DEALING WITH PHOBIA

A phobia is an excessive, irrational and unrealistic fear of something like an object,  a person,  an animal,  a situation or an activity. There may be an examination phobia also and that particularly with the students. It is a type of anxiety disorder as it remains persistently with the person. It may create a deep sense of dread or panic when encountered with the source of fear. Such a person either avoids the thing that triggers the fear or endures it with great anxiety and distress. The person suffering from phobia often realizes that his fear is irrational, but he can't do anything about it. Such fears can interfere with work, school, and personal relationships.  If the object or situation is not avoided, it may cause significant distress. Other symptoms may include fainting, which may occur to see the blood or an injury, and panic attacks, which are often found in agoraphobia. Around 75% of people with phobia have multiple phobias.

The causes of phobia may be genetic or environmental also. If a blood relative has excessive thinking problem or anxiety disorder, the children are very prone to receive it hereditarily. It may be caused by situations or environment also. Drowning quite often becomes instrumental in causing a phobia. There may be Informational or instructional fear acquisition also. In this case, the person gets panicked when he hears negative about a thing or person. He imagines something negative to happen with him as well. Regular scoldings and humiliations also cause phobia or panic attacks. In serious cases, it may create deep depression and lead to a handicapped life. There will be no quality life. Social life will also be destroyed. 

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT 

I have also been a victim of panic attacks that comes under acute stress and deep depression. It had happened to me due to persistent scoldings and humiliations. I was really very disturbed and depressed. It looked that I would die. But, you know God is the ultimate Saviour and over everyone else in this world. He saved me. Here,  I will tell you about its diagnosis and treatment on my personal experience basis. Usually, the diagnosis of phobia requires some clinical interviews and diagnostic guidelines. Meeting a Psychiatrist also may be beneficial. But, whichsoever the doctor is, whether a Psychiatrist or a Neurologist, you have to tell him everything what happened with you. The doctor may prescribe you some medicines like sleeping-pills, antidepressant or neuro related medicines. These medicines may give you a temporary relief, but you can not hope for a permanent solution with medicines. The moment you leave the medicines, the effects also will be going off. 

I took such medicines from October 2015 to December 2018, and whenever the medicines were stopped, panic attacks returned. I was not getting how to control it. Then, in January 2019, I left all the medicines on their due completion. After that, I resorted to my own therapy. You are your best doctor. If you like you can't be ill ever, and if ill, you can cure yourself even without medicines. Nature has already given us this properly of self- control and self- cure. Thus, I made some principles of my life and followed some personal rules which, ultimately, helped me recover this phobia and panic or stress attacks. I would feel happy to share it here for somebody may be benefitted by it, and these are : -

1. Make your mind strong and let it control       your body.

2. Don't fear from anybody or anything, and face the people or things boldly and strongly. If anybody comes to bark at you, you also shout back. 

3. Identify people or things which trigger your phobia or panic. 

4. Keep away from such people or things. 

5. Increase your creativity and raise yourself. 

6. Go to your village. The serene atmosphere of the village will give you a brain-soothing effect. 

7. Meet the people you love or who love you. Talk and laugh a lot with them. 

8. Always keep smiling and happy. 

9. Just think about yourself, and leave the world. 

10. Do everything which pleases you and makes you happy. Don't think about anybody else. 

11. Do prayers and meditation. Go for morning walks and play a lot. It will improve the level of good hormones in your body and keep you happy and healthy. 

12. Think positive, act positive. You will win over any kind of phobia.

Really, I have an amazing effect of these follow-up rules upon me. Yes, I have won over my phobia or panic attacks. Yet, sometimes, residual attacks come when somebody shouts at me or when I am at a crowded place, but now I don't fear. I rather shout back at the fear itself, " Oye Mr. Terror, what do you think you can do to me? Scare? No, not at all. You can't scare me now. I am now braver than before and the better version of myself ". And the fear flies away. This way, now, I am free from fear,  free from phobia. Good luck to myself! The article is based totally on my own personal experience. If the steps are followed,  any type of phobia may be dealt with, even upto 100%. Just be strong and think positive!

Further, there are several kinds of phobias which require specific therapies like Exposure Therapy, Touch Therapy, Cognitive Therapy etc. to deal with. Exam phobia may be overcome by constant studies. Subject phobia may be controlled by reading that subject again and again. Water phobia may be controlled by learning to swim in water. Acrophobia may be overcome by slowly exposing yourself to heights. Future phobia may be controlled by living in present and thinking positive about future. Aerophobia and Emetophobia may be controlled through Hypnotherapy. Carcinophobia may be controlled by Cognitive Therapy.

Thus, Exposure therapy is considered to be the most effective therapy. In this therapy, you will work with a therapist to slowly expose yourself to what you are afraid of. These phobias may be controlled through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy also by challenging and reframing negative thoughts about the subject of fear.

All the best! God bless us all!