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List of Phobias: Common Phobias From A to Z

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

phobias essay

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

phobias essay

Types of Phobias

  • List of Phobias

Common vs. Rare Phobias

A phobia is an anxiety disorder involving excessive and persistent fear of a situation or object. Exposure to the source of the fear triggers an immediate anxiety response.

Phobias are one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), approximately 12.5% of adults in the U.S. will deal with a specific phobia in their lifetime.  Women are more likely to experience phobias than men. Typical symptoms of phobias can include nausea, trembling, rapid heartbeat, feelings of unreality, and being preoccupied with the fear object.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identifies three different categories of phobias:

  • Social phobias : Now known as social anxiety disorder, this phobia is marked by a fear of social situations in which a person might be judged or embarrassed.
  • Agoraphobia : This phobia involves an irrational and extreme fear of being in places where escape is difficult. It may involve a fear of crowded places or even of leaving one's home.
  • Specific phobias : When people talk about having a phobia of a specific object such as snakes, spiders, or needles, they are referring to a specific phobia .

While not comprehensive, this list of phobias offers a glimpse of the many phobias that can have a serious impact on a person's life. As you may notice while you browse through this list, most specific phobias fall into one of four major categories:

  • Fears of the natural environment
  • Fears related to animals
  • Fear related to medical treatments or issues
  • Fears related to specific situations

One important thing to remember is that virtually any object can become a fear object. The names of specific phobias are often formed as nonce words, or words coined for a single occasion only.

These names themselves are often formed by taking a Greek prefix that represents the fear object and adding the -phobia suffix. Because of this, any attempt at a completely exhaustive list of phobias would be a futile exercise. Any list of phobias could grow with the addition of newly coined terms for previously unnamed specific phobias.

A–Z List of Some of the More Common Phobias

This article lists more than 100 of the most common phobias . It also covers some of the treatment options that are available.

Click Play to Learn More About Common Phobias

This video has been medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD .

  • Ablutophobia : Fear of bathing
  • Achluophobia : Fear of darkness
  • Acrophobia : Fear of heights
  • Aerophobia : Fear of flying
  • Algophobia : Fear of pain
  • Agoraphobia : Fear of open spaces or crowds
  • Aichmophobia : Fear of needles or pointed objects
  • Amaxophobia : Fear of riding in a car
  • Androphobia : Fear of men
  • Anemophobia : Fear of air
  • Anginophobia : Fear of angina or choking
  • Angrophobia : Fear of anger
  • Anthrophobia : Fear of flowers
  • Anthropophobia : Fear of people or society
  • Aphenphosmphobia : Fear of being touched
  • Arachibutyrophobia : Fear of peanut butter
  • Arachnophobia : Fear of spiders
  • Arithmophobia : Fear of numbers
  • Astraphobia : Fear of thunder and lightning
  • Astrophobia : Fear of outer space
  • Ataxophobia : Fear of disorder or untidiness
  • Atelophobia : Fear of imperfection
  • Atychiphobia : Fear of failure
  • Automatonophobia : Fear of human-like figures
  • Autophobia : Fear of being alone
  • Bacteriophobia : Fear of bacteria
  • Barophobia : Fear of gravity
  • Bathmophobia : Fear of stairs or steep slopes
  • Batrachophobia : Fear of amphibians
  • Belonephobia : Fear of pins and needles
  • Bibliophobia : Fear of books
  • Botanophobia : Fear of plants
  • Cacophobia : Fear of ugliness
  • Catagelophobia : Fear of being ridiculed
  • Catoptrophobia : Fear of mirrors
  • Chionophobia : Fear of snow
  • Chrometophobia : Fear of spending money
  • Chromophobia : Fear of colors
  • Chronomentrophobia : Fear of clocks
  • Chronophobia : Fear of time
  • Cibophobia : Fear of food
  • Claustrophobia : Fear of confined spaces
  • Climacophobia : Fear of climbing
  • Coulrophobia : Fear of clowns
  • Cyberphobia : Fear of computers
  • Cynophobia : Fear of dogs
  • Daemonophobia : Fear of demons
  • Decidophobia : Fear of making decisions
  • Dendrophobia : Fear of trees
  • Dentophobia : Fear of dentists
  • Domatophobia : Fear of houses
  • Dystychiphobia : Fear of accidents
  • Ecophobia : Fear of the home
  • Elurophobia : Fear of cats
  • Emetophobia : Fear of vomiting
  • Entomophobia : Fear of insects
  • Ephebiphobia : Fear of teenagers
  • Erotophobia : Fear of sex
  • Equinophobia : Fear of horses
  • Gamophobia : Fear of marriage
  • Genuphobia : Fear of knees
  • Glossophobia : Fear of speaking in public
  • Gynophobia : Fear of women
  • Haphephobia : Fear of touch
  • Heliophobia : Fear of the sun
  • Hemophobia : Fear of blood
  • Herpetophobia : Fear of reptiles
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia : Fear of long words
  • Hydrophobia : Fear of water
  • Hypochondria : Fear of illness
  • Iatrophobia : Fear of doctors
  • Insectophobia : Fear of insects
  • Koinoniphobia : Fear of rooms
  • Koumpounophobia : Fear of buttons
  • Leukophobia : Fear of the color white
  • Lilapsophobia : Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
  • Lockiophobia : Fear of childbirth
  • Mageirocophobia : Fear of cooking
  • Megalophobia : Fear of large things
  • Melanophobia : Fear of the color black
  • Microphobia : Fear of small things
  • Mysophobia : Fear of dirt and germs
  • Necrophobia : Fear of death or dead things
  • Noctiphobia : Fear of the night
  • Nomophobia : Fear of being without your mobile phone
  • Nosocomephobia : Fear of hospitals
  • Nyctophobia : Fear of the dark
  • Obesophobia : Fear of gaining weight
  • Octophobia : Fear of the figure 8
  • Ombrophobia : Fear of rain
  • Ophidiophobia : Fear of snakes
  • Ornithophobia : Fear of birds
  • Osmophobia : Fear of smells
  • Ostraconophobia : Fear of shellfish
  • Papyrophobia : Fear of paper
  • Pathophobia : Fear of disease
  • Pedophobia : Fear of children
  • Philematophobia : Fear of kissing
  • Philophobia : Fear of love
  • Phobophobia : Fear of phobias
  • Podophobia : Fear of feet
  • Porphyrophobia : Fear of the color purple
  • Pteridophobia : Fear of ferns
  • Pteromerhanophobia : Fear of flying
  • Pyrophobia : Fear of fire
  • Samhainophobia : Fear of Halloween
  • Scolionophobia : Fear of school
  • Scoptophobia : Fear of being stared at
  • Selenophobia : Fear of the moon
  • Sociophobia : Fear of social evaluation
  • Somniphobia : Fear of sleep
  • Tachophobia : Fear of speed
  • Technophobia : Fear of technology
  • Thalassophobia : Fear of the ocean
  • Trichophobia : Fear of hair
  • Tonitrophobia : Fear of thunder
  • Trypanophobia : Fear of needles/injections
  • Trypophobia : Fear of holes
  • Venustraphobia : Fear of beautiful women
  • Verminophobia : Fear of germs
  • Wiccaphobia : Fear of witches and witchcraft
  • Xenophobia : Fear of strangers or foreigners
  • Zoophobia : Fear of animals
  • Zuigerphobia : Fear of vacuum cleaners

