FEARS, PHOBIAS and STRESS
and suggested questions

Fears, Phobias and Stress
by Donald E. Dossey, Ph.D.

We are born with only two emotions – love and fear - and born with only two fears -- falling and loud noises.

According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV Anxiety Disorders are the major epidemic of our times.

Anxiety Disorders include:
Panic Attack, Phobia Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Due to a General Medical Condition, Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder (medications, abusive drugs, toxin exposures.)

What is a phobia?
The classical definition of a Phobic Disorder is, "...irrational, persistent fear of or an excessive avoidance of a specific object, some particular activity or situation."

Behavior scientist B.F. Skinner, the founder of behaviorism, defines phobias as superstitions. i.e., "Any behavior that does not lead to the predetermined goal with the fewest number of actions, is called superstitious behavior."

The American Psychiatric Association subdivides Phobic Disorders into the following three types: 

1. Agoraphobia: fear of and avoidance of open spaces, the most common and severe of phobias.

2. Social Phobia: fear of and avoidance of embarrassment or ridicule in social situations.

3. Simple Phobia: fear of and avoidance of specific  objects, situations or activities.

All three types can be with or without panic attacks.

There are also LIFE CYCLE PHOBIAS. The following are examples:

Childhood phobias     Raising children     Starting school  
Losing children           Puberty                   Divorce
Completing school      Middle age             Going to work 
Growing old                Dating                    Senility
Getting married           Having children      Disease
Death and Dying
Symptoms range from mild anxiety and a sense of impending doom to full blown panic attacks.

At the Stress Management Center/Phobia Institute, the definition of a phobia has been defined and expanded further to "a phobia is any behavior or feeling that is unacceptable and uncomfortable resulting from conscious or unconscious pictures of the past or projected pictures of the future...or...any thoughts or actions that result in debilitating behavior and decreased optimum performance."

Fear from threat of losing our basic instincts of desire of security, self-esteem or self-image, companionship or relationship bonding, financial security for food and shelter, sex, power are the most predominant of all fears. For example,
Pride = fear of losing self-esteem
Greed = fear of losing size of pocketbook
Greed, gluttony, envy = fear of not achieving  ambitions
Lust = fear of not being sexually adequate
Sloth = fear of not being able or capable
LACK OF FAITH IS ALSO A FEAR.

All of the above are blocks, barriers to experiencing a good life and so called miracles, and seem overwhelming and hopefully, to most, humbling. However, remember that "humility" means you are ready to learn, you are teachable.

The physical, mental/emotional and social/work related symptoms of fear and stress can cause an immune system breakdown.

As with any symptoms of phobias, the symptoms can range from a mild anxiety, a sense of an impending doom, to full blown phobias with associated panic attacks. Hyper-ventilation, palpitations of the heart, sweaty palms, fear of losing control or going crazy are some of the more common symptoms. The symptoms can do harm and can cause a breakdown in any of the three main areas of our lives: the physical body, the mental and emotional, and/or the social or work-related areas.

Causes of phobias are the same as the three ways we learn -- trauma, repetition, and modeling (conscious and/or unconscious)

Controversial myths regarding etiology theories:
Phobias are not related to self esteem, age, sex, race, social or economic status.

Post traumatic stress disorders, phobias and panic attacks are triggered in just the same way.

The following are categories of current fears and phobias:

Tropophobia - change, moving
Catastrophobia -- natural and man made disasters
Technophobia -- (computorophobia) technology/computers
    Three pronged 1. Breakdown 2. Making mistakes 3.Breaking
               machines
Nosophobia (Pathophobia) - disease
Microchemophobia - toxicity in air, water, food
Phobophobia - fear of fear
Kakorraphiaphobia - failure
Katagelophobia - ridicule
Decidophobia - indecisiveness
Halophobia - speaking
Harpaxophobia - robbers
Arachibutyrophobia - peanut butter sticking to roof of mouth
Giraffeophobia - fear of sticking your neck out

If you suffer with a phobia or excessive fear of an specific object or situation, you may want to investigate the Audio Cassette Programs on the Buy Books and Tapes page or seek an expert.

 

For more information click the Buy Books and Tapes button or call the Stress Management Center/Phobia Institute 828-258-1311 or drdossey@drdossey.com

An expert professional is a disaster or trauma expert and a phobia and stress expert. An expert can quickly and safely determine your needs, tell you specifically what they're going to do and how long it will take. 

