Monday, July 13, 2009

Phobias and the Panic Attacks

By Gordon Dalwood

Everyone has a fear of something. This is understandable and it is also a very good thing. Fear is a warning sign that is intended to protect people from harm. As such, phobias have their benefits. However, when fear becomes intense and irrational, this can lead to a panic attack which is an extreme that is certainly best avoided.

Mild phobias certainly have their place in the natural harmony of how the mind works. However, severe and intense feelings of anxiety are certainly not helpful. This is because they do not aid in helping a person maintain their defenses, Often, they break down a person's ability to take proper care of himself.

One reason for this is that the person's concentration and cognition will be severely impacted by the panic attack that overcomes him. This makes being aware of one's surroundings next to impossible and that can dramatically impact one's ability to maintain levels of safety. And, no, such an assessment is not an exaggeration.

As an example of this, just think if the individual has a serious phobia that they are going to have a car wreck. This kind of phobia does not happen normally, but they can happen if a particular trigger occurs. As a person is then driving their car possibly at night on the expressway with this phobia, then an idea or feeling brings their phobias and they become impatient to exit their car. But this is not possible with these circumstances. This brings on anxiety quite extensively, which usually turns into the panic attacks.

The person is then overwhelmed to the extent that they are unable to drive the care properly. This can cause danger for the driver, as well as other drivers in the area. This scenario can actually occur, and is why the link between phobias and panic attacks needs to be considered serious.

Of course, not all phobias lead to panic attacks. But, there is always the possibility that even a mild phobia could eventually manifest into a panic attack if it is allowed to reach such levels. This is why it is critical to seek a professional evaluation if certain phobias seem to be intrusive or burgeoning.

How can you tell if a phobia is intrusive? When the feelings of a phobia appear at various intervals and are commonly triggered. This is not the most optimum state of mental health to be in and it would definitely be wise to seek professional counseling in the advent of such intrusive feelings. While some may opt to ignore these sensations, ignoring them will only lead to severe problems in the future. Again, such intrusive thoughts and feelings can develop into panic attacks which certainly are not beneficial to one's well being.

Once again, phobias have their positive aspects but phobia induced panic attacks are generally devoid of such benefits. That is why it is so important to seek professional help when phobias and panic attacks start to coincide. It is important to restore the body to its natural state of harmony and proper counseling could achieve this goal.

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