A Phobia presents itself in a number of categories and is a source of fear and anxiety for a person.

A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving fear of a situation or object. Image: Phobia Stock Photos

Phobia of the Day: Ophidiophobia

A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving fear of a situation or object. Exposure to the source of the fear triggers an irrational response.

by Arnold Charles

11-06-2023 08:33

in Offbeat

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: Ophidiophobia refers to the fear of snakes

Most people with Ophidiophobia can lead normal lives as they do not have to confront the object of their fears under normal circumstances. However, for people with severe Ophidiophobia, the mere mention, or an image of a snake in books or on TV can lead to an intense fear response, the reactions of which can even include heart attacks and death. The American Psychiatric Association has described the following symptoms of Ophidiophobia which can be categorized as mental, physical, or emotional:

Uncontrollable anxiety especially when one is about to be exposed to snakes
Feeling that one must do anything to avoid snakes
Screaming, crying or experiencing difficulty breathing, or trembling or shaking violently when one encounters snakes, their pictures or images on TV, etc.
Feeling anxious or experiencing increased heart rate when taken to locations where snakes may be present.