Fobias

Síntomas de la fobia

• Ansiedad o malestar. If you come near to, or into contact with, the feared situation you become anxious or distressed. In addition you may also have one or more unpleasant physical symptoms. Read more about síntomas de ansiedad.

• Síntomas físicos. The physical symptoms are partly caused by the brain which sends lots of messages down nerves to various parts of the body when you are anxious. For example, the palms of your hands may become sweaty.

• Exposición a la adrenalina. In addition, you release stress hormones - such as adrenaline (epinephrine) - into the bloodstream when you are anxious. These can also act on the heart (make it beat fast), muscles and other parts of the body to cause symptoms.

• La idea de un desencadenante puede causar síntomas. You may even become anxious by just thinking of the feared situation. You end up avoiding the feared situation as much as possible, which can restrict your life and cause distress.

Tipos de fobia

• Social anxiety disorder. This is also known as social phobia and it is possibly the most common phobia. Consulte la hoja informativa separada llamada Trastorno de ansiedad social para más detalles.

• Agoraphobia. This too is common. Many people think that agoraphobia means a fear of public places and open spaces. But this is just part of it. If you have agoraphobia you tend to have a number of fears of various places and situations. Consulte la hoja informativa separada llamada Agorafobia para más detalles.

• Other specific phobias. Existen muchas otras fobias de una cosa o situación específica, por ejemplo:

  • Miedo a los espacios cerrados o a quedar atrapado (claustrofobia).

  • Miedo a ciertas criaturas, por ejemplo, las arañas (aracnofobia).

  • Miedo a las inyecciones o agujas (trypanofobia).

  • Miedo a vomitar (emetofobia).

  • Miedo a estar solo (monofobia).

  • Miedo a atragantarse (pseudodisfagia).

  • Miedo al dentista (dentofobia).

  • Miedo a volar (aerofobia).

  • Miedo a los agujeros (trypophobia).

  • Miedo al océano (thalassophobia).

Sin embargo, hay muchos otros, y algunos son bastante raros.

Tratamiento de la fobia

• Cognitive and behavioural therapies.

  • These therapies help you to change certain ways that you think, feel and behave.

  • Son tratamientos útiles para diversos problemas de salud mental, incluyendo las fobias.

  • CBT usually works well to treat most phobias but does not suit everyone. However, it may not be available on the NHS in all parts of the UK. Consulte la hoja informativa separada llamada Terapia cognitivo-conductual (TCC) para más detalles.

• Medicamentos antidepresivos

  • Antidepresivos are commonly used to treat depression.

  • However, they also help to reduce the symptoms of phobias (particularly agoraphobia and social phobia), even if you are not depressed.

  • Existen diferentes tipos de antidepresivos. Los antidepresivos inhibidores selectivos de la recaptación de serotonina (ISRS) son los más utilizados para los trastornos de ansiedad y fóbicos.

• Benzodiazepinas. Benzodiazepinas como diazepam are sometimes called minor tranquilisers but they can have serious side-effects.