While listing all of the phobias that may exist is not possible, it can be helpful to look through a list of some of the more commonly described phobias. As you can see by looking at this list, almost any object or situation can become the source of fear.

Symptoms of Phobias

Phobias lead to physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. Common symptoms include:

  • Chest tightness or pain
  • Chills or hot flashes
  • Choking sensations
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Racing heartbeat
  • Shaking or trembling

In addition to these physical symptoms, people may experience dread, a sense of impending doom, fear of losing control, or even the feeling that death is imminent. To avoid such feelings, people with phobias may avoid any situation where they might potentially encounter the source of their fear.

Causes of Phobias

The exact causes of phobias are not known, but it is likely that a combination of factors plays a part. Some factors that increase the risk of developing a phobia include:

  • Genetics : People with a close family member with a phobia or another anxiety disorder also have a greater risk of a phobia. It is important to note, however, that people who don't have family members with the condition still develop phobias.
  • Traumatic experiences : A difficult, stressful, or traumatic experience can also trigger the onset of a phobia. For example, being bitten by a dog as a child might trigger a fear of dogs in adulthood.

Some phobias are more common, while others are often quite rare. Five of the most common phobias include arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes), glossophobia (the fear of public speaking), acrophobia (the fear of heights), and social phobia (the fear of social interactions).

The fear of public speaking is so common that some researchers have estimated that as much as 77% of people have some level of this fear.

Rare phobias may be novel terms coined to identify a single, unique case or fear that occur quite infrequently. Some different rare specific phobias include spectrophobia (the fear of mirrors), chiclephobia (the fear of chewing gum), and hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia (the fear of long words).

Treatment for Phobias

While phobias can be distressing and create disruptions in your life, they are treatable. Some of the different treatment options include therapy and medication.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure-based treatments are the first-line approach in the treatment of phobias. In this type of treatment, you are gradually and progressively exposed to what you fear. You might start by just thinking about your phobia trigger and then move slowly toward looking at images of the object and finally being near the object in real life.

Types of exposure-based treatments that may be used include:

  • In vivo exposure : This involves being exposed to the source of your fear in real life.
  • Virtual exposure : This involves the use of virtual reality to practice gradual exposure.
  • Systematic desensitization : This involves being gradually exposed until you become desensitized to the source of your fear.

During this process, you'll also practice relaxation techniques to help calm your body when your fear response kicks in.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Often referred to as CBT, cognitive behaviorial therapy involves learning to identify the underlying negative thoughts that contribute to feelings of fear. Once you become better at noticing these thoughts, you can then work on replacing them with more positive, helpful thoughts.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing 

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy utilizes rhythmic eye movements to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences. It is frequently used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , but can also be effective in the treatment of a variety of other mental health conditions including phobias.  

Medications

Medications may be prescribed in some cases to help manage some of the symptoms you might be experiencing as a result of your phobia. Medications your doctor might prescribe include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) , beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety drugs.

A Word From Verywell

Phobias can have a serious impact on well-being, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. Phobias are common and treatable. If you believe that you have the symptoms of some type of phobia, consult a doctor for further evaluation and treatment advice. 

National Institute of Mental Health. Specific phobia .

Regier DA, Kuhl EA, Kupfer DJ. The DSM-5: Classification and criteria changes . World Psychiatry. 2013;12(2):92-8. doi:10.1002/wps.20050

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) . Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Symptoms .

Van houtem CM, Laine ML, Boomsma DI, Ligthart L, Van wijk AJ, De jongh A.  A review and meta-analysis of the heritability of specific phobia subtypes and corresponding fears .  J Anxiety Disord . 2013;27(4):379-88. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.007

Heeren A, Ceschi G, Valentiner DP, Dethier V, Philippot P.  Assessing public speaking fear with the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker scale: confirmatory factor analyses among a French-speaking community sample.   Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat . 2013;9:609-18. doi:10.2147%2FNDT.S43097

Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG. Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: A rapid review .  F1000Res . 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1

Valiente-Gómez A, Moreno-Alcázar A, Treen D, et al. EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review .  Front Psychol . 2017;8:1668. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01668

Spiegel SB. Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: Recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis . Am J Clin Hypn . 2014;56(4):389-404. doi: 10.1080/00029157.2013.801009

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples

🏆 best topics about fear & essay examples, 📌 good fear essay topics, ❓research questions about fear.

If you study psychology, you will probably have to write a fear essay at some point. The emotion is strong and can significantly affect any person, with effects potentially impairing his or her judgment and performance.

It can also result from a variety of sources, such as phobias or trauma, and manifest in many different conditions, taking the person by surprise. As such, it is essential to study the topic of how a person may deal with fear, with the most well-known one being courage.

However, there are many ideas on how the trait can be developed that can be used as fear essay hooks, but not all of them are viable. This article will help you write a powerful essay on the various topics associated with fear.

Fear is an emotion triggered by a perceived threat as a response that prepares the person to address it in an appropriate manner. As such, it is a reaction that helps people cope in the short term, but its effects when the person is constantly in a state of fear can be dangerous.

Examples include physical health deterioration due to the hormone production associated with the reaction and permanent mental health effects, such as PTSD.

As such, people who are affected by chronic fear should try to escape the state to avoid threats to their well-being. The first step towards doing so would be to discover and investigate the causes of the emotion.

Fear triggers in response to danger, whether real or perceived, and the nature of the reaction can provide you with ideas for fear essay titles. While it may be challenging to alleviate real conditions of real danger, not many people have to live in such situations.

