Acrophobia | Define Acrophobia at Dictionary.com acrophobia [ak-ruh-foh-bee-uh] /ˌæk rəˈfoʊ bi ə/ Spell a pathological fear of heights. Origin of acrophobia 1890-95; < New Latin; see acro- , -phobia Related forms Examples from the Web for acrophobia Expand Contemporary Examples Contemporary society has gifted us with a phobia potentially as strong as acrophobia or the fear of flying: smartphone anxiety. Do You Suffer From Smartphone Anxiety? (And if So, What the Hell’s Your Problem?) Melissa Fares April 29, 2014 Historical Examples Probably the commonest is acrophobia, so that the detailed consideration of it shows the indications for other dreads. Psychotherapy James J. Walsh British Dictionary definitions for acrophobia Expand abnormal fear or dread of being at a great height Derived Forms Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for acrophobia Expand n. "morbid fear of heights," 1887, medical Latin, from Greek akros "at the end, the top" (see acrid ) + -phobia "fear." Coined by Italian physician Dr. Andrea Verga in a paper describing the condition, from which Verga himself suffered. In this paper, read somewhat over a year ago at the congress of alienists at Pavia, the author makes confession of his own extreme dread of high places. Though fearless of the contagion of cholera, he has palpitations on mounting a step-ladder, finds it unpleasant to ride on the top of a coach or to look out of even a first-story window, and has never used an elevator. ["American Journal of Psychology," Nov.

1888, abstract of Verga's report] Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Phobia of Heights Open Mic Phobia of Heights The phobia of heights is the extreme and irrational fear of high places. Read on to know more about heights phobia or acrophobia, its causes and treatment options. An intense crippling fear that robs your sanity and forces you to live in a persistent overwhelming fear of an object, situation or people, phobias afflict nearly 18% of the American population. In fact a study by the National Institute of Mental Health has found that the different types of phobias are the most common form of anxiety disorder ever. The fear of heights is one of the most common forms of phobia afflicting people around the world. So if you have ever looked down from a height and found yourself gripped with a paralyzing terror, then you might be suffering from heights phobia. What is The Phobia Called? Well, the name of phobia of heights is acrophobia, which is commonly defined as an extreme and irrational fear of heights and high places.

Although it is often confused with vertigo or the spinning sensation that is observed when a person looks down from a high place, acrophobia is actually more than just height vertigo. It can in cases turn out to be quite dangerous as a person at a height might suffer a panic attack and just be unable to get themselves to a safe place. In fact it is a myth that acrophobia afflicts people only on tall buildings or cliffs and mountains. Climbing stairs, to standing in the balcony or taking an elevator ride can all trigger off this irrational fear of heights. Causes of Heights Phobia Like any other phobia afflicting people, acrophobia too is a conditioned reaction to certain distressing events in the past and emotional reactions to it. This emotional triggers cause a psychological fear of the heights. So when confronted with similar situations, people tend to panic. While this cause of acrophobia might be true, researchers have found that the fear of heights is an inherent trait in all humans and animals. So when researchers Gibson and Walk in 1960s conducted the famous "Visual Cliff" experiment, they found that toddlers and babies of numerous species refused to cross a thick glass panel floor which seemed more like a sharp drop off.

This triggered off the belief that the fear of heights is actually a survival mechanism and is part of the normal fear response. Symptoms of Heights Phobia An extreme reaction to heights usually translate into a panic or anxiety attack in an acrophobic. This results in symptoms such as labored breathing, excessive sweating, a faster heart rate and the constant feelings of being trapped. Some other symptoms of acrophobia include: Breathlessness Inability to speak or think clearly Irrational fear of dying Dry mouth Severe anxiety In the absence of safeguards, the phobia of heights can actually turn out to be quite dangerous. A person may feel dizzy and actually fall down. To overcome the symptoms of fear of heights you can opt for certain treatment options. Treatment for a Phobia of Heights This phobia can be treated by conventional methods such as hypnotherapy where the emotional trigger is identified and the psychologist then helps the person realize the irrational nature of the fear emotions. This treatment is often used in conjunction with exposure to situations of perceived risk. With a gradual therapy and desensitization, a person will soon be able to control the anxiety and panic associated with the phobia.

