Fear of Everyday Things
People are afraid of many things. "Phobia" is the technical word for being irrationally afraid of something. While many of the phobia's people suffer from are understandable, many are hard to believe - especially phobias of everyday things. People who suffer from these phobia's in particular are often unable to function in the real world, some become recluses. Without psychological help, phobia's can quickly overtake a life. Remember that these are not simply fears, these are irrational fears, fears that make even thinking about the subject difficult for the sufferer.
Recognize the difference between fear and phobia. While most people may be afraid of snakes, people who have snake phobias are impaired by their fear. They may not be able to leave their homes at night because they cannot see well enough to recognize a snake. They may compulsively check their homes for snakes or be afraid to venture out all. In order to be considered a phobia, the fear must be accompanied by an irrational fear that impacts the sufferers ability to function.
People who suffer from phobia's of uncommon things can often find ways to work around their fears. For example, someone who suffers from Radiophobia, a fear of x-rays, will likely only have to face up to their phobia once or twice during their lifetime. People who suffer from phobia's of common everyday items or occurrences are often unable to function because of their fears. Some of the most common types of phobias, as they relate to everyday items are:
• Porphyrophobia - a fear of the color purple
• Koinoiphobia - a fear of rooms
• Potamophobia - a fear of running water
• Photophobia - a fear of light
• Metallophobia - a fear of metal
• Eisoptrophopia - a fear of seeing oneself in mirrors or a fear of mirrors themselves
• Phagophobia - a fear of eating
• Dipsophobia - a fear of swallowing
• Amathophobia - a fear of dust
• Optophobia - a fear of opening one's eyes
It is easy to understand how fears like these can seriously impact someone's life. Being afraid to eat or being afraid of light makes everyday life almost impossible. It is easy to laugh at some phobias - like hippopotomostrosequipedaliophobia (a fear of long words) or Auroraphobia (a fear of the Northern Lights), the truth is some phobia' are almost impossible to avoid.
It is obvious that people with these types of phobias are in need of help. Working closely with a therapist, it is possible to overcome phobias. Commonly, exposure therapy is used. Under this practice, the sufferer is repeatedly exposed to the object of their fear, first in small doses, gradually for longer periods of time. In this way they learn coping strategies that will allow them to function in the every day world.
One last phobia bears a mention, Phobophobia - the fear of phobias. You see, there is a phobia for almost everything you can imagine. It is up to you to determine how much they will impact your life.
