The term “phobia” refers to a wide range of psychological disorders, such as agoraphobia, claustrophobia, social phobia, etc. A phobia is characterized by the irrational fear an particular situation, such as the fear of taking the elevator, or of a object specific, such as the fear of spiders. But the phobia is beyond a simple fear: it is a real anguish that takes hold of the people who are confronted with it. The phobic person is quite conscious of his fear. Therefore, she tries to avoid, by all means, the feared situation or object.

On a daily basis, suffering from a phobia can be more or less disabling. If it is an ophidiophobia, that is to say a phobia of snakes, the person will, for example, have no difficulty in avoiding the animal in question.

On the other hand, other phobias turn out to be difficult to circumvent on a daily basis, such as fear of crowds or fear of driving. In this case, the phobic person tries, but often in vain, to overcome the anxiety that this situation gives him. The anxiety that accompanies the phobia can then evolve into an anxiety attack and quickly exhaust the phobic person, both physically and psychologically. She tends to isolate herself little by little to stay away from these problematic situations. This avoidance can then have more or less important repercussions on the professional and / or social life of people who suffer from phobia.

There are different types of phobias. In the classifications, we first find phobias simple and phobias complex in which mainly appear agoraphobia and social phobia.

Among the simple phobias, we find:

• Animal-type phobias which correspond to a fear induced by animals or insects;
• Phobias of the “natural environment” type which correspond to a fear caused by natural elements such as thunderstorms, heights or water;
• Phobias of blood, injections or injuries that correspond to fears related to medical procedures;
• Situational phobias which relate to fears induced by a specific situation such as taking public transport, tunnels, bridges, air travel, elevators, driving or confined spaces.

Prevalence

According to some sources, in France 1 in 10 people suffer from a phobia¹⁰. Women would be more affected (2 women for 1 man). Finally, some phobias are more common than others and some can affect younger or older people more.

“Normal” fears during childhood

In children, certain fears are frequent and are part of their normal development. Among the most frequent fears, we can cite: fear of separation, fear of the dark, fear of monsters, fear of small animals, etc.

Often, these fears appear and disappear with age without interfering with the overall well-being of the child. However, if certain fears set in over time and have a significant impact on the behavior and well-being of the child, do not hesitate to consult a pediatrician.

Diagnostic

To diagnose phobia, it must be ensured that the person presents persistent fear certain situations or certain objects.

The phobic person is terrified of being confronted with the feared situation or object. This fear can quickly become a permanent anxiety that can sometimes develop into a panic attack. This anxiety makes the phobic person à get around situations or objects that arouse fear in her, through conduits avoidance and / or reinsurance (avoid an object or ask a person to be present in order to be reassured).

To diagnose a phobia, the healthcare professional may refer to the diagnostic criteria for phobia appearing in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 4^st edition) or CIM-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems – 10^st revision). He can lead a precise clinical interview in order to find the signs manifestation of a phobia.

Many scales such as the fear scale (FSS III) or againThe Marks and Mattews Fear Questionnaire, are available to doctors and psychologists. They can use them in order to validate objectively their diagnosis and assess theintensity of the phobia as well as the repercussions of this one can have in the daily life of the patient.

Causes

Phobia is more than fear, it’s a real anxiety disorder. Some phobias develop more easily during childhood, such as anxiety about being separated from the mother (separation anxiety), while others appear more in adolescence or adulthood. It should be known that a traumatic event or a very intense stress can be at the origin of the appearance of a phobia.

The simple phobias often develop in childhood. Classic symptoms can start between 4 and 8 years old. Most of the time, they follow an event that the child experiences as unpleasant and stressful. These events include, for example, a medical visit, vaccination or blood test. Children who have been trapped in a closed and dark space following an accident may subsequently develop a phobia of confined spaces, called claustrophobia. It is also possible that children develop a phobia “by learning.² »If they are in contact with other phobic people in their family environment. For example, in contact with a family member who is afraid of mice, the child may also develop a fear of mice. Indeed, he will have integrated the idea that it is necessary to be afraid of it.

The origin of complex phobias are more difficult to identify. Many factors (neurobiological, genetic, psychological or environmental) seem to play a role in their appearance.

Some studies have shown that the human brain is in a way “preprogrammed” to feel certain fears (snakes, darkness, emptiness, etc.). It seems that certain fears are part of our genetic heritage and it is certainly these that allowed us to survive in the hostile environment (wild animals, natural elements, etc.) in which our ancestors evolved.

Associated disorders

People with a phobia often have other associated psychological disorders such as:

• an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder or other phobia.
• depression.
• excessive consumption of substances with anxiolytic properties such as alcohol³.

Complications

Suffering from a phobia can become a real handicap for the person who has it. This disorder can have repercussions on the emotional, social and professional life of phobic people. In trying to fight against the anxiety that accompanies the phobia, some people may abuse certain substances with anxiolytic properties such as alcohol and psychotropic drugs. It is also possible that this anxiety evolves into panic attacks or generalized anxiety disorder. In the most dramatic cases, the phobia can also lead some people to suicide.