It is important to understand that although the fear of heights is a conditioned response an extreme phobic reaction to situations can be life crippling for the people afflicted with it. It is thus important that the person suffering from this phobia seek therapy immediately so that he/she can regain control over the heights phobia and gain confidence in the long run. By Parul Solanki Acrophobia - Fear of Heights Acrophobia By Lisa Fritscher - Reviewed by a board-certified physician. Updated August 06, 2016 Acrophobia is defined as a fear of heights. Unlike a specific phobia like aerophobia -- fear of flying -- and other specific phobias, acrophobia can cause a person to fear a variety of things related to being far from the ground. Depending on the phobia's severity, an acrophobic person may equally fear being on a high floor of a building or simply climbing a ladder. Acrophobia and Related Conditions Vertigo: True vertigo is a medical condition that causes a sensation of spinning and dizziness. Illyngophobia is a phobia in which the fear of developing vertigo can actually lead to vertigo-like symptoms.

Acrophobia can induce similar feelings, but the three conditions are not the same. See a doctor for tests if you experience vertigo symptoms. Medical tests may include blood work, CT scans and MRIs , which can rule out a variety of neurological conditions. Bathmophobia: The fear of slopes and stairs, is sometimes related to acrophobia. In bathmophobia , you may panic when viewing a steep slope, even if you have no need to climb the slope. Although many people with bathmophobia have acrophobia, most acrophobia sufferers do not also experience bathmophobia. Climacophobia: Related to bathmophobia, except that the fear generally occurs only when contemplating making a climb. If you suffer from climacophobia , you are probably not afraid to see a steep set of stairs as long as you can remain safely at the bottom. However, climacophobia may occur in tandem with acrophobia. Aerophobia: The specific fear of flying. Depending on the severity of your fear, you may be afraid of airports and airplanes, or may only feel the fear when in the air. Aerophobia may occasionally occur alongside acrophobia.

Symptoms of Acrophobia If you experience acrophobia, you may never experience vertigo symptoms. Instead, you may feel a sense of panic when at height. You may instinctively begin to search for something to cling to. You may find that you are unable to trust your own sense of balance. Common reactions include descending immediately, crawling on all fours and kneeling or otherwise lowering the body. Emotionally and physically, the response to acrophobia is similar to the response to any other phobia. You may begin to shake, sweat, experience heart palpitations and even cry or yell out. You may feel terrified and paralyzed. It might become difficult to think. If you have acrophobia, it is likely that you will begin to dread situations that may cause you to spend time at height. For example, you may worry that an upcoming vacation will put you into a hotel room on a high floor. You may put off home repairs for fear of using a ladder. You might avoid visiting friends' homes if they have balconies or upstairs picture windows. Danger of Acrophobia The biggest danger that most phobias present is the risk of limiting one's life and activities to avoid the feared situation.

Acrophobia is unusual, however, in that having a panic attack while high in the air could actually lead to the imagined danger. The situation may be safe as long as normal precautions are taken, but panicking could lead you to make unsafe moves. Therefore, it is extremely important that acrophobia be professionally treated as quickly as possible, particularly if heights are a regular part of your life. Causes of Acrophobia Research shows that a certain amount of reluctance around heights is normal, not only for humans but for all visual animals. In 1960, famed research psychologists Gibson and Walk did a "Visual Cliff" experiment which showed crawling infants, along with babies of numerous species, who refused to cross a thick glass panel that covered an apparently sharp drop-off. The presence of the infant's mother, encouragingly calling him, did not convince the babies that it was safe. Therefore, acrophobia seems to be at least partially ingrained, possibly as an evolutionary survival mechanism. Nonetheless, most children and adults use caution but are not inordinately afraid of heights. Acrophobia, like all phobias, appears to be a hyper-reaction of the normal fear response.

Many experts believe that this may be a learned response to either a previous fall or a parent's nervous reaction to heights. Treating Acrophobia Cognitive-behavioral therapy , or CBT, is a main treatment of choice for specific phobias. Behavioral techniques that expose the sufferer to the feared situation either gradually ( systematic desensitization ) or rapidly (flooding) are frequently used. In addition, the client is taught ways of stopping the panic reaction and regaining emotional control. Traditionally, actual exposure to heights is the most common solution. However, several research studies performed since 2001 have shown that virtual reality may be just as effective. A major advantage of virtual reality treatment is the savings in both cost and time, as there is no need for "on-location" therapist accompaniment. This method is not yet readily available, but may be worth trying to find if you can. The drug D-Cycloserine has been in clinical trials for anxiety disorder treatment since 2008. It appears that using the medication in tandem with cognitive-behavioral therapy may improve results, but the research remains preliminary at this time. Acrophobia appears to be rooted in an evolutionary safety mechanism.

