In the world of mental conditions, anxiety and phobia are close relatives. Although they don’t always come together, they are so closely related to each other that when a person is being tested for one, it is always almost necessary to test for the other. Fear and anxiousness are sibling emotions. When either or both of them seem to come out of nowhere and persist for a long period of time, they pose several dangers to mental health.
Worry vs Anxiety, Fear vs Phobia
Phobias and other anxiety disorders go unrecognized too often because of the simple fact that fear and anxiousness are normal human feelings. Everybody feels anxious and afraid every once in a while. We all fear and worry about something sometimes. Generally, worries and fears can be helpful. They help us avoid dangerous situations. For example, when we worry about being broke, we try so hard to find a job. In the same way, when we are afraid of getting mugged, we avoid walking down dark streets.
When we start fearing or worrying about a certain object or situation too much for no concrete reason for a very long time, ruining the way we normally live our lives, fear and worry evolve into phobia and anxiety respectively.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of anxiety are physical, emotional and behavioral. Aside from feeling extremely worried all the time, a person suffering from anxiety feels irritable and lacks focus or concentration. Sleeping patterns also become irregular. Physical symptoms include sweating, heavy breathing, faintness, dizziness, palpitations, indigestion and diarrhea. Sometimes, panic attacks and depression are also experienced. Sufferers always mistake these symptoms as signs of a physical illness.
On the other hand, a person suffering from phobia experiences many or all of the symptoms of anxiety. Aside from that, he or she also avoids the thing or situation he or she is afraid of. Sometimes, a simple mention of it can trigger panic attacks. He or she is also extremely terrified when confronted by what he or she fears. A phobia is usually caused by a traumatic event in the past.
Treatments
Anxiety disorders and phobias can’t be cured, but their symptoms can be easily treated. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and medications are the most common methods of treatment.