia impacts you – causing you to face your fear in a way that is gradual and easy, until the phobia treatment has had time to work effectively. The best way to explain exposure therapy is with an example, so we'll take a look at treatment for arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and how a therapist or expert may go about reducing your anxiety: First, spiders need to become less of a mystery. So the therapist may have you simply learn more about them. You'll read how they work – the percentage of them that are poisonous (hint, it is EXTREMELY small), where they live, how often people are hurt by them, and so on. You'll read these until you are more comfortable with the idea of moving forward. If you feel anxiety, you'll go through relaxation strategies until you feel calm again. Next, you'll start imagining spiders. You'll be told to think about encountering them.

Even if you feel fear, you'll be told to continue thinking about them until it no longer causes fear. The therapist or counselor will help you if you feel too anxious. You need to keep thinking about them until it almost feels silly – until the idea of a spider annoys you, and isn't something that causes any fear at all. You may also be asked to imagine them on you, etc., until the same result happens. Next you'll move up to start looking at pictures of different spiders. Once again, you'll keep viewing each one until they no longer cause anxiety. If you have a phobia, you'll likely feel much more anxious at the photos. But you'll talk yourself down and use your anxiety reduction strategies until you feel calmer, and once you do you'll move on to the next one. Only when photos don't cause anxiety will you move forward. Next comes the harder step. Your therapist will actually get a spider, and put it in front of you in an enclosed location. It'll be in a cup or a tank so that it can't get on you, but you'll be asked to look at it. You'll likely feel a great amount of fear if your phobia is still very strong.

Your therapist will work with you, talking you down, so that you're more comfortable around it. Eventually, being in the spider's presence where you can't avoid it will no longer lead to fear. Finally, in some cases, once you're able to be in the room with one, you'll be asked to go further. You may be asked to touch a spider or place one on your body. Right now, if you're afraid of spiders, the very idea will cause a great deal of anxiety. But through exposure therapy, you'll eventually control that anxiety and be able to have the object of your fear genuinely touching you without causing you to flee or experience severe anxiety attacks. Each type of phobia has a different phobia treatment, so it won't necessarily occur exactly as described above, but exposure therapy uses this type of technique to cure people of their phobias and decrease the amount of fear they experience. Right now, chances are this entire idea causes a great deal of fear, but rest assured that when completed in a controlled environment, this type of system has a high efficacy rate and is a great tool for combatting your specific phobias.

You'll also need to control your overall anxiety, since how you feel in your day to day life can also affect the degree to which your phobias affect you. For that, take my 7 minute anxiety test now. I've used it for years to help people just like you overcome their anxieties and their phobias. References Complete List of known phobias: . Chapman, T. F. (1997). The epidemiology of fears and phobias . In G. C. L. Davey (Ed.), Phobias: A handbook of theory, research and treatment (pp. 415-434). New York: Wiley. Why Anxiety Causes a Fear of Talking The Dangers (and Benefits) of Yohimbe Niacinamide as Treatment for Anxiety Drugs & Medications for Panic Attacks What are Panic Attacks? Sore Muscles May Be Caused By Anxiety The Links Between OCD and Serotonin Deficiency Anxiety As The Cause Of Muscle Tension More... Need help with anxiety? Then take our scientifically based anxiety test - completely free (takes no more than 7 minutes).

After completing it, you will find out whether your anxiety is within "normal range," which parts are out of balance and, most importantly, how to proceed with beating your symptoms. It is made specifically for anxiety sufferers, please make use of it.

Question: Ornithophobia is the irrational fear of which creatures?
Answer: Birds