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the evolution of psychology
the evolution of psychology
Treatments for phobias and their efficacy
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Recommended: the evolution of psychology
Introduction
The term phobia is often related to “ When you genuinely fear something for no rational reason” [1] There are three types of phobias; specific, social and agoraphobia. To develop a fear which is irrational allows room to explain reasons to develop a phobia. Classical conditioning and observation are two methods of developing phobias.
Instructional fear acquisition allows us to work out if things are scary; as humans we may even evolve to fear certain things after some time. The brain regions involved are the insular cortex and the amygdala. [1] The numerous methods in treating phobias could be systematic desensitisation, cognitive behavioural therapy and a last resort being antidepressants. From the article there is still very minimal discussion regarding the development of irrational fear and the effectiveness of treatments for phobias. However the different types of phobias are very important in understanding the categories in which individuals can be subjected to.
Throughout the article questions still remain; how is there a development of fear by the definition of irrational? What are the most effective treatments of phobias? And is there a correlation directly to human evolution?
Discussion
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, which in some situations can become excessive and affect their day-to-day activities in a undesirable way. There are a numerous different anxiety disorders ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias. Although in the article there is no mention of anxiety but in order to understand the rationale behind irrational fears we have to understand how the brain works in order to relate this to treatment and how development of phobias are created. Th...
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All ¬anxiety disorders show distinct expressions of behavioural, subjective, and physiological symptoms of anxiety (Andrews, Creamer, Crino, Hunt, Lampe, & Page, 2004; Franklin & Foa, 2002). Research consistently showed that although basic anxiety symptoms are present in most if not all disorders, they are indeed manifesting differently in each (Caprara, Steca, Cervone, & Artistico, 2003). Therefore, the exact nature of feared stimuli cannot be predicted and is generally distinctive from individual to individual.
Human's fears should not be taken lightly. Fear could do anything to one's minds, though without fear, man can be as savage as animals. In the book Lord of the Flies, William Golding presented fear of the unknown to be a powerful force in a man's mind. Fear of the unknown is a powerful force, which can turn to either insight or hysteria. The kids feared of not being rescued off of the island, so they made signal fires on top of the mountain. Then, there and gone, Roger's fear of the old rules he abided to. Also, there were the fears of the beast which confused and isolated the kids from the top of the mountain.
Just imagine for a moment that you have a cynophobia or the fear of dogs, would this be how you would feel. Driving down the road the oil light comes on. "I must stop the car to add more oil or I will damage the car engine. This looks like a good place to pull over. I'll just stop in front of this house. The oil is in the trunk, so I'll pop the top first, then get the oil out of the trunk. OK, I have the oil, but what if there is a dog at this house. Hurry, I have to hurry. A dog might come running out and bark at me any minute. Just get the oil in the engine. I can't my hands are shaking. Don't worry, there is no dog. Just get the oil in the engine. I don't care if I spill it, just get some in the engine. Take another look around, is there a dog anywhere. OK, the oils in, now hurry get back in the car. I can't breath. I'm safely back in the car, now just take a minute and breath. When will my hands stop shaking." This is how a person with a phobia of dogs might feel. There is no dog around anywhere in sight, but the thought of a dog running at them barking is enough to cause a panic attack. In "Exploring Psychology" David G. Myers defines phobia as "an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation" (432). This paper will explore the history, causes, effects, and treatment of Phobias.
One of the characteristics of a phobia is a feeling that is greater than the fear of a situation or object with an exaggeration of the danger associated with the said situation or even object. This persistent fear often leads to an anxiety disorder that leads an individual to develop mechanisms that ensure one avoids the object or situation that triggers the occurrence of the phobia. Phobias can have highly debilitating effects on an individual including the development of depression, isolation, substance abuse, and even suicide. Many people take phobia for granted however, it is clear that it has the potential to impair the quality of life for both the affected and the people around them. The fact that many of the phobias are manageable using
19 million Americans (approximately one in eight) aged 18-54 suffer from anxiety disorders. (1) When I heard this statistic, I realized how important the discussion of such disorders was to the sciences. 1/8th of the most productive portion of the US population suffers from an anxiety disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the Institutes of Health for the Federal Government, is committed to research causes and treatment of such disorders. (2) Progress has been made, comparing studies of animals to studies of humans, in pinpointing the specific areas of the brain. Anxiety is associated with fear- fear of a specific object or situation, generalized fear and worry, recurring fearful memories, etc. The NIMH has found that a specific portion of the brain, the amygdala, controls the body's automatic response to fear. When the brain is confronted with fear, the brain takes two course of action. One, the brain transmits information to the cerebral cortex (the thinking part of the brain) to inform it of what specifically is endangering the individual. Second, the brain transmits to the amygdala the same information, so that the body might prepare for action.
