A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving fear of a situation or object. Image: Phobia Stock Photos
Phobia of the Day: What is Thalassophobia?
A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving fear of a situation or object. Exposure to the source of the fear triggers an irrational response.
A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving fear of a situation or object. Image: Phobia Stock Photos
A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving excessive and persistent fear of a situation or object. Exposure to the source of the fear triggers an immediate anxiety response.
Most specific phobias fall into one of four major categories:
- Fears of the natural environment
- Fears related to animals
- Fear related to medical treatments or issues
- Fears related to specific situations
Phobia of the Day: Thalassophobia is a fear of deep water, such as an ocean or a lake
Thalassophobia is a type of phobia characterized by a persistent and intense fear of deep water, such as an ocean or a lake. People with thalassophobia either avoid deep bodies of water altogether or endure them with overwhelming anxiety. A phobia can trigger both physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety and fear. Some of the common physical symptoms of thalassophobia include:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Racing heart
- Rapid breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
SELF-CARE TIPS FOR PHOBIAS THAT BRING ON ANXIETY
- Talk to someone you trust.
- Learn to manage panic and anxiety.
- Look into joining a support group.
- Use self-help resources.
- Take a course for your specific phobia.
RECENT PHOBIA WORD POSTS:
Do you have a phobia you suffer from that you’d like to share?
If so, send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 and we’ll publish the ones that we feel are most interesting!
You can also follow @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook for all the latest phobias.