Most chronic fear comes from various phobias, or persistent fear reactions to situations that may not warrant such a response. There are numerous variations, such as acrophobia, the fear of heights, and they are interesting topics for an investigation.

Between the many tall buildings designed by people and travel methods such as airplanes, a person with the condition may find it challenging to avoid stressful situations. However, they can generally avoid worrisome conditions with careful planning and the help of others.

Courage is a well-known quality that helps people overcome their fear, one that is described in many stories and images. However, it should be noted that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather a willingness to acknowledge it and confront the source.

The act involves a conscious effort of the will, and many people believe they do not have the capacity to do so. You should discuss the ways in which people can learn to be courageous and the methods that can be used to inspire them to try.

Here are some additional tips for enhancing your essay:

  • Focus on the positive implications of fear and courage, as they are responsible for many of humanity’s great successes, and provide fear essay examples. Our society is safe from many different dangers because people were afraid of them.
  • Make sure to cite scholarly sources wherever appropriate instead of trying to rely on common knowledge. Psychology is a science that has developed considerably since its inception and can offer a wealth of knowledge.
  • Follow standard essay formatting guidelines, such as the use of academic language, the separation of different essay parts with appropriate titles, and the use of an introduction and conclusion.

Get more fear essay theses and other useful paper samples at IvyPanda!

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  • Researching of Why Human Beings Fear Death From the religious perspective, some people know about their sins committed on earth in their life and are afraid of the punishment for those sins as opposed to people who believe in God and His […]
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  • Fear and Environmental Change in Philadelphia The coincidence of the keywords of both articles is the evident proof of the similarity of the issues analyzed with the only difference concerning the territorial location of the problem.
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  • Machiavelli’s Claim to Be Either Feared or Loved In describing a leader’s demonstration of his personal skills and knowledge for the attainment of the state’s good, Machiavelli focuses the importance of statesmanship.
  • Aerophobia or Fear of Flying The main aim of the careful explanation of the positive reasons of recovering from the condition is to enable the victim to have a feeling of absolute calmness as the session winds up and to […]
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  • The Movie Tarnished as a Threat: Did They Fear Egoism, Altruism or What Hid in Between? Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that the movie gives a good example of what such people’s traits as egoism and altruism can lead to, once they have been too exaggerated.
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  • Fear associated with sexuality issues in society This essay has shown how sexuality particularly in Africa is an issue that has for a long time served to propagate the fear of different people.
  • Fear’s Psychological Aspects The controls and the fearful research participants were quicker in finding a target that was fear relevant, which the research group did not fear.
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  • How Far Did the CCP Control China Through Fear?
  • Does Fear Make Our Lives Decisions for Us?
  • How Does Iago Inspire Fear and a Looming Sense of Tragedy Through His Soliloquies?
  • Can Fear Beat Hope?
  • How Does the Reporting of Criminal Offenses Create Fear?
  • Does Global Fear Predict Fear in BRICS Stock Markets?
  • How Far Was Fear of Communism the Main Reason for the Rise to Power of the Nazi Party?
  • Did Hitler Use Fear to Control?
  • How Does Spielberg Create Fear and Humour Within Jaws?
  • Does Imagination Overcome Fear in the Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe?
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Home Essay Examples Psychology Phobias

Fears: How Phobias Affect People

  • Category Psychology
  • Topic Phobias

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How Phobias Affect People

Fear is an emotion that everyone deals with and in different ways. Fear is when you are scared of something or someone that is dangerous or threatening. Fear can also be caused by thoughts that you have. One thing that might cause you to fear, might not cause someone the same amount of fear or fear at all. That is where people’s phobias come in. Phobia is a different type of fear. It is a deeper fear. “The term ‘phobia’ derives from the Greek word phobos meaning flight, panic-fear, and terror.”(Marks, 1969) The focus of this paper is to see how phobias affect people’s brains, life, and how phobias affect specific people’s lives.

Phobias are not all caused by the same thing for each person. Phobias can be caused by something traumatic that happened with the said phobia. It can also be caused by just not liking how it looks for feels. It can be caused by something so little or something so big. You would think that having a phobia could not be detected in your brain, but it can. Phobias actually do major alterations to your brain and its activity. “Individuals who suffer from phobias have been shown to display increased activity of the amygdala, emotional reaction, when exposed to phobia-inducing stimuli, noted on functional MRI.”(Moawad, 2016) The responses lined up with more negative emotions and distress. Phobias have a great effect on people and they really do affect the brain more than we realize.

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Phobias affect people’s everyday life and not always in a positive way. People with phobias can control their lives. “Approximately 10% of people in the U.S. have specific phobias, 7.1% experience social phobias (fear of social situations), and 0.9% have agoraphobia (fear of open space).” (Fritscher, 2020) Social phobias and specific phobias cause stress and anxiety and because of that everyday life becomes more difficult. People with social phobias have anxiety in social settings which makes it difficult for said person to go out. People with the fear of heights, flying, insects, animals, and storms all get anxiety from those things. Things that you see every day, experience any day, or do every day cause other people stress. Things that you may think nothing about cause some others terror. People without certain phobias find petting a dog or getting through a storm super easy, but a person with Cynophobia or Astraphobia would not. They would not even be able to do it. Something so simple would cause someone with these phobias so much fear to a point of a breakdown or even worse, a panic attack. Having a phobia makes it more difficult to live a “normal” everyday life, especially if what you fear can be found all around you.

My phobia started when I was six years old. We had dress-up clothes and in the dress-up clothes, we had a clown wig. I asked my mother to dress me up like a clown, so she did. She did my makeup and put the wig on me. When I turned and look in the mirror, I started to cry. I was terrified of what a saw, which was a clown. That’s when my coulrophobia started. Having a phobia of clowns is not really that bad when you think about it. Not every day do you see clowns. Halloween and fairs sometimes are bad because there are people dressed as clowns but other than that you don’t see clowns. I always felt so silly having a phobia of clowns. It’s just such a weird phobia to have. In 2017, people started to dress up as clowns and walk around the streets to scare people. During this time, my anxiety was super high. I was so scared that a clown was going to pop out of nowhere when I was leaving work or coming home after a game. I was always looking over my shoulder scared.

Another example of how phobias can have an effect on people’s lives is my mom, Angie. Ever since she was young, my mom has been scared of spiders. She can not stand to be around any type or size of the spider. It could be the smallest spider in the word by my mom who will still stand on something and yell for someone else to come kill the spider. When we do kill the spider, it can not be with her shoe. It has to be one of our shoes or something else that does not belong to her. Spiders have always been something she has been afraid of and the look of terror on her face will just show you how scared she is.