In order to treat the fear you must treat it with relaxation while in the presence of the feared situation. The first step in Wolpe’s study was to focus on relaxing your body. He recommended a process that involves tensing and relaxing various groups of muscles until a deep state of relaxation is achieved (Wolpe,264). The second stage was to develop a list of anxiety-producing situations that are associated with the phobia. The list would descend with from the least uncomfortable situation to the most anxiety producing event you can imagine. The number of events can vary from 5 to 20 or more. The final step is to desensitize, which is the actual “unlearning” of the phobia. Wolpe told his patients that no actual contact with the fear is necessary, and that the same effectiveness can be accomplished through descriptions and visualizations(Wolpe,265). Wolpe’s participants are told to put themselves in a state of relaxation which they are taught. Then, the therapist begins reading the first situation on the hierarchy they have made up. If the patient stays relaxed through the first situation the therapist continues to the next until the state of relaxation is broken. If they feel a slight moment of anxiety they are to raise their index finger until the state of relaxation is restored. The average number
First, this theory ignores the biological components that could be at play in a persons disorder. Some people may be more predisposed by their genes to develop anxieties or phobias. Additionally, thought patterns from a cognitive approach are disregarded, suggesting that irrational beliefs or catastrophic thoughts contribute to the development of a phobia. Through this cognitive approach, it’s explained that even the thought of fearful situations initiate the phobia, a symptom Kyle exhibits. Family and social therapy are also important in treatment for phobias. Through this therapy, Kyle can be assisted and relate with those surrounding him going through similar situations. Support can be established and he will be able to realize he is not alone or isolated in this endeavor to combat his
Phobias vary from every person because everyone has a different perspective on an object or situation. However, there are three main types of phobias. These three main types of phobias are agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific (feared) phobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of a situation where there is no escape or assistance is not available. Social phobia is the fear of being judged/scrutinized by people and having to socialize or interact with others. While, specific phobia is a persistent fear marked by an atrocious association to an object or situation.
Hudson, J. L., and R. M. Rapee. "The Origins of Social Phobia." Behavior Modification 24.1
Fears can be formed in absence of prior experiences. These fears may have a biological factor the is explained by the evolutionary theory. This may account for an individual who has had the phobia for as long as they can remember. These internal fears, from an evolutionary perspective, may have formed to protect the individual. Etiologically, development of specific phobias during childhood are proposed to be from learning experiences that are consistent with normal developmental fears. Biological behavioral patterns, that result from persistent fears, turn into a distinguished phobia. These then are often maintained thereafter by cognitive bias
Phobias have been in existence for many years. Phobias date back to the works of Hippocrates, a prehistoric Greek physician (Korgeski, 2009). The works of Hippocrates are still debated today. In The Seventh Book of Epidemics, one of the publications by Hippocrates, he studied an individual and he interpreted a condition that the person portrayed. The results of the observation were that the individual was petrified of the sound of a flute, if he wasn’t intoxicated. He noticed the individual was fine during the day listening to the flute but during the night hours everything was different (Korgeski, 2009). From this observation and the work of Hippocrates helped contribute to the creation of term phobia. The word phobia was formulated from a Greek god. Phobus, the son of Ares, means panic and fear (Atsma, 2000). The term phobia was used to describe psychological problems and it was used discreetly in the 1800s.
... anxiety and it is not a negatively-adapted trait, but rather an instinct that can sometimes seem primitive in such an advanced culture. Reading this article did not provide me with any new approaches to dealing with my anxiety, but the statistic about the disorder’s prevalence on page 56 helped me to feel less alone. Before reading Park’s article, I had never really considered the possibility that anxiety could have positive results or an evolutionary basis intended to improve the chances of survival. For those with anxiety looking for alternative methods of alleviating those feelings or a deeper understanding of the sources of their anxiety, this article may prove a valuable read. People who do not have anxiety themselves could also benefit from reading this article, as it provides an accurate snapshot of the struggles a person suffering from anxiety experiences.
This paper is focused on how fear as a subject is being perceived by many as a dominant and primitive human emotion. An uncontrollable energy that’s exists and created within every individual, which is directed towards an object or a given situation that does not present an actual danger. The individual then analyzes that the fear is contradictory and thus cannot help the reaction. Gradually, the phobia aims to build up and aggravate as the fear of fear response takes hold. Eventually they distinguish their fear responses as negative, and go out of their way to avoid those reactions. ‘Fear is derived as a basic feeling and therefore created by us – it is not something we have, but something we do. The principle of fear is to keep us safe.’
...6. Generalization from the original phobic stimulus to stimuli of a similar nature will occur; 7. Noxious experiences which occur under conditions of excessive confinement are more likely to produce phobic reactions; 8. Neutral stimuli which are associated with a noxious experience, may develop motivating properties. This acquired drive is termed the fear drive; 9. Responses (such as avoidance) which reduce the fear drive are reinforced; 10. Phobic reactions can be acquired vicariously (Rachman 31). These theories are used to identify how people obtain phobias and other situations that may occur with phobias.
We all have our fears, rather it be flying or driving. However, when a phobia is present the individual has extreme irrational fears that interfere with their quality of life. For example a fear of heights may limit an individuals living or employment choices. If this individual is offered the job of a lifetime, however, the office is located on the twentieth floor; they will refuse the job due to the fear of heights.