MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Gripped by fear, anyone seized with panic at everyday objects and events could suffer from a phobia.
One in eight Americans experience anxiety from a phobia, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Men over 25 and women of all ages are more likely to have a specific phobia, losing control over their reactions when faced with their fears.
“Those who have a problem find they’re avoiding something because of an irrational fear,” said Jerilyn Ross, CEO and president, Anxiety Disorders Association of America. “It may be based on a real danger, but having a phobia means that your fear of the object strongly affects how you live. You’ll avoid bridges or tunnels, and instead you’ll take a two-hour commute to work or climb 26 flights of stairs because you’re fearful of elevators.”
Therapists classify phobias into three categories: agoraphobia or the fear of isolation and open spaces, social phobias and specific phobias. Specific phobias affect 10 percent of the American population, according to the Mental Health America’s Web site on the anxiety disorder.
“Phobias are a combination of biological factors and psychological factors,” Ross said. “Some times they can be inherited through family members.”
Specific phobias, such as the fear of animals, generally develop in adolescence or early adulthood. The category includes anxieties over daily situations or common objects.
“It’s always an irrational fear,” Ross said. “People are afraid not necessarily of the object, but they fear their fear. If they have a height fear, they focus on how they feel. They realize it doesn’t make sense, but they can’t seem to stop.”
The disorders may appear due to traumatic experiences, and treatment is targeted to stop the panic attacks and anxiety. Staff at Counseling Services, Marine Corps Community Services, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, treats phobias through psychotherapy.
“For cognitive-behavior therapy we try to get our clients to look differently at whatever they fear,” said Kalani Mills, clinical
supervisor, Counseling Services, MCCS. “It’s a matter of mastering how you think, and part of that includes relaxation techniques. The anxiety can be reduced initially with deep breathing.”
Counselors occasionally use exposure therapy said Mills, gradually exposing a person to what they fear. The therapy helps develop coping skills so eventually a person remains calm when confronted with their fear. Counseling Services offers alternative phobia treatments, including thought field therapy where clients stimulate areas of the body through tapping.
Ross said while anxiety is a normal part of life, it’s important to ask for help when a phobia begins to impede on your lifestyle. The ADAA Web site offers a self-help test users can fill out before talking to their doctor. Base counselors similarly help their clients identify their fears and determine what types of therapy to try.
The clinical supervisor said the process is continual, and treatments can be combined.
“Anxiety from a phobia can be kept under control,” Mills said. “Many people have a phobia without others knowing about it. A lot of people can lead a normal life without letting the phobia cause them servere anxiety.”
For more information about anxiety and phobias, log on tohttp://www.adaa.org/.