Nonetheless, it represents an extreme variation on a normal caution, and can become quite life-limiting for sufferers. It can also be dangerous for those who experience a full panic reaction while at a significant height. Acrophobia can share certain symptoms with vertigo, a medical disorder with a variety of possible causes, as well as with other specific phobias. For these reasons, if you experience the signs of acrophobia, it is extremely important to seek professional help as soon as possible. Sources: Gibson, E. J., & Walk, R. D. "The 'visual cliff'." Scientific American. 1960. 202, 67-71. May 5, 2008. Retrieved from Emmelkamp, Paul, Bruynzeel, Mary, Drost, Leonie, van der Mast, Charles. "Virtual Reality Treatment in Acrophobia: A Comparison with Exposure in Vivo" CyberPsychology & Behavior. June 1, 2001, 4(3): 335-339. May 5, 2008. Continue Reading Fear of heights Fear of heights Do you have acrophobia? Are you afraid of heights?

Watch this video and see what you think (but remember - don't try this at home - even if you have access to a 1000 foot tall tower!): How does it make you feel? Queasy? Butterflies in your tummy? Some people can't watch it - it makes them feel sick, they get sweaty palms and they start to hyperventilate. A fear of heights is called acrophobia. Acrophobia can range from fear when on the top floor of a tall building, to fear of standing on a chair. People with acrophobia feel a sense of panic when they're at a certain height and often become unable to trust their sense of balance. Other symptoms can include shaking, dizziness and nausea. That's a pretty extreme reaction to standing on a chair! Acrophobics feel a sense of panic at certain heights and don't trust their sense of balance But, if you're afraid of heights, maybe you should be happy. You're evolutionarily successful! Some scientists think that acrophobia is an inborn or innate phobia. Why is acrophobia an evolutionary advantage? Scientists think that a fear of heights is a successful adaptation to our world, where falls from height are dangerous.

Experiments have shown that infants and young children are naturally cautious around heights. This suggests that people are born with a dislike of heights. However, most children and adults are a bit nervous around heights, but they don't have a phobia. Many scientists think that a phobia is a learned response to either a parent's fear of heights or a traumatic experience in childhood, like a fall. Show the video to your parents and friends. How does it make them feel? Are people more likely to be afraid of heights if their parents are? Join in Phobias Phobias Phobias A phobia is an irrational sense of anxiety or fear. It happens when you’re exposed to a specific object or situation that you’re afraid of. If you have a phobia you will tend to avoid whatever is causing your fear, which can affect your daily life. Fear is a type of anxiety caused by something in your surroundings. If the situation is a real threat – for example, you're being attacked – fear is a completely sensible and appropriate reaction for you to have. With phobias, the fear is irrational because you have an exaggerated or unrealistic idea about the situation.

If you have a phobia, you may realise that your fear is out of proportion to the true danger, but you can't control or explain it. You can develop a phobia about any object or situation that you’re afraid of. Phobias are often put in to two groups – specific (or simple) and complex phobias. Specific (or simple) phobias These are restricted to very specific situations and usually begin during your childhood or adolescence. Most people grow out of these types of phobias. Some of the most common types of specific phobias are described below. Animal phobia. This is usually a fear of snakes, mice, insects, spiders or dogs. Environmental phobia. This can be a fear of the dark, heights or water. Situational phobia. This can be a fear of flying, visiting the dentist or being in small spaces (claustrophobia). Body-related phobia. This can be a fear of injections, blood or vomit. Complex phobias These can significantly interfere with your day-to-day life and may stop you doing certain things. Often, these types of phobias develop after adolescence. The two most common types of complex phobias are listed below.

Agoraphobia. This is a fear of open spaces or being in places or situations where you feel you can’t escape. For example, you may have a fear of leaving home, being in a crowd, or travelling in a car, train or bus. Social phobia. This is a fear of being watched and judged in social situations. For example, you might worry that you will do something embarrassing, or that people are going to be critical of you. Private GP Service Got a health worry? Discuss it with a Bupa GP. Wherever possible we aim to get you an appointment the next day. If you have a phobia, you won't usually have any symptoms until you're faced with your feared situation or object. You may then develop symptoms of severe anxiety, which include: the sensation of feeling your heart racing (palpitations) sweating Diagnosis Diagnosis of phobias If you think you have a phobia, and it’s affecting how you live your life, see your GP. Your GP will ask about your symptoms. For example, they may ask you about how long you’ve had your symptoms and whether you’ve had any phobias in the past. They may also ask you about your medical history.