In conclusion, phobias have a big impact on people’s lives. Phobias have a big effect on people. Phobias affect people’s brains and can be detected in a scan of the brain. Phobias also affect people’s everyday lives with stress and anxiety, making life more difficult for those with phobias. Phobias have a big impact on people physically, emotionally, and mentally. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Psychology — Phobias — A Report On Phobia Disorders, Its Types, Symptoms, And Treatments

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A Report on Phobia Disorders, Its Types, Symptoms, and Treatments

  • Categories: Fear Phobias

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Words: 3466 |

18 min read

Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 3466 | Pages: 8 | 18 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, types of phobias, causes of phobia.

  • Rapid heartbeats (tachycardia)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Rapid speech or inability to speak
  • Troubled stomach
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Choking sensation
  • Dizziness or light-headedness
  • Profuse sweating
  • Asense of impending doom
  • Hot flushes or chills
  • Feeling faint
  • Numbness or pins and needles
  • Ringing in your ears
  • A need to go to the toilet
  • Confusion or disorientation.
  • self-help methods
  • talking medications
  • medication.

Talking Medications

  • antidepressants
  • tranquillisers
  • beta-blockers.
  • escitalopram (Cipralex)
  • sertraline (Lustral)
  • paroxetine (Seroxat)
  • sleep issues
  • upset stomach.
  • blurred vision
  • tremors (shaking(
  • palpitations (unpredictable heartbeat(
  • constipation
  • difficulty peeing.
  • stomach issues
  • restlessness
  • cold fingers
  • sleep issues.
  • Mindfulness techniques might be useful in figuring out how to endure nervousness and lessen evasion practices.
  • Relaxation methods, for example, profound breathing, dynamic muscle unwinding or yoga, may help adapt to nervousness and stress.
  • Physical action and exercise might be useful in overseeing tension related with explicit fears.
  • Try not to maintain a strategic distance from dreaded circumstances. Work on remaining close dreaded circumstances as much of the time as you can instead of keeping away from them totally. Family, companions and your advisor can enable you to chip away at this. Practice the strategies you learn in treatment and work with your specialist to build up an arrangement if side effects deteriorate.
  • Reach out. Consider joining a self improvement or care group where you can associate with other people who comprehend what you're experiencing.
  • Take care of yourself. Get enough rest, eat well and attempt to be physically dynamic consistently. Maintain a strategic distance from caffeine, as it can aggravate nervousness. What's more, remember to commend victories as things show signs of improvement.
  • Talk straightforwardly about feelings of dread. Tell your tyke that everybody has terrifying considerations and sentiments now and again, however some accomplish more than others. Try not to trivialize the issue or put down your youngster for being apprehensive. Rather, converse with your youngster about his or her musings and sentiments and let your tyke realize that you're there to tune in and to help.
  • Don't fortify explicit fears. Exploit chances to enable kids to conquer their feelings of dread. On the off chance that your youngster fears the neighbor's benevolent canine, for instance, don't make a special effort to keep away from the creature. Rather, help your tyke adapt when gone up against to the canine and show approaches to be fearless. For instance, you may offer to be your tyke's command post, pausing and offering support while your kid stages somewhat nearer to the canine and after that profits to you for security. After some time, urge your kid to continue shutting the separation.
  • Model positive conduct. Since kids learn by watching, you can exhibit how to react when gone up against by something your youngster fears or that you dread. You can first exhibit dread and after that tell the best way to work through the dread.
  • Amies, P. L., Gelder, M. G., & Shaw, P. M. (1983). Social phobia: A comparative clinical study.British Journal of Psychiatry, 142 174–179. https://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/1999/08000/Treatment_of_Social_Phobia_With_Gabapentin__A.10.aspx
  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC.
  • Beidel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Morris, T. L. (2000). Behavioral treatment of childhood social phobia. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(6), 1072-1080 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.68.6.1072
  • Burstein, M., Ameli-Grillon, L., & Merikangas, K. R, (2011, October). Shyness versus social phobia in U.S. youth [Abstract]. Paediatrics. Retrieved June12,2019 from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/14/peds.2011-1434
  • Liebowitz, M. R. (1987). Social phobia. Modern Problems of Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141-173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000414022
  • 'Everything you need to know about phobias.' Medical News Today. Retrieved June12,2019 from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347.php
  • Specific phobic disorders. Merck Manual Professional Version. Retrieved June10, 2019 http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/anxiety-and-stressor-related-disorders/specific-phobic-disorders
  • Stanley .J, 2015, Phobia Causes, Signs and Symptoms of Phobia, Phobias - HealthCommunities.com. Retrieved June10, 2019 http://www.healthcommunities.com/phobias/causes.shtml
  • Wodele.A and Solan.M, 2017, Phobias: Causes, Types, Treatment, Symptoms & More, Health line. Retrieved June10, 2019 https://www.healthline.com/health/phobia-simple-specific

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Review the different hypnotherapy techniques for phobias .

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Fears and Phobias

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The roller coaster hesitates for a split second at the peak of its steep track after a long, slow climb. You know what's about to happen — and there's no way to avoid it now. It's time to hang onto the handrail, palms sweating, heart racing, and brace yourself for the wild ride down.

What Is Fear?

Fear is one of the most basic human emotions. It is programmed into the nervous system and works like an instinct. From the time we're infants, we are equipped with the survival instincts necessary to respond with fear when we sense danger or feel unsafe.

Fear helps protect us. It makes us alert to danger and prepares us to deal with it. Feeling afraid is very natural — and helpful — in some situations. Fear can be like a warning, a signal that cautions us to be careful.

Like all emotions, fear can be mild, medium, or intense, depending on the situation and the person. A feeling of fear can be brief or it can last longer.

How Fear Works

When we sense danger, the brain reacts instantly, sending signals that activate the nervous system. This causes physical responses, such as a faster heartbeat, rapid breathing, and an increase in blood pressure. Blood pumps to muscle groups to prepare the body for physical action (such as running or fighting). Skin sweats to keep the body cool. Some people might notice sensations in the stomach, head, chest, legs, or hands. These physical sensations of fear can be mild or strong.

This response is known as "fight or flight" because that is exactly what the body is preparing itself to do: fight off the danger or run fast to get away. The body stays in this state of fight–flight until the brain receives an "all clear" message and turns off the response.

