I am sure you have heard of various types of phobias. Do you know what a phobia is? How does it work? In reality, how many people are strung with this particular disease, for it is, truly a psychological disease? It has now been found out that more than physical ailments, it is mental diseases that cause more deaths as well as economic loss. However, economics aside, there are things you need to know about a specific phobia as it is increasingly gripping us.
What Is A Phobia?
“Phobia” is a sort of anxiety disorder which is the reason for a certain individual to experience illogical and extreme fear about a living creature, a condition, place or an object. When a person is having this, he or she will often than not, change and shape their lives to suit it and to avoid what they fear. For example, if you are having ornithophobia or fear of birds, you will avoid going near chickens, visiting bird cages in zoos and petting other people’s pet birds. One may laugh thinking a person fearing a bird.
How harmless can a bird be, really? But what you need to understand is that the imagined or assumed fear of people who have phobias is greater than a real or an actual threat. What we see as an innocent animal or a place, they see as a cause of terror. We need to understand their situation. Fortunately, phobias can be treated. However, whilst they are recovering, others around the person must understand that they will experience distress and unease when faced with such an item of terror for them. It can even lead to them having panic attacks.
What Is Gerascophobia?
An estimated one in seven people or roughly 15% of the total population has phobias in Australia. This is a considerable amount. Hence, it is important that we know about what phobias are and how to treat them as well as how to behave when we are with such people. Gerascophobia, in that case, is a special kind; it is the fear or anxiousness one gets due to health issues related to aging. The sad part is, aging is not something that can be “treated” or prevented.
Hence, handling this has to be done very carefully. By their nature, people who have Gerascophobia are highly anxious or high strung. Their health problems due to aging may include adrenal insufficiency, hormonal imbalances and/ or thyroid problems and so on; of course, heart issues, sugar and cholesterol are some very common problems one will face when aging.
What Can Be Done To Make The Elderly Less-Anxious?
This situation can be treated in many different ways. First and foremost, professional therapists are available to talk to the relevant people. Counselors are known to practice treatments like exposure therapy, psychotherapy sometimes even medications; hypnotherapy and energy therapy also have proved to bring positive results. The best thing is for the elderly to have someone to talk to and share their fears. If you visit centennial living it will be clear how same-age people get together and talk their anxieties away.
The danger with the phobias is they are highly under-reported. Also, gerascophobia is found to be contracted mostly by women than men. It is important that you or someone whom you know, are suffering from this, to seek help immediately.