Panic Away Coaching: Examples of specific phobias
Specific Phobias
An intense fear of something that presents little actual danger is a specific phobia. Examples of specific phobias are acrophobia or altophobia (fear of heights), siderodromophobia (fear of railroads or train travel), potamophobia (fear of running water), cynophobia (fear of dogs or rabies), batrachophobia (fear of frogs), etc. As you can see, they are objects that should not be feared and thus the fear is irrational. There are those who are able to hike the tallest mountain, but unable to ride the elevator to the 3rd floor due to claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces). They are aware that these fears are groundless, nevertheless find themselves experiencing sever anxiety by just the thought of their specific phobia.
Treatment of specific phobias can be done through avoidance of the source of the phobia. Riding planes instead of trains for a siderodromophobiac, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator for a claustrophobic. However, in situations that cannot be avoided (potamohobia), pyschological therapies are usually advised. That is, if there is no iatrophobia (fear of going to the doctor).