Sometimes fear is triggered by something that is startling or unexpected (like a loud noise), even if it's not actually dangerous. That's because the fear reaction is activated instantly — a few seconds faster than the thinking part of the brain can process or evaluate what's happening. As soon as the brain gets enough information to realize there's no danger ("Oh, it's just a balloon bursting — whew!"), it turns off the fear reaction. All this can happen in seconds.

Fears People Have

Fear is the word we use to describe our emotional reaction to something that seems dangerous. But the word "fear" is used in another way, too: to name something a person often feels afraid of.

People fear things or situations that make them feel unsafe or unsure. For instance, someone who isn't a strong swimmer might have a fear of deep water. In this case, the fear is helpful because it cautions the person to stay safe. Someone could overcome this fear by learning how to swim safely.

A fear can be healthy if it cautions a person to stay safe around something that could be dangerous. But sometimes a fear is unnecessary and causes more caution than the situation calls for.

Many people have a fear of public speaking . Whether it's giving a report in class, speaking at an assembly, or reciting lines in the school play, speaking in front of others is one of the most common fears people have.

People tend to avoid the situations or things they fear. But this doesn't help them overcome fear — in fact, it can be the reverse. Avoiding something scary reinforces a fear and keeps it strong.

People can overcome unnecessary fears by giving themselves the chance to learn about and gradually get used to the thing or situation they're afraid of. For example, people who fly despite a fear of flying can become used to unfamiliar sensations like takeoff or turbulence. They learn what to expect and have a chance to watch what others do to relax and enjoy the flight. Gradually (and safely) facing fear helps someone overcome it.

Fears During Childhood

Certain fears are normal during childhood. That's because fear can be a natural reaction to feeling unsure and vulnerable — and much of what children experience is new and unfamiliar.

Young kids often have fears of the dark, being alone, strangers, and monsters or other scary imaginary creatures. School-aged kids might be afraid when it's stormy or at a first sleepover. As they grow and learn, with the support of adults, most kids are able to slowly conquer these fears and outgrow them.

Some kids are more sensitive to fears and may have a tough time overcoming them. When fears last beyond the expected age, it might be a sign that someone is overly fearful, worried, or anxious. People whose fears are too intense or last too long might need help and support to overcome them.

A phobia is an intense fear reaction to a particular thing or a situation. With a phobia, the fear is out of proportion to the potential danger. But to the person with the phobia, the danger feels real because the fear is so very strong.

Phobias cause people to worry about, dread, feel upset by, and avoid the things or situations they fear because the physical sensations of fear can be so intense. So having a phobia can interfere with normal activities. A person with a phobia of dogs might feel afraid to walk to school in case he or she sees a dog on the way. Someone with an elevator phobia might avoid a field trip if it involves going on an elevator.

A girl with a phobia of thunderstorms might be afraid to go to school if the weather forecast predicts a storm. She might feel terrible distress and fear when the sky turns cloudy. A guy with social phobia experiences intense fear of public speaking or interacting, and may be afraid to answer questions in class, give a report, or speak to classmates in the lunchroom.

It can be exhausting and upsetting to feel the intense fear that goes with having a phobia. It can be disappointing to miss out on opportunities because fear is holding you back. And it can be confusing and embarrassing to feel afraid of things that others seem to have no problem with.

Sometimes, people get teased about their fears. Even if the person doing the teasing doesn't mean to be unkind and unfair, teasing only makes the situation worse.

What Causes Phobias?

Some phobias develop when someone has a scary experience with a particular thing or situation. A tiny brain structure called the amygdala (pronounced: uh-MIG-duh-luh) keeps track of experiences that trigger strong emotions. Once a certain thing or situation triggers a strong fear reaction, the amygdala warns the person by triggering a fear reaction every time he or she encounters (or even thinks about) that thing or situation.

Someone might develop a bee phobia after being stung during a particularly scary situation. For that person, looking at a photograph of a bee, seeing a bee from a distance, or even walking near flowers where there could be a bee can all trigger the phobia.

Sometimes, though, there may be no single event that causes a particular phobia. Some people may be more sensitive to fears because of personality traits they are born with, certain genes they've inherited, or situations they've experienced. People who have had strong childhood fears or anxiety may be more likely to have one or more phobias.

Having a phobia isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity. It's a response the brain has learned in an attempt to protect the person. It's as if the brain's alert system triggers a false alarm, generating intense fear that is out of proportion to the situation. Because the fear signal is so intense, the person is convinced the danger is greater than it actually is.

Overcoming Phobias

People can learn to overcome phobias by gradually facing their fears. This is not easy at first. It takes willingness and bravery. Sometimes people need the help of a therapist to guide them through the process.

Overcoming a phobia usually starts with making a long list of the person's fears in least-to-worst order. For example, with a dog phobia, the list might start with the things the person is least afraid of, such as looking at a photo of a dog. It will then work all the way up to worst fears, such as standing next to someone who's petting a dog, petting a dog on a leash, and walking a dog.

Gradually, and with support, the person tries each fear situation on the list — one at a time, starting with the least fear. The person isn't forced to do anything and works on each fear until he or she feels comfortable, taking as long as needed.

A therapist could also show someone with a dog phobia how to approach, pet, and walk a dog, and help the person to try it, too. The person may expect terrible things to happen when near a dog. Talking about this can help, too. When people find that what they fear doesn't actually turn out to be true, it can be a great relief.

A therapist might also teach relaxation practices such as specific ways of breathing, muscle relaxation training, or soothing self-talk. These can help people feel comfortable and bold enough to face the fears on their list.

As somebody gets used to a feared object or situation, the brain adjusts how it responds and the phobia is overcome.

Often, the hardest part of overcoming a phobia is getting started. Once a person decides to go for it — and gets the right coaching and support — it can be surprising how quickly fear can melt away.

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Essay on Fear

Students are often asked to write an essay on Fear in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Fear

Understanding fear.

Fear is a basic human emotion that alerts us to the presence of danger. It is fundamental to our survival, making us respond quickly when we sense a threat.

Fear’s Role

Fear helps us make decisions that protect us from harm. It triggers our ‘fight or flight’ response, preparing our bodies to either confront or escape danger.

Overcoming Fear

Fear can be overcome by understanding and facing it. When we challenge our fears, we learn to control them, reducing their impact on our lives.

The Positive Side of Fear

Fear can also be positive, motivating us to push beyond our comfort zones, leading to personal growth and achievement.

