4. Fighting Phobias, The Things That Go BUmp In the Mind

Fighting Phobias, The Things That Go Bump in the Mind

A person can develop a specific phobia of anything, but in most cases the phobia is shared by many and has a name. Animal phobias--cynophobia (dogs), equinophobia (horses), zoophobia (all animals)--are common. So are arachnophobia (spiders) and ophidiophobia (snakes). And, of course, there's the fear of flying (pterygophobia), heights (acrophobia), and confined spaces (claustrophobia). 

"One of the most common phobias is the fear of dentists [odontiatophobia]," says Sheryl Jackson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "People who suffer with this phobia will literally let their teeth rot out because they are afraid to go to a dentist." 

Jackson says that most specific phobias do not cause a serious disruption in a person's life, and, consequently, sufferers do not seek professional help. Instead, they find ways to avoid whatever it is that triggers their panic, or they simply endure the distress felt when they encounter it. Some may also consult their physicians, requesting medication to help them through a situation, such as an unavoidable plane trip for someone who is phobic about flying. 

Some phobias cause significant problems that require long-term professional help. "People usually seek treatment when their phobia interferes in their lives, the person who turns down promotions because he knows public speaking will be required, someone who must travel frequently but who is afraid of flying, or a woman who wants to have children but who has a fear of pain or blood. These are the people who seek long-term treatment," says Jackson. 

First, the patient and therapist establish a hierarchy of feared situations, from the least to the most feared. For someone who fears elevators, for example, stepping onto the elevator causes a certain level of anxiety; going up one flight causes another level of anxiety. With each additional flight the anxiety increases until it becomes intolerable. Therapy begins with the patient and therapist practicing the least fearful event, riding out the anxiety until the physiological symptoms subside. This step is repeated until the anxiety level is acceptable. Then the person progresses to the next step in the hierarchy. Each successive step is repeated until the physical reactions and anxious mood decrease to the point where the person can step onto an elevator and ride to the top floor without panicking. 

Source : http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps1609/www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/297bump.html 

 Vocabularies list :

1.      Phobia                        = Ketakutan

2.      Dentisy                       = Dokter gigi

3.      Disruption                   = Gangguan

4.      Endure                        = Menahan

5.      Panicking                    = Membikin panik

6.      Treatment                    = pengobatan

7.      Riding                         = mengendari

8.      Hierarchy                    = Hirarki

9.      Elevator                      = Pelayan

10.  Disruption                   = Gangguan

Exercise :

1.    Mention the animals phobia ?

2.    What the Jackson says about phobia ?

3.    When does the therapy do to phobia  ?

4.What the solution for a pregnant mother that afraid at blood?

 

Complete the missing word with the suitable word best on the text! 

Some (1) . . . . . . cause significant problems that require long-term professional help. "People usually seek (2) . . . . . .  when their phobia interferes in their lives, the(3) . . . . . . who turns down promotions because he knows(4) . . . . . .  Speaking will be (5)  . . . . . . , someone who must travel frequently but who is (6)  . . . . . . of flying, or a woman who wants to have (7)  . . . . . .  but who has a(8) . . . . . .  of  pain or (9). These are the people who seek long-term (10) . . . . . .," says Jackson.