How to tell if your fear is a phobia and ways you can find help
Needles, the dark, separation from parents and even throwing up – these are all fears that Aussie kids are dealing with week after week. But how can you tell if that fear is actually a phobia?
READING LEVEL: GREEN
It’s normal to feel scared sometimes. In fact, fear is a natural process of the brain and the body to try and keep us safe. But sometimes our fears can become so strong that they get in the way of us doing things we want to in life, like spending time with friends or even going to school. Sometimes our fears can turn into phobias.
WHAT ARE PHOBIAS?
Phobias are fears that have become very big and powerful.
Clinical director at mental health services provider Online Psychologists* Australia Dr Michelle Olaithe said fear was a normal process that everyone went through.
“It actually helps keep us safe,” she said. “When we think something might be dangerous, our body gets ready to protect us by choosing to fight, run away, or freeze.”
While fears usually match the situation we are in, such as feeling nervous before making a speech in front of your class, they don’t always stop us from doing what we need to do.
“A phobia is different,” Dr Olaithe said. “It’s a very strong and scary feeling about something that isn’t hurting us right now. The fear can feel so big that it makes someone avoid things in their everyday life.”
She said someone might be so afraid of aeroplanes, for example, that they never fly, which prevents them from travelling to places they want to visit.
COMMON PHOBIAS
Researchers aren’t exactly sure how many people in Australia are living with phobias, however, recent statistics suggest they could be common.
“In Australia, lots of children and young people feel very worried or anxious sometimes,” Dr Olaithe said. “About one out of every 14 kids aged four to 17 has an anxiety* problem, which can include strong fears called phobias.”
She said it was important to learn more about the rate of phobias in Australia, so that people experiencing strong fears could access support.
“Many adults who have very strong fears actually started feeling that way when they were children,” she said. “Kids can be afraid of lots of things, like monsters under the bed, being up high, the dark, being away from their parent or carer, getting an injection, or being in small, closed spaces.
“These kinds of fears can be a normal part of growing up. However, they can turn into a phobia when the fear is very strong, lasts a long time, and starts to make everyday life harder, like stopping a child from going to school, sleeping well, or having fun.”
UNUSUAL PHOBIAS
There are also several types of phobias that many people haven’t heard of before.
“Some fears might sound a bit strange, but they’re actually more common than you might think,” she said. “For example, some people feel really uncomfortable or even scared when they see lots of tiny holes close together, like in a honeycomb.”
Trypophobia, the intense fear of clusters of holes or bumps, has been found to affect about 10-18 per cent of the adult population, according to Online Psychologists Australia.
“Another fear some people have is being very scared of throwing up (emtophobia),” she said. “This can make them avoid certain foods, trips, or even spending time with others.
“There are also people who feel scared of going to sleep (somniphobia), especially if they worry about bad dreams, not being in control, or not waking up.”
Ironically, the name given to describe the fear of long words is one of the longest you may ever see – hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
HOW CAN YOU TELL IF FEAR IS A PHOBIA?
Dr Olaithe said psychologists often looked at how big a fear was and how much it affected a person’s daily life in order to determine if it was a phobia.
“A fear might be called a phobia if it is very strong, lasts a long time, and makes you avoid certain places or things,” Dr Olaithe said. “We also notice how the body reacts when the fear shows up. Someone experiencing a phobia might feel sweaty, have a fast heartbeat, feel shaky, sick in the stomach, dizzy, tight in the chest, or even like they are panicking.
“If these big feelings start to get in the way of everyday things, like going to school, playing with friends, or doing normal activities, it could be a sign of a phobia.”
TREATMENT FOR PHOBIA
Fortunately, there are effective treatments available for phobias.
Having a safe place to talk about what scares you can be very helpful, Dr Olaithe said. You can also learn skills to calm and relax the body, such as slow breathing, so that you feel better equipped to deal with the situation.
“Another helpful way is taking small steps. This means gently and slowly facing the fear bit by bit, with support,” she said. “Over time, the brain learns that the thing isn’t as dangerous as it feels.
“There’s also a special kind of help called cognitive behavioural therapy*, or CBT. It teaches children how their thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected, and gives them simple tools to feel calmer and more in control.”
WANT TO LEARN MORE? HERE’S A BRIEF HISTORY OF PHOBIAS
Knowledge about phobias and the way they should be treated has shifted over time.
Phobias were first identified in the 1800s when scientists started to study how the mind worked.
“Early thinkers believed phobias might come from hidden feelings or past experiences,” Dr Olaithe said. “In the early 1900s, experts tried to help by talking about emotions and looking for deeper reasons behind fears.
“Later on, around the middle of the 1900s, scientists started to think about how fears can be learned. They found that people could slowly face their fears step by step to feel less scared.
“As time went on, researchers learned even more and created better ways to help.
“Today, one of the most helpful methods is called cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. It teaches people how their thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected, and helps them learn new ways to think and feel less afraid.”
FINDING HELP
If you have been experiencing strong fears that have been affecting your daily life, it’s best to reach out to an adult you can trust. Sometimes just talking about your fears can help you to feel better. There are also these services you can reach out to if you are worried or anxious.
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 1114
Mental Health Access Line: 1300 642255
13 YARN: 13 9276
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
ReachOut: au.reachout.com
POLL
GLOSSARY
- psychologists: professionals who studies the mind and its behaviour
- anxiety: an anxiety disorder is a mental health condition where a person experiences persistent and excessive fear and worry that often interferes with their life
- cognitive behavioural therapy: a type of therapy that helps patients identify how their thoughts, emotions and actions are all interconnected and how learning new thought patterns can help them feel less anxious
EXTRA READING
Superheroes here to save you from your fears
VR helps cure fear of flying
Scientists discover cure for fear
QUICK QUIZ
1. What is the difference between a fear and a phobia?
2. What portion of kids in Australia have an anxiety problem?
3. What are some things you can do to help deal with phobias?
4. What is the name for the fear of throwing up?
5. What are some common phobias of kids?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. An inspirational story
Write a story about a character who has a phobia and takes brave steps to overcome their intense fear in order to do something they never thought they could do. Make sure your story includes descriptions of the character’s feelings at different stages of facing their fear.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English
2. Extension
What is the thing that makes you feel most afraid? Describe the object or situation that frightens you and explain how it makes you feel. Describe what happens in your body and mind when you encounter this fear, and explain how it may affect your daily life.
Based on the information presented in the news story, decide whether you believe you have a phobia or simply a fear. Explain the reasons for your decision.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Personal and Social Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY
Wow word recycle
There are plenty of wow words (ambitious pieces of vocabulary) being used in the article. Some are in the glossary, but there might be extra ones from the article that you think are exceptional as well.
Identify all the words in the article that you think are not common words, and particularly good choices for the writer to have chosen.
Select three words you have highlighted to recycle into your own sentences.
If any of the words you identified are not in the glossary, write up your own glossary for them.
Extension
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any base words with more specific synonyms?
Down-level for a younger audience. Find a sentence in the article that is high level. Now rewrite it for a younger audience so they can understand the words without using the glossary.