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250 Words Essay on Fear

Fear is an innate emotional response to perceived threats. It is evolutionarily wired into our brains, acting as a survival mechanism that alerts us to danger and prepares our bodies to react. While fear can be a beneficial response, it can also be debilitating when it becomes chronic or irrational.

The Physiology of Fear

Fear triggers a cascade of physiological responses, including the release of adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for the ‘fight or flight’ response by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. This process, while crucial for survival in threatening situations, can lead to health problems if sustained over a long period.

Fear and the Mind

Psychologically, fear can be both a conscious and subconscious experience. It can be based on real threats or imagined ones, leading to anxiety disorders and phobias. Fear can also influence decision-making, often leading to risk-averse behavior. Understanding the psychological aspects of fear is essential for effective mental health treatment.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and confronting it. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction can be effective. These strategies aim to change the thought patterns that lead to fear and teach coping mechanisms to manage fear responses.

Fear in Society

Fear also plays a significant role in society, influencing politics, economics, and social interactions. It can be used as a tool of manipulation, or it can drive societal change. Recognizing the societal implications of fear is crucial for fostering a more understanding and empathetic society.

In conclusion, fear is a complex emotion with profound impacts on individuals and society. Understanding its mechanisms and implications can help us navigate our fears and use them as catalysts for growth.

500 Words Essay on Fear

Introduction.

Fear is a universal human experience, an essential part of our biological makeup that has evolved over millions of years. It is a complex emotion that can be both protective and paralyzing, serving as a warning signal for danger while also potentially hindering personal growth and exploration. This essay explores the multifaceted nature of fear, its psychological implications, and its role in shaping human behavior and society.

The Biological Basis of Fear

Fear is fundamentally rooted in our biology. It is a response triggered by the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped structure in the brain that processes emotional stimuli. When we perceive a threat, the amygdala activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to physiological changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened alertness. This response is adaptive and has been crucial for human survival, allowing us to react quickly to potential threats.

The Psychological Aspect of Fear

Psychologically, fear is a multifaceted emotion with wide-ranging implications. It can be both acute, as in the immediate response to a threat, and chronic, as in the long-term fear associated with anxiety disorders. Fear can also be learned through conditioning or observation, which explains why different individuals may have different fear responses to the same stimulus.

Fear can lead to avoidance behavior, where individuals steer clear of situations that they perceive as threatening. While this can be protective, it can also be limiting, preventing individuals from pursuing opportunities and experiences that could lead to personal growth.

Fear and Society

On a societal level, fear can be both a unifying and a divisive force. It can bring people together in the face of a common threat, but it can also be exploited to manipulate public opinion and justify oppressive policies. Fear can lead to stereotyping and discrimination, as individuals or groups are scapegoated as threats to societal safety and order.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and understanding it. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one effective method, as it helps individuals reframe their fearful thoughts and gradually expose themselves to feared situations. Mindfulness and meditation can also be beneficial, allowing individuals to stay present and focused rather than getting caught up in fearful thoughts.

In conclusion, fear is an integral part of the human experience, with deep biological roots and far-reaching psychological and societal implications. While it can be protective, it can also be limiting and divisive. Understanding and managing fear is therefore crucial, not just for individual well-being, but also for societal harmony and progress. As we navigate through an increasingly complex and uncertain world, the ability to confront and overcome our fears will be more important than ever.

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Essays on Phobias

Phobias are perceptions of either particular objects or circumstances in other cases. There is little distinction between fear and phobias that are somewhat similar, but vary greatly from each other. In particular, as opposed to phobias that cause serious problems, the fears lack the element of causing or presenting major...

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Phobias Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Sociology , Phobia , Schizophrenia , Disorders , Social Phobia , Fear , Anxiety , Psychology

Published: 03/08/2023

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A phobia is a very common condition that not always needs any treatment, but when it interferes with normal daily functioning of a person, it needs to be addressed by a professional, and in this case a person should seek appropriate treatment. A phobia is a fear or anxiety that has great strength, but does not have substantial reasons behind it, as the feared object or situations does not really pose great threat to a person experiencing such fear or anxiety (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Although sometimes a phobia is perceived as simply as strong fear, it is, in fact, a much more “intense physical and psychological reaction” that causes one to feel panic or dread and to avoid the feared situation or object at all costs, even if such behavior disrupts normal living; such reactions are very often uncontrollable and make a person feel powerless (Mayo Clinic, 2014). One of the most common phobias is social phobia also known as social anxiety disorder, which, according to National Institute of Mental Health, is accompanied with “a strong fear of being judged by others and of being embarrassed” (“Social Phobia,” 2013). A person with social phobia fears that he or she will be judged and rejected or embarrassed, especially if he or she shows symptoms of fear, and any social situation causes it, which makes the person avoid it; such fear needs to last for about 6 months and inflict on the person “significant distress” to be considered a social phobia, and the absence of drug effects and other significantly expressed anxiety disorders must be proved (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 203). Being very commonplace, this phobia is often misunderstood, and people, who experience it, are being judged as weird and psychopathic, which only further aggravates the condition of those experiencing it. I have encountered social phobia with strong panic attacks at least once in my life, when one of my close friends suffered from this disorder. Needless to say that this condition s reduced my friend’s desire to go out and meet people to a minimal level, although he seemed very social before the age of 17. However, since the onset of the disorder, it has become very hard to persuade him even to go to a park or a mall, since he avoided social interactions as much as possible, although he acted absolutely normal in private setting. One of the many effects this phobia had on his life was his increasing loneliness and depression, as well as his leaving work in the office because of the inability to tolerate the presence of other people for fear of their judgement and rejection. These symptoms coincide with the first seven criteria listed in DSM-V, and when he sought professional treatment after 2 years of experiencing social phobia, the last three criteria were also satisfied for him to be diagnosed with the disorder and receive adequate treatment. The one most personally relevant experience, however, happened when I and my friend were at a party, and he suddenly started having a panic attacked, with his heartbeat becoming incredibly fast, his breathing very disrupted, him abnormally sweating and being unable to control his reactions. He repeatedly told that he needed to leave the party immediately. An hour later he explained that he felt very inadequate surrounded by people and that he feared any negative, harsh or cruel reaction from them because he felt that he was socially weird, uninteresting and inadequate. These fears stemmed from his childhood memories of being bullied and rejected by local children when he moved to a new neighborhood with his parents. Although I explained to him that he was just as normal and just as strange as everyone else, and that other guests of the party actually never paid any special attention to his behavior, these words could not relieve his pain. Luckily, cognitive-behavioral therapy helped him live through his memories again, accept that it was only his past experience that did not define him, and he has successfully recovered 2 years after the therapy combined with anxiety-relieving medication.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Mayo Clinic. (2014, February 8). Phobias. Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phobias/basics/definition/CON-20023478?p=1 Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder): Always Embarrassed. (2013). Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-phobia-social-anxiety-disorder-always-embarrassed/index.shtml

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Guest Essay

Is This the End of Academic Freedom?

phobias essay

By Paula Chakravartty and Vasuki Nesiah

Dr. Chakravartty is a professor of media, communication and culture at New York University, where Dr. Nesiah is a professor of practice in human rights and international law.

