Category: Anxiety

Arachnophobia is relatively common, with up to 50 percent of women and 18 percent of men being arachnophobes.

The arachnophobia rates vary from study to study — the exact figure probably depends on whether you draw the line at people who are absolutely terrified of them or at people who find them somewhat creepy.

Below is the psychological research on the roots of arachnophobia, what it does to the mind and how it can be quickly cured.

1. Arachnophobia may have ancient roots

It may be no accident that so many people have arachnophobia, or a fear of spiders.

One prominent theory of arachnophobia states that early on in human evolution, spiders posed a threat, so we’ve developed a sort of hair-trigger reaction to them.

You can see this in children as young as three.

When they are shown pictures of either spiders or cockroaches, the children are much quicker to spot the spiders (LoBue, 2010).

This is unusual since cockroaches are also unattractive creepy-crawlies.

Not everyone agrees with this evolutionary theory about arachnophobia, though, and some argue that we actually learn arachnophobia at a young age.

However much the fear is learned, there does seem to be an innate component: we can all learn to be afraid of spiders very, very quickly.

2. Arachnophobia makes spiders look massive

“OHMYGOD, there’s a MASSIVE one in the bath!”

Except to other people it doesn’t look that big.

For those with arachnophobia, the fear of spiders actually causes the spider to appear larger than it really is.

In one study, people with arachnophobia were asked to look at various sized tarantulas, then estimate their size (Vasey et al., 2012).

The more scared of spiders they were, the more they overestimated its size.

Naturally, this perceptual distortion hardly helps people with arachnophobia.

3. Fear of spiders makes them ‘loom’ closer

Similarly, people with arachnophobia perceive them as closer, if they come towards them.

One study had participants watching a video of spiders coming towards them.

They then estimated the ‘time-to-collision’ (Vagnoni et al., 2012).

The more scared they were of spiders, the more they underestimated this distance.

Co-author, Stella Lourenco, explained:

“The more fearful someone reported feeling of spiders, for example, the more they underestimated time-to-collision for a looming spider.

That makes adaptive sense: If an object is dangerous, it’s better to swerve a half-second too soon than a half-second too late.”

Unlike, say, a bull, though; a spider is unlikely to charge at you.

4. How to cure a fear of spiders

It’s possible to be cured of arachnophobia in one brief session.

Six months after a single session of therapy for arachnophobia, twelve people who were too scared to even look at a picture of a spider, could still hold a tarantula in their hands (Hauner et al., 2012).

The arachnophobia therapy itself involved slowly being exposed to a tarantula and having some mistaken thoughts corrected.

Dr Katherina Hauner explained:

“They thought the tarantula might be capable of jumping out of the cage and on to them.

Some thought the tarantula was capable of planning something evil to purposefully hurt them.

I would teach them the tarantula is fragile and more interested in trying to hide herself.”

5. Home treatment for arachnophobia

The usual treatment for phobias is slowly exposing people to their fears until they get used to them.

This is done in a graded way, starting with photos and moving on to live ones.

For those looking for a home cure for arachnophobia, here are three quick tips:

• Watch someone else interact with a spider. This has been shown to help reduce the fear response in people with arachnophobia (Golkar et al., 2013).
• Slowly get comfortable with being closer and closer to a spider–this is what psychologists call ‘exposure therapy’.
• Describe your feelings out loud. Simply describing your feelings can help dissipate them according to a study by Kircanski et al. (2012).
• Using safety signals can help people to cope with anxiety (Meyer et al., 2019). Safety signals can be anything from a picture linked to relaxing thoughts, to a piece of music or a place. Use them when worried about spiders.

6. Imagine spiders to reduce fear

Imagining spiders can also help people get over arachnophobia.

Repeatedly imagining something you are afraid of can set you free from it (Reddan et al., 2018).

The process of imagining an anxiety or fear leads to what psychologists call ‘extinction learning’ from arachnophobia.

Extinction learning means getting used to something you are exposed to repeatedly.

This study, though, found that imagining the threat, like a spider, is just as effective as being exposed to it in reality.

