Phobias are extreme and unrealistic fears felt towards an object, situation or a feeling. When you are presented with the object or activity you have a phobia of, it can result in physical symptoms, such as increased breathing, increased heart rate and sweaty palms. There are a wide variety of phobias such as of different animals, driving, or confined spaces and many people suffer from them. Phobias can cause you to avoid situations and restrict your life, such as never going to the park because you are afraid of dogs.
Agoraphobia is a fear of being trapped in a situation where escape would be hard or it would be difficult to get help. This is often accompanied with panic problems (visit our Anxiety page for more information on panic problems). It involves experiencing intense fear in certain situations; such as leaving home, walking down a busy street or using public transport. Often you may avoid many situations to avoid these fearful feelings. This restricts your life and can make you very dependent on others.
If you recognise any of the signs of the mental health difficulties on this page or on any of the problems listed on the “problems we can help with” pages, then we may be able to help.