​At New York University, the spring semester began with a poetry reading. Students and faculty gathered in the atrium of Bobst Library. At that time, about 26,000 Palestinians had already been killed in Israel’s horrific war on Gaza; the reading was a collective act of bearing witness.

The last poem read aloud was titled “If I Must Die.” It was written, hauntingly, by a Palestinian poet and academic named Refaat Alareer who was killed weeks earlier by an Israeli airstrike. The poem ends: “If I must die, let it bring hope — let it be a tale.”

Soon after those lines were recited, the university administration shut the reading down . Afterward, we learned that students and faculty members were called into disciplinary meetings for participating in this apparently “disruptive” act; written warnings were issued.

We have both taught at N.Y.U. for over a decade and believe we are in a moment of unparalleled repression. Over the past six months, since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, we have seen the university administration fail to adequately protect dissent on campus, actively squelching it instead. We believe what we are witnessing in response to student, staff and faculty opposition to the war violates the very foundations of academic freedom.

While N.Y.U. says that it remains committed to free expression on campus and that its rules about and approach to protest activity haven’t changed, students and faculty members in solidarity with the Palestinian people have found the campus environment alarmingly constrained.

About a week after Hamas’s attacks in October, the Grand Staircase in the Kimmel student center, a storied site of student protests , closed indefinitely; it has yet to reopen fully. A graduate student employee was reprimanded for putting up fliers in support of Palestinians on the student’s office door and ultimately took them down; that person is not the only N.Y.U. student to face some form of disciplinary consequence for pro-Palestinian speech or action. A resolution calling for the university to reaffirm protection of pro-Palestinian speech and civic activity on campus, passed by the elected Student Government Assembly in December, has apparently been stuck in a procedural black hole since.

The New York Police Department has become a pervasive presence on campus, with over 6,000 hours of officer presence added after the war broke out. Hundreds of faculty members have signed onto an open letter condemning the university’s “culture of fear about campus speech and activism.”

Such draconian interventions are direct threats to academic freedom.

At universities across the country, any criticism of Israel’s policies, expressions of solidarity with Palestinians, organized calls for a cease-fire or even pedagogy on the recent history of the land have all emerged as perilous speech. In a letter to university presidents in November, the A.C.L.U. expressed concern about “impermissible chilling of free speech and association on campus” in relation to pro-Palestinian student groups and views; since then, the atmosphere at colleges has become downright McCarthyite .

The donors, trustees, administrators and third parties who oppose pro-Palestinian speech seem to equate any criticism of the State of Israel — an occupying power under international law and one accused of committing war crimes — with antisemitism. To them, the norms of free speech are inherently problematic, and a broad definition of antisemitism is a tool for censorship . Outside funding has poured into horrifying doxxing and harassment campaigns. Pro-Israel surveillance groups like Canary Mission and CAMERA relentlessly target individuals and groups deemed antisemitic or critical of Israel. Ominous threats follow faculty and students for just expressing their opinions or living out their values.

To be clear, we abhor all expressions of antisemitism and wholeheartedly reject any role for antisemitism on our campuses. Equally, we believe that conflating criticism of Israel or Zionism with antisemitism is dangerous. Equating the criticism of any nation with inherent racism endangers basic democratic freedoms on and off campus. As the A.C.L.U. wrote in its November statement, a university “cannot fulfill its mission as a forum for vigorous debate” if it polices the views of faculty members and students, however much any of us may disagree with them or find them offensive.

In a wave of crackdowns on pro-Palestinian speech nationwide, students have had scholarships revoked, job offers pulled and student groups suspended. At Columbia, protesters have reported being sprayed by what they said was skunk, a chemical weapon used by the Israeli military; at Northwestern, two Black students faced criminal charges , later dropped, for publishing a pro-Palestinian newspaper parody; at Cornell, students were arrested during a peaceful protest . In a shocking episode of violence last fall, three Palestinian students , two of them wearing kaffiyehs, were shot while walking near the University of Vermont.

Many more cases of student repression on campuses are unfolding.

Academic freedom, as defined by the American Association of University Professors in the mid-20th century , provides protection for the pursuit of knowledge by faculty members, whose job is to educate, learn and research both inside and outside the academy. Not only does this resonate with the Constitution’s free speech protections ; international human rights law also affirms the centrality of academic freedom to the right to education and the institutional autonomy of educational institutions.

Across the United States, attacks on free speech are on the rise . In recent years, right-wing groups opposed to the teaching of critical race theory have tried to undermine these principles through measures including restrictions on the discussion of history and structural racism in curriculums, heightened scrutiny of lectures and courses that are seen to promote dissent and disciplinary procedures against academics who work on these topics.

What people may not realize is that speech critical of Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies has long been censored, posing persistent challenges to those of us who uphold academic freedom. Well before Oct. 7, speech and action at N.Y.U. in support of Palestinians faced intense and undue scrutiny.

Our students are heeding Refaat Alareer’s call to bear witness. They are speaking out — writing statements, organizing protests and responding to a plausible threat of genocide with idealism and conviction. As faculty members, we believe that college should be a time when students are encouraged to ask big questions about justice and the future of humanity and to pursue answers however disquieting to the powerful.

Universities must be places where students have access to specialized knowledge that shapes contemporary debates, where faculty members are encouraged to be public intellectuals, even when, or perhaps especially when, they are expressing dissenting opinions speaking truth to power. Classrooms must allow for contextual learning, where rapidly mutating current events are put into a longer historical timeline.

This is a high-stakes moment. A century ago, attacks on open discussion of European antisemitism, the criminalization of dissent and the denial of Jewish histories of oppression and dispossession helped create the conditions for the Holocaust. One crucial “never again” lesson from that period is that the thought police can be dangerous. They can render vulnerable communities targets of oppression. They can convince the world that some lives are not as valuable as others, justifying mass slaughter.