Professor Daniela Schiller, who led the study, said:

“We found that imagined extinction and real extinction were equally effective in the reduction of threat-related neural and physiological responses elicited upon re-exposure to real-world threatening cues

More specifically, neuroimaging results indicated that imagined extinction, like standard extinction, activated a network of threat suppression involving the ventromedial prefrontal cortex as a central hub.”

7. Faster treatment for being scared of spiders

More advanced methods have been discovered for curing arachnophobia faster.

For examples, when people are exposed to their fears in time with their heart beats, the treatment works even better (Watson et al., 2018).

Professor Hugo Critchley, who led the study, said:

“Many of us have phobias of one kind or another — it could be spiders, or clowns or even types of food.

Treatment usually involves exposing the person to their fear, but this can take a long time.

Our work shows that how we respond to our fears can depend on whether we see them at the time our heart beats, or between heartbeats.

You could say we’re within a heartbeat of helping people beat their phobias.”

For the study, 53 people with a fear of spiders were shown pictures of them on a computer screen.

Some were shown the pictures in time with their heart beat, others when the heart was resting and a third group randomly.

The results showed that spiders flashed up when the heart was beating led to the greatest reduction in fear of spiders.

.

How to deal with panic attacks, the signs, symptoms, causes, treatment and how it differs from a heart attack.

What psychologists call ‘panic disorder’ is a little different from the everyday use of the word panic.

Sufferers experience these panic attack symptoms:

• intense fear,
• a very strong physical reaction,
• and the sensation of being about to die or losing complete mental control.

This article covers:

• Physical panic attack symptoms
• When to see a doctor
• Causes
• How to deal with a panic attack
• Complications
• Treatment
• Lifestyle changes

Physical panic attack symptoms

Physical symptoms include:

• shortness of breath,
• chest pain,
• upset stomach,
• sweating and shaking.

That is why many people think they are having a heart attack.

Of course, thinking you are having a heart attack contributes to the panic.

This is all in the face of very little real danger — although it feels very different to the person experiencing it.

When to see a doctor for panic attack symptoms

Often people experiencing panic attack symptoms feel there is a physical problem. This is possible. That is why it is sensible to get checked out by a physician.

If they, or perhaps other people, suggest it could be more psychological, then panic attacks are a possibility.

Panic attacks are quite common among people who experience a lot of anxiety.

Causes

It is not known exactly why some people have panic attacks and others do not but it is likely the following factors are important:

• Large amounts of stress
• Genetic susceptibility
• An anxious personality or being particularly prone to negative emotions
• Changes in brain function

It is estimated that around 1 in 10 people experience at least one panic attack in a year.

They may not be frequent, but can be triggered by a situation or object that provokes deep fears.

For example, people who are fearful of social situations may have a panic attack at a party.

Or, people who are fearful of enclosed spaces might have a panic attack in a lift.

People who primarily have a panic disorder, though, can experience panic attacks apparently in response to little more than being afraid of being afraid.

It is often the fear of having a panic attack that starts the attack itself.

There is a kind of swirl of thoughts at the heart of panic attacks.

How to deal with a panic attack

One of the first steps in addressing panic attack symptoms is understanding and breaking down what is happening.

• Stage 1: The first sign of disaster could be anything small that causes the first twinges of anxiety. It might be an upsetting thought, noticing a fast-beating heart or being in a certain situation.
• Stage 2: As the anxiety grows — usually very rapidly — the physical symptoms get worse. The heart beats faster, the sweats start, the adrenaline flows. These physical sensations only seem to confirm those first twinges of anxiety: it feels as though it must certainly be a heart-attack or some other catastrophic problem.
• Stage 3: Anxious thoughts have now become catastrophic thoughts. Naturally, this leads right back into more anxiety, physical sensations and so on…

Complications

Anxiety attacks should be treated because when they are severe they can interfere with quality of life.

Panic attack symptoms can leave people in a constant state of fear.

Some of the complications related to panic attacks include:

• Often having medical care for health concerns
• Developing specific phobias, such as agoraphobia or fear of driving
• Alcohol or other substance misuse
• Problems with finances
• Avoiding social situations
• Anxiety, depression, or other psychological disorders
• Higher risk of suicidal thoughts

Treatment

More severe panic attack symptoms are best treated by a psychologist or other mental health professional.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is the best treatment for panic attacks.