(NOTE: These tests were developed by Dr. Dossey from his over 20 years of research in anxiety disorders, phobias and stress; the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - III Revised published by the American Psychiatric Association.  The results of these tests should not, however, be construed as the final analysis. An appropriate health care professional, expert in the area of PTSDs, should be consulted for positive diagnosis and treatment.)    

NOTE: The recommendations and suggestions included in this document are intended to improve psychological and physical preparedness in case of a crisis, disaster or trauma. However, they do not guarantee the safety of any individual or family member. Neither the publisher nor author assumes liability for any injury, psychological or physical, which may occur in connection with any disaster, trauma, or crisis. Information based on material developed at the Stress Management Center/Phobia Institute in Asheville, NC.
 

 

WAYS OUT or STEPS TO CURE

DO THE SUFFERERS NEED PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP?

Are sufferers mentally ill? Not at all. They have learned maladaptive behavior and can unlearn it safely, quickly, affordably. Those people who have phobias, superstitions and maladaptive beliefs cut across all social, economic, emotional and intellectual boundaries. There is no verifiable proof that people who have phobias or are superstitious are abnormal in any way, nor has it been found that they necessarily carry with them a history of neurotic, maladaptive behavior. They have simply lost control of their minds, not lost their minds, and have lost control of their bodily feelings to the extent that they have hindered their ability to handle their actions appropriately. And it becomes problematic only if it interferes with their optimum performance, such as in their jobs, relationships or happiness.

Even people with some of the symptoms should be very cautious about going to a psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor unless he or she is an expert in the field of phobias and anxiety disorders. As I said in my book, KEYING: THE POWER OF POSITIVE FEELINGS, Overcoming Fears, Phobias and Stress, psychotherapy, as it is often practiced, can be detrimental to your mental, emotional and physical health. Psychotherapy is not predictably effective and when it is, the results, more often than not, do not last.

Why are some therapies considered dangerous? As developed by authors R. Laing, D. Chopra, J. Haley, J. Hillman, G. Wood, T. Szasz, D. Jackson and others), traditional psychotherapy tends to go back into the past, and talk about the problem and hunt for possible "root causes." This digging into the hurtful past creates physical feelings that are associated with the problem. And they are bad, negative feelings. As I have said many times, "What you think about you begin to feel, what you feel generates what you do, and what you do creates how you will become." If you talk about horrible things, you will begin to feel horrible feelings.

When you practice a part in a play or repeat, over and over, a piece on the piano, or any musical instrument, you become more proficient at it. That is called rehearsal, and practice makes permanence. Generally, people have rehearsed their phobic feelings so often, and so well, that they do not need any more of that. That is why some therapies can be so detrimental.

1. Your other fast-selling book is called KEYING: THE POWER OF POSITIVE FEELINGS: Overcoming Fears, Phobias and Stress. Why positive feelings rather than positive thinking?

2. Aren't there some easily identified sign-posts and symptoms of negative feelings?

3. We're living in an age where self-help books are flooding the bookstores. How is your book different from the other motivational material available?

4. When we hear the word "phobia", most of us have some preconceived idea. What is a phobia?

5. Aren't there many types of phobias?

6. You've been quoted as saying that fear is an addiction just like caffeine or cocaine intoxication. What do you mean?

7. What are some of the most unusual phobias you've treated?

8. You have discovered the most widespread yet least known phobia haven't you?

9. Is it true people with phobias usually suffer from low self-esteem or are mentally ill?

10. You've come under fire for saying that psychotherapy can be hazardous to your health? What does your research show?

11. You've coined a phrase "psychological aftershock." What does that mean?

12. Don't you prescribe your mental Refocusing Techniques and the Keying process for people who suffer with phobias or stress?

13. What is a "Key" and the "Keying" technique you've developed to help people control their habits?

14. Didn't you discover Keying while you were assisting in some research for the National Institute of Mental Health?

15. Haven't you used the Key to wash away the fear of public speaking?

16. Hasn't Keying been used to help people who have suffered traumas or are suffering from Post-traumatic Stress?

17. In your book, you say that "smile power" is the ultimate Key. What do you mean?