It is no wonder that students across the country are protesting an unpopular and brutal war that, besides Israel, only the United States is capable of stopping. It is extraordinary that the very institutions that ought to safeguard their exercise of free speech are instead escalating surveillance and policing, working on ever more restrictive student conduct rules and essentially risking the death of academic freedom.

From the Vietnam War to apartheid South Africa, universities have been important places for open discussion and disagreement about government policies, the historical record, structural racism and settler colonialism. They have also long served as sites of protest. If the university cannot serve as an arena for such freedoms, the possibilities of democratic life inside and outside the university gates are not only impoverished but under threat of extinction.

Paula Chakravartty is a professor of media, communication and culture at New York University, where Vasuki Nesiah is a professor of practice in human rights and international law. Both are members of the executive committee of the N.Y.U. chapter of the American Association of University Professors and members of N.Y.U.’s Faculty for Justice in Palestine.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

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    The impact of fears and phobias on mental health and well-being can be profound, leading to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Individuals with phobias may experience a range of physical symptoms, including rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea. These symptoms can be debilitating, interfering with daily ...

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    A person with a phobia will experience the following symptoms. They are common across the majority of phobias: a sensation of uncontrollable anxiety when exposed to the source of fear. a feeling ...

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    A phobia is a phenomenon where an organism has a distinct fear of a particular event or object. Phobias can not only be a biological instinct but rather a conditioned emotional response as well. Though, there has been some argument on what causes phobia it is generally accepted that phobias both stem from biological input and environmental ...

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    A phobia can be defined as an abnormal, intense, and irrational fear. This fear can be of a given situation, organism, or object. Dictionary website (2010) states that the word phobia comes from the Greek word that means fear. For every letter in the alphabet, there are phobias that start with the letters A to Z.

  5. List of Phobias: Common Phobias From A to Z

    Social phobias: Now known as social anxiety disorder, this phobia is marked by a fear of social situations in which a person might be judged or embarrassed.; Agoraphobia: This phobia involves an irrational and extreme fear of being in places where escape is difficult.It may involve a fear of crowded places or even of leaving one's home. Specific phobias: When people talk about having a phobia ...

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    Consequently, this essay evaluates the roles of research practitioners on how fear of failure generates and the significance of their research in the websites. Fear in Behaviorist and Cognitive Perspectives. Therefore, my fear is a result of the retrieval of what happened to me on the day I found that snake in my room.

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    Essay on Phobias. Better Essays. 1925 Words; 8 Pages; Open Document. Phobias Fear is a normal and an important human reaction to something dangerous, it keeps one out of danger, because fear is disliked and one tries ones best to avoid the object or situation of fear. It causes physical changes known as fight-or-flight reaction, which causes ...

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  11. Types of Phobias

    Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report: APA. Mandal, Ananya. (2023, February 17). Types of Phobias.

  12. A Report on Phobia Disorders, Its Types, Symptoms, and Treatments

    An Analysis of the Origin of Phobias Essay. People tend to have phobias as they stem from bad experiences in their lives. One bad encounter might leave people scarred for life. Phobias are an intense feeling of dread that are physiological feelings that many hold.

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    This essay will look at what stress and anxiety are and how that can challenge diagnosis and impact treatment. before going on to other limitations of treatment. I will address phobias; the difference between fears and phobia and how that impacts on choices of treatment...

  14. Understanding The Causes Of Phobias Psychology Essay

    As we know Phobia is extreme anxiety (fear) to a certain objects, conditions or people. Medical phobia is known to be fear of health related objects and conditions (e.g. blood, death, diseases, cancer, infections, injections, and bacteria). From a survey done by our group members the statistics show that 26% of males suffer from medical phobia ...

  15. Fear And Phobias Essay

    Fear And Phobias Essay. Fears are irrational, yet every human being has them. Fears are adaptive human responses, but when left untreated; those minor fears can turn into something unimaginable. These fears transform into exaggerated irrational fears which are known to be called phobias. There are now 600 recognized phobias by the medical ...

  16. Understanding Phobias: Simple to Social and Agoraphobia Free Essay Example

    A phobia is an excessive or unreasonable fear of an object, place or situation. Simple phobias are fears of specific things such as insects, infections, flying. Agoraphobia is a fear of being in places where one feels "trapped" or unable to get help, such as in crowds, on a bus, or standing in a queue. A social phobia is a marked fear of social ...

  17. Fears and Phobias (for Teens)

    Fear helps protect us. It makes us alert to danger and prepares us to deal with it. Feeling afraid is very natural — and helpful — in some situations. Fear can be like a warning, a signal that cautions us to be careful. Like all emotions, fear can be mild, medium, or intense, depending on the situation and the person.

  18. Essay on Fear

    500 Words Essay on Fear Introduction. Fear is a universal human experience, an essential part of our biological makeup that has evolved over millions of years. It is a complex emotion that can be both protective and paralyzing, serving as a warning signal for danger while also potentially hindering personal growth and exploration. This essay ...

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    The break down by gender was: The top 5 phobias found for this age group where 1)fear of clowns 2) fear of the dentist-dentophobia 3)fear of the dark-achluophobia 4)fear of heights-hypsiphobia 5)fear of spiders-arachnophobia. Frequencies. Phobia (s) Gender. Discussion. As expected, x percent of youths of both genders….

  20. Phobias

    A phobia is defined in the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Ed., 2013) as a type of anxiety disorder. When defining phobias, consideration must be taken to analyse the nature of anxiety, and how the intensity of the anxiety experienced by the individual surrounding the stimulus depends on the categorisation of the phobia.

  21. Free Essays on Phobias, Examples, Topics, Outlines

    Essays on Phobias. Phobias are perceptions of either particular objects or circumstances in other cases. There is little distinction between fear and phobias that are somewhat similar, but vary greatly from each other. In particular, as opposed to phobias that cause serious problems, the fears lack the element of causing or presenting major...

  22. Essay On Phobias

    A phobia is a fear or anxiety that has great strength, but does not have substantial reasons behind it, as the feared object or situations does not really pose great threat to a person experiencing such fear or anxiety (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Although sometimes a phobia is perceived as simply as strong fear, it is, in fact, a much more "intense ...

  23. Opinion

    It was written, hauntingly, by a Palestinian poet and academic named Refaat Alareer who was killed weeks earlier by an Israeli airstrike. The poem ends: "If I must die, let it bring hope — let ...