They will recommend a variety of approaches, which might include:

• Accepting the experience: reminding yourself that the experience will be over soon and you have survived it before.
• Relaxation techniques: guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation or any other activity that promotes relaxation can all help with panic attack symptoms.
• Mindfulness exercises: Mindfulness involves learning to be in the present moment and to observe thoughts and feelings as they pass through the mind, without holding on to them or fighting them.
• Breathing exercise: Taking slow deep breaths and focusing on those breaths is one of the easiest ways to address panic attacks in the moment. Notice the air filling your stomach as you inhale then count four as you exhale. Be aware of how you breathing slows as you continue to practice the exercise.

Doctors may also recommend medication, such as an antidepressant or antianxiety drug, although therapy is a better treatment for panic attacks.

Therapy does not have serious side-effects, like drugs, and it is not addictive or habits forming, as drugs are.

However sometimes a combination of approaches is recommended.

Lifestyle changes

A range of lifestyle changes may also be beneficial to anxiety attacks.

These can include:

• Taking up meditation or yoga
• Regular amounts of moderate exercise.
• Managing sources of stress
• Lowering or cutting out the consumption of alcohol, drugs, and caffeine.
• Identifying and stopping negative thoughts.
• Eating a balanced diet.
• Using a support group for like-minded people.

Facts about social anxiety disorder you should know include the signs if the condition, its causes and the best treatment.

The classic sign of a social anxiety disorder is a strong fear of embarrassment or humiliation in social situations, but it is much more than just feeling shy.

Around 13 percent of the general population are thought to have a social anxiety disorder.

Experiencing social anxiety disorder is linked to fewer romantic relationships, greater unemployment and fewer days worked, as well as lower productivity.

Here are nine facts your should know about social anxiety disorder.

1. Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder

Around 50 percent of people consider themselves shy, but social anxiety is more than that.

Social anxiety disorder is thought to affect around 1 in 8 people

The condition often strikes at important moments in people’s life and usually leads to a significant reduction in their quality of life.

The common symptoms of social anxiety disorder include:

• blushing
• excessive sweating
• difficulty speaking
• nausea
• trembling or shaking
• rapid heart rate
• dizziness or light-headedness

Psychological symptoms include worrying about:

• embarrassing yourself in a social situation
• social events days or weeks before an event
• other people will notice you are stressed or nervous
• trying to blend into the background of social events

2. Best treatment for social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder is most commonly treated with antidepressants, but these are not the most effective treatment.

A study finds that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is more effective and the benefits continue after the initial treatment has finished.

Other ways of managing anxiety yourself include:

• Support groups.
• Eating healthily.
• Complementary therapies like yoga, meditation and deep breathing.
• Exercise.
• Various mind-body approaches.

3. The causes of social anxiety

The fact is that there are a large range of factors that could influence whether you experience anxiety as a mental health problem.

• Anxious personality. Some people are genetically prone to anxiety.
• Childhood experiences. Bullying, hostile parents or other frightening experiences during childhood.
• Long-term health problems like chronic pain are linked to anxiety.
• Everyday habits such as working long hours, financial or housing problems and stress can cause anxiety.

Social anxiety disorder is also linked to higher levels of serotonin in the brain, not lower as previously thought.

People with social anxiety actually produce more of the neurotransmitter serotonin in their brains.

The more serotonin they produce, the more anxious they become.

The result is a surprise as social anxiety are often treated with SSRIs like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.

SSRIs actually increase the levels of serotonin in the brain.

4. Antidepressants can help social anxiety

A combination of SSRI antidepressants and cognitive-behavioural therapy can be an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder.

Brain scans showed that the combined therapy reduced the neural response in the amygdala — part of the brain central to processing fear and anxiety.

5. Antidepressants have side-effects

While antidepressants can be effective, they are also associated with side-effects, and they don’t work for some people.

More importantly, the beneficial effects of medication tend to wear off after discontinuation.

6. Your friends like you more than you think

People with social anxiety disorder can find it difficult to make friends, but they are seen more positively by others than they imagine.