He or she may refer you to another healthcare professional, who specialises in treating mental health problems. Treatment Treatment of phobias Your doctor may suggest you try a combination of treatments to help relieve your symptoms. Treatments work differently for everyone, but most people find that their symptoms get better with treatment. Some people are able to get over their phobia completely. How well your treatment works can depend on many factors. For example, how severe your phobia is and how much support you have from your family and friends can make all make a difference. Self-help The best way to get over a phobia is to gradually expose yourself to your feared object or situation. This may seem like a scary thing to do, but it will help to reduce your fear and tolerate the anxiety until it starts to decrease. And you don’t have to do it without support and some tools to help. If you can, try and talk about your fear with someone you trust. They may have felt something similar to you and understand what you’re going through. Or you might find a support group helpful – you might be able to find out how others have coped with the same phobia as you. Self-help books or computer programmes can also be useful to work through.

You can also help yourself by trying relaxation techniques to feel more in control of your anxiety. Different things work for different people so have a think about what might work for you. There are lots of methods out there, such as meditation, deep breathing or stretching. The important thing is to practise relaxation regularly. See our resources for more information about where you can find support. Talking therapies Your GP may suggest a talking therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This is a type of psychological treatment that challenges negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Your GP can usually refer you to a suitable therapist. CBT involves one-to-one sessions with a therapist trained in treating phobias. Your therapist will help you to identify links between your thoughts, feelings and behaviour and advise you how to develop coping skills. He or she may also teach you relaxation techniques and then gradually expose you to the object or situation that you fear. In this way you’ll learn to tolerate the anxiety. Medicines Medicines aren’t often used to treat phobias because talking therapies can be very successful. If you have severe anxiety or your symptoms are interfering with something important, for example medical or dental treatment, your GP may prescribe you medicines.

Your GP may offer you medicines called beta-blockers to help ease your symptoms, such as palpitations. In some situations, your GP may prescribe you another type of medicines called benzodiazepines. These can help relieve very severe anxiety. They can make you drowsy and are only prescribed as a short-term treatment because they can be addictive. If your anxiety lasts more than four weeks, your GP may recommend that you take an antidepressant called selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Your GP may offer you these medicines if talking treatments haven’t helped and your anxiety is affecting your day-to-day life. Always ask your GP for advice and read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. Private GP appointments With our GP services, we aim to give you an appointment the next day, subject to availability. Find out more today. Causes Causes of phobias There are different theories about what causes phobias to develop. Phobias may run in families, but it’s not clear how much this is to do with if you inherit them or if you learn them. Sometimes the start of a phobia may be triggered by a frightening situation or place, which caused you to feel anxious at the time.

Complications Complications of phobias If you have a phobia, you will try to avoid the object or situation you fear and this can affect your mental health. For example, you may feel lonely and isolated if you become unable to leave your home, go shopping or meet with friends. As a result, you may become depressed . If you use alcohol or drugs to cope with your feelings, then you can increase your risk of developing alcohol and drug-related health problems. If I have one phobia, am I more likely to have another? Answer Yes, it’s possible that if you have one type of phobia, you could develop another. Explanation Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder. If you have one type, you may experience other types of phobias. For example, agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces or being in places or situations where you feel you can’t escape. If you have agoraphobia, you may also develop monophobia (a fear of being alone) or claustrophobia (a fear of being in a small space). What can I do to help my friend if they have a phobia?

Answer Letting your friend know you’re accepting of their phobia and offering your support to get help may be beneficial. Explanation If your friend has a phobia, it may be helpful to acknowledge how hard it can be for them to deal with it. Just being with them when they are exposed to the activity causing their anxiety can help. Alternatively, encourage them to get help from another source. Your friend’s GP can give them more information about phobias and the treatments available. If your friend is getting treatment, either by following a self-help programme or talking to a therapist, ask how it's going from time to time. Be supportive and ask if there’s any way you can help. For example, offer to travel with your friend to or from treatment sessions. How common are phobias, and what’s the most common type? Answer Phobias are common − around one in 10 people will have a phobia at some point during their lifetime. Social phobia is one of the most common; it’s also known as social anxiety disorder. Specific phobias (fears attached to certain things) are also common phobias. Explanation A social phobia is when you have a fear of being watched and judged in social situations.

