Blog Post 09: The PHOBIAS: Part 02

The previous blog was an attempt to give information related to PHOBIAS. This blog is an attempt to give information and create awareness related to the treatment of PHOBIAS. 

PHOBIC patients are found in every age group. Children are also no exception. By the way, every age may have its own problem related to fears. Children are afraid of going to school in childhood, they suddenly start having stomach aches at the time of going to school. This fear persists until they settle in a new environment. After some time, when the children get attached to the school's environment, the fear residing in their mind also goes away. In the student’s age, every person encounters something similar during exams or results. At that time, if the examination or the date of the result gets postponed, they get very relaxed on that particular day. In middle age, the fear or pressure of impressing others, for instance, the boss in the office, and in old age the thoughts of loneliness or physical disabilities, can become the main cause of fear.

There is one thing common in all PHOBIAS which is termed as PHOBIC THING in psychology. This PHOBIC THING makes a person feel much lighter for some time, as the thing related to the fear gets postponed or cancelled. The more intense the PHOBIA, the more intense it will be to try to avoid it. For example, if a person has PHOBIA to travel by local train, then that person finds an option to travel by spending thrice the money and four times the time to avoid that PHOBIA. If someone is afraid of sickness then he keeps avoiding his check-up. But it is a time being solution. This cannot help them to get rid of that PHOBIA permanently. Now it is clear that due to the experience of an event or thing, a bitter memory of the same gets settled in the mind. Then, if any such situation or same thing is experienced in present or future, then the relative fear becomes active. This stage in psycho analysis is called CONDITINING.

Just as it is necessary to believe a person suffering from any mental illness, it is necessary to make a person suffering from PHOBIA believe that he has a PHOBIA and make him ready for treatment. The person can feel lonely if his friends, relatives make fun of his fear, That is why it is important to comfort that person, without making fun of him, to build trust and confidence in him and to reduce anxiety and grief and calm their mind with medicines. That is why, BEHAVIOUR THERAPY has developed recently in psychology. It is necessary to make the person suffering from PHOBIA realise that the PHOBIA is an unknowingly hyped, instinctively promoted fear. In this therapy, mind is trained to remain calm in the PHOBIC SITUATION or encountering the fear related to specific PHOBIC THING by following step-by-step instructions. For example:

1) If a person is connected to a certain PHOBIA, instead of just focusing on the same thing if some multi-tasking is done, it helps to distract the attention, helping to root out the PHOBIA of that thing from the mind-set. 

 2) If someone has PHOBIA to board in a crowded train, then in the process of boarding in the train, one has to make a list of the things which he/she is least and most afraid of. For example, the fear of boarding and sitting in a crowded train may be the highest, then the fear of boarding and sitting in a stalled train may be slightly lesser and maybe there won't be any fear of standing at the station and seeing the train coming from far away. Now with a calm mind, sitting at home if one starts imagining the scene of the train coming from far away, the fear of his/her at the first stop will be removed because his/her mind is now calm. Then, while imagining step by step picture of the train respectively, the fear of every step of sitting in the train slowly can be eradicated.
 
3) If a person is afraid of a high place, then by closing his eyes, one can imagine climbing up a step with a calm mind. And in imagination one can recollect the good moments of life on every step. In the imagination, by the time he/she reaches the highest final step, the fear of climbing the height can definitely end.

This gradual treatment method is called PROGRESSIVE DE-SENSITISATION. This experiment is certainly not easy and requires regular practice. Patients complain of fear, but do not show the required courage and time to combat that fear. One needs to get into the water to get rid of the fear of drowning which is not possible without getting into the water.

Although PHOBIA is treated according to the situation, a new therapy is developed in western countries called ORIENTATION REFLEX. An action to divert a person's attention can help to eradicate the fears located in the mind. There are millions of stimulants on human senses. Different types of voices continue to fall on a person's ears, but every voice doesn’t get human attention. One can only pay attention to prominent voices. ORIENTATION REFLEX therapy, programmes human mind to decide what one wants to hear and wants to see. A very big voice or a sudden movement or a pleasant or sad experience naturally grabs human attention. For example, one visits a hospital for a check-up. He/she may have a restless feeling about the diagnosis. At that moment if a mother sits next to them carrying a cute baby.The baby starts playing with him/her, for some time they will forget the restlessnes and fear associated with the check-up.

Another option is that, if in an environment of fear, one focuses on some pleasant or physically exhausting activity, then obviously the focus on the fear will get distracted and he/she can be stress free. For example, if one is afraid of going out of the house alone and the intensity of fear is too much, then he/she should keep walking inside the house till he/she feels tired. Or if possible, he/she should take someone out withthem. Then because of getting entangled in the conversation with that other person, the fear of going out alone will divert his/her attention thus gradually putting an end to the fear. Or if one dares and goes out of the house alone, then he/she should go on walking till they get tired while listening to their favourite songs on mobile. The songs will distract him/her from fear and due to exhaustion, their mind and body will want to relax, and hence can stop thinking about the fear.

If one wants to overcome fear or eradicate it, then facing fear is the only wise option. For this, if there is a fear of some thing, some situation, then first accept it, then tell someone close to you about your fear and discomfort. If someone is sharing his/her restlessness, listen to him/her instead of making fun of them, understand their condition, give them the courage and develop a hope to fight with that fear. If one understands and supports such a person before their PHOBIA increases to the level of getting converted into mental illness, then surely that person can be saved from becoming a victim of DEPRESSION.

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Next blog will be an attempt to create awareness of different kinds of OBSESSIONS, so keep reading. Till then stay safe and healthy, MENTALLY & PHYSICALLY 😊.

- (KD Blogs)

 ✍ © Kunal Deshpande