While social anxiety sufferers think their friendships are not of the highest quality, their friends are much more positive.

7. Acts of kindness can help

Performing acts of kindness — one of the steps in PsyBlog’s anxiety ebook — can help people with social anxiety mingle with others more easily, a study finds.

At the end of the study it was those who’d performed the acts of kindness who felt more comfortable in social interactions.

The acts of kindness seemed to help people deal with worries about rejection.

8. Exercise and probiotics for social anxiety

People who eat more fermented foods have lower social anxiety, a study finds.

Fermented foods that are a regular part of the Western diet include milk, cheese, yoghurt and bread.

They typically contain probiotics, which are likely behind the benefit.

The study also found that the more exercise people did, the lower their social anxiety.

9. It is never as bad as you imagine

It might feel like everyone can see exactly how anxious you feel, but that’s not necessarily the case.

People who have serious anxiety disorders consistently overestimate their symptoms in comparison to objective tests.

Severely anxious people, studies show:

• do not sweat as much as they think,
• their hands do not shake as much as they imagine,
• and their breathing is not as erratic as it seems to them.

Fear and anxiety are emotions that can trap you, but facing them can help, explains a clinical psychologist.

Phobias and anxieties, such as social anxiety, are best dealt with by facing them.

It is not easy, but if done step-by-step most people can learn to deal with anxieties and fears — even overcome them.

Dr Suma Chand, a clinical psychologist who helps people with phobias, says:

“The most reassuring thing I can say to anyone about fear is this: All emotions change.

You will never stay in a panicky state for the rest of your life.

Persevere, and the fear will dissolve.”

Fear and anxiety are emotions that can trap you, says Dr Chand:

“The more you feed it, the stronger it grows.

Fear traps people.

Fear puts you in a box.

Your world gets smaller and smaller.

After a while, you’re avoiding the discomfort of the fear itself, rather than the thing you fear.

When you avoid the things you fear you feel safe and comfortable and you don’t want to do anything that will shake this safe cocoon of comfort.

However you pay a heavy price – your freedom to live your life like the way you really want to live.”

One of Dr Chand’s patients had exactly this experience:

“I saw an elderly lady who had a fall and broke her hip.

It was very traumatic for her.

After she recovered, she didn’t want this experience to repeat itself.

She became very cautious and avoided walking anywhere where there was a possibility for falling.

Although the fear had initially translated into rational attempts to exercise caution it turned into avoidance as she went overboard with being cautious.

The avoidance made her feel safe but caused her fear to grow.

She stopped going to the store, the mall and to yoga, all of which she had enjoyed.

Her social interactions became restricted as she began to stay home more, and avoided her favorite activities, because she was overly fearful about falling.

She began to feel low and hopeless as she saw her isolated, limited existence stretch ahead of her.

While the treatment is to face the fear, it is done in a manner that does not overwhelm the patient.

The graded approach made this patient feel less overwhelmed and also more willing to face her fear.

Once she began to attain success in facing her fear and recognized that what she feared was not happening, it was like a switch was turned on, and she went faster.

Soon, she was fine and back to her old activities again.”

Dr Chand describes when to address fears:

“The time to address a fear is when you find that it is causing you a lot of distress and it is affecting your life in a significantly negative way.

For example, many people fear snakes, which of course can be dangerous.

But they are not preoccupied with this fear and they don’t find that it is impairing their lives very much.

On the other hand, some people fear cats, which are unlikely to cause much harm.

They may find themselves regularly panicked by visits to friends’ homes if they have cats and so begin avoiding such situations.”

Social phobias

Social phobias are extremely common and people experiencing it often feel very anxious about all kinds of social situations.

Dr Chand says:

“I had a patient who had social phobia…

[…]

I asked her to look at her choices.

If she were to choose to step into the situations she feared in gradual stages there’s a chance that she would realize her dreams.

However if she were to opt for the choice to avoid them she was guaranteed that nothing would change.

The good news is that she opted to face her fears and challenge her fearful thoughts.

Today she is dating someone and they are well on their way to a long term relationship.”

→ Signs Of Anxiety: 21 Symptoms Everyone Should Know

.