About five in 100 people have some degree of social phobia and it’s more common in women than men. If you have a social phobia, you may worry that you’ll do or say something humiliating or embarrassing. This type of phobia can disrupt your normal life. Some of the social situations that you might worry about will be everyday things such as: speaking on the telephone starting conversations or meeting new people eating or drinking in front of people working or going shopping Phobias of specific things − such as objects, the environment or body-related − are also common. They might include a fear of heights, particular animals like spiders, flying, enclosed spaces, or the sight of blood for example. Mental Health Foundation The Mental Health Foundation is a charity that carries out research and offers information about many areas of mental health. This article signposts to its podcasts which aim to introduce you to skills to help you relax and improve your mental wellbeing. Mind The charity Mind has information to support people with a mental health condition and those who care for them. As with many of their articles, this includes quotes from people with the condition – in this case phobias – and ways that family and friends can help. Sources Phobias. BMJ Best Practice.

published 9 September 2013 Anxiety, panic and phobias: key facts. Royal College of Psychiatrists. published February 2014 Phobias. Mind. accessed 22 May 2014 Phobias. Mental Health Foundation. accessed 22 May 2014 Phobic disorders. Medscape. published 26 December 2013 Shyness and social phobia. Royal College of Psychiatrists. published May 2008 Anxiety and stress related disorders. Oxford handbook of psychiatry (online). Oxford Medicine Online. published March 2013 Joint Formulary Committee. British National Formulary (online) London: BMJ Group and Pharmaceutical Press. accessed 13 June 2014 Friends and relatives. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. accessed 13 June 2014 Social anxiety disorder: recognition, assessment and treatment. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2013. Map of Medicine. Anxiety. International View. London: Map of Medicine; 2013 (Issue 4) Specific phobic disorders. Merck Manuals.

published May 2014 Social anxiety disorder. PatientPlus. reviewed 11 September 2013 Has our information helped you? Tell us what you think about this page We’d love to know what you think about what you’ve just been reading and looking at – we’ll use it to improve our information. If you’d like to give us some feedback, our short form below will take just a few minutes to complete. And if there's a question you want to ask that hasn't been answered here, please submit it to us. Although we can't respond to specific questions directly, we’ll aim to include the answer to it when we next review this topic. Ask us a question About our health information At Bupa we produce a wealth of free health information for you and your family. We believe that trustworthy information is essential in helping you make better decisions about your health and care. Here are just a few of the ways in which our core editorial principles have been recognised. Information Standard We are certified by the Information Standard. This quality mark identifies reliable, trustworthy producers and sources of health information. HONcode This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

What our readers say about us But don't just take our word for it; here's some feedback from our readers. “Simple and easy to use website - not alarming, just helpful.” “It’s informative but not too detailed. I like that it’s factual and realistic about the conditions and the procedures involved. It’s also easy to navigate to areas that you specifically want without having to read all the information.” “Good information, easy to find, trustworthy.” Meet the team Head of health content and clinical engagement Dylan Merkett – Lead Editor – UK Customer Nick Ridgman – Lead Editor – UK Health and Care Services Natalie Heaton – Specialist Editor – User Experience Pippa Coulter – Specialist Editor – Content Library Alice Rossiter – Specialist Editor – Insights Laura Blanks – Specialist Editor – Quality Michelle Harrison – Editorial Assistant Our core principles All our health content is produced in line with our core editorial principles – readable, reliable, relevant – which are represented by our diagram. Click to open full-size image The ‘3Rs’ encompass everything we believe good health information should be. From tweets to in-depth reports, videos to quizzes, every piece of content we produce has these as its foundation.

Readable In a nutshell, our information is jargon-free, concise and accessible. We know our audience and we meet their health information needs, helping them to take the next step in their health and wellbeing journey. Reliable We use the best quality and most up-to-date evidence to produce our information. Our process is transparent and validated by experts – both our users and medical specialists. Relevant We know that our users want the right information at the right time, in the way that suits them. So we review our content at least every three years to keep it fresh. And we’re embracing new technology and social media so they can get it whenever and wherever they choose. Our accreditation Here are just a few of the ways in which the quality of our information has been recognised. The Information Standard certification scheme You will see the Information Standard quality mark on our content. This is a certification programme, supported by NHS England, that was developed to ensure that public-facing health and care information is created to a set of best practice principles. It uses only recognised evidence sources and presents the information in a clear and balanced way. The Information Standard quality mark is a quick and easy way for you to identify reliable and trustworthy producers and sources of information.

Certified by the Information Standard as a quality provider of health and social care information. Bupa shall hold responsibility for the accuracy of the information they publish and neither the Scheme Operator nor the Scheme Owner shall have any responsibility whatsoever for costs, losses or direct or indirect damages or costs arising from inaccuracy of information or omissions in information published on the website on behalf of Bupa. British Medical Association (BMA) patient information awards We have received a number of BMA awards for different assets over the years. Most recently, in 2013, we received a 'commended' award for our online shared decision making hub. Contact us If you have any feedback on our health information, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us via email: healthinfo@bupa.com. Or you can write to us: Health Content Team 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: In relation to phobias, which word describes the fear of heights?
Answer: ACROPHOBIA