Dossier
Stronger than fear. It is understandable to be afraid of a dangerous animal or a risky situation, but if this feeling manifests in moments where there is no clear and present danger, fear can become its own burden. Ways that can help.
Text: Niklas Bienbeck
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our pulse races, you tremble and become flushed. In extreme cases, you may have trouble breathing or even lose consciousness. “People with generalized anxiety disorders or panic attacks are often unable to identify their feelings – they surrender to them completely,” explains psychologist Anja Zimmer. Specific phobias can trigger similar symptoms, but these are directed toward a concrete object or situation. Those affected generally know that their fear is irrational, yet they avoid these situations and withdraw from life. The core of any phobia is the fear of losing control. The origins of the phobia “Traumatic experiences or observations frequently result in the development of a phobia. We are particularly susceptible in early childhood. Children observe patterns of anxious behavior in their parents or other guardians,” says Zimmer. But long periods of sustained stress can also increase the risk of developing a phobia. Genetic predisposition may also play a role in the inheritance of phobias. Research in this area is ongoing.
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From social anxiety to specific phobias Fears may also be explicitly related to social situations. Those with social anxiety disorder are afraid of embarrassing themselves when they are the center of attention. This turns public presentations and examinations as well as private parties and events into difficult, challenging situations.
Anja Zimmer is a psychologist and doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Basel. Her research in the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience focuses on the use of virtual and augmented reality apps to treat phobias.
UNI NOVA
139 / 2022
Agoraphobia is related to social anxiety. People with this phobia fear specific places or situations, such as vast, open spaces or crowds of people. “Those affected fear that they won’t be able to escape in time in the event of an emergency, or that help will be too slow to arrive,” says Zimmer. Agoraphobia often manifests together with panic attacks, which can be of varying intensity. Consequently, one can develop a “fear of fear” that may cause an attempt to avoid such situations whenever possible. Fear of the next panic attack can generate a vicious cycle. Specific phobias are tied to concrete objects or situations. These include the fear of certain animals, natural disasters or situations that appear dangerous, such as looking down from high up. “Arachnophobia” (fear of spiders) and “ophidiophobia” (fear of snakes) number among the best-known animal-related phobias. Common situational phobias include the fear of heights (“acrophobia”) or fear of confined spaces (“claustrophobia”). Fear of visiting the dentist (“dentophobia”) and fear of flying (“aviophobia”) are also commonly reported phobias. → p. 23
