Even for someone who is empathetic, it can be difficult to understand why people act the way they do when they have a phobia. Many people who have phobias do not understand their reactions and many times feel strange and confused. Because of the oddity of phobias, it is easy to suspect someone who is having a phobic episode, or has many phobic episodes, of acting strange in order to get attention or make others feel sorry for them. A phobic reaction appears so strange because the person having the reaction freaks out about something that does not truly bother anyone else, especially not to the same extent. Most phobia sufferers know their reactions are bizarre, but they cannot do anything to stop their phobic reaction because phobias are completely irrational. If you know a phobia sufferer, it is good to learn about phobias and how to deal with the situation if they have a phobic episode.
Although everyone is a little different, there are a set of physical reactions that go along with a phobic episode. Physical reactions include sweating, increased heart rate, nervousness, and some people can have a full-blown panic attack. Having a phobic reaction can be very confusing because the person reacts to something harmless as if it puts them in a life or death situation. A phobia sufferer may realize that their feelings are not justified, but they are still overtaken by feelings of fear and dread.
The fight or flight response is a term for the biological process your body undergoes when under a lot of immediate stress. The fight or flight response essentially is the result of your brain perceiving a serious threat and adding adrenaline to your bloodstream, making you temporarily stronger, faster, and more able to act instinctively to overcome a potentially life threatening situation. The fight or flight response occurs in different levels; sometimes a little adrenaline is added to the bloodstream, while other times your body is flooded with adrenaline.
Our ancient ancestors relied heavily on this response for survival when the world was not so civilized and they were constantly struggling to survive. Although the fight or flight response is not as crucial today, it is a natural response that can be very helpful, or harmful if it is triggered unnecessarily. The fight or flight response is responsible for news reports of people lifting extremely heavy objects off of people and other extraordinary physical feats.
The fight or flight response is even more developed in wild animals. It is not uncommon for a deer that has been shot through both lungs or the heart to run the length of a football, or for several miles if these vital organs are not hit. When someone has a true phobia, these are the intense feelings that they have to deal with, but instead of escaping an imminent threat, they are responding to a spider, snake, clown, or some other stimulus that triggers their phobia. What is worse is that phobias strike in every day places like work, school, or social functions where the fight or flight response is completely inappropriate.
There is a long list of different phobias, but most phobias are the result of something from a person's past or a fear that has been instilled in them. It makes no difference if the phobia sufferer knows they are overreacting to their phobic trigger, they cannot stop their phobic reaction. Treatment methods do exist, but a little bit of understanding goes a long way. Knowing more about phobias can only help if you know someone who if suffering from a phobia.
For much more informational value go here: Panic Attack Books and go to Anxiety And Panic Attack Disorders similarly Panic Attack Disorder
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For fear of flying, see the free video at www.fearofflying.com
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