The document discusses the nature of fears and phobias, highlighting fear as an adaptive response and distinguishing phobias as intense fears of generally non-threatening stimuli. It outlines common fears in children across various age groups and categorizes different types of phobias, including animal, situational, and medical fears. Additionally, it lists symptoms of phobias and treatment methods such as flooding and systematic desensitization.

1. FEARS AND PHOBIAS

2. • Fear is an adaptive human response. It serves
a protective purpose, activating the automatic
“fight-or-flight” response.
• A phobia is an intense fear of something that,
in reality, poses little or no actual danger

3. • Normal fears in children
• According to the several studies, the following fears
are extremely common and considered normal:
• 0-2 years – Loud noises, strangers, separation from
parents, large objects.
• 3-6 years – Imaginary things such as ghosts,
monsters, the dark, sleeping alone, strange noises.
• 7-16 years – More realistic fears such as injury,
illness, school performance, death, natural
disasters.

4. We have only 2 natural fears, we acquire other
fears with time…

5. Different types
• Animals. Examples include snakes, spiders, rodents,
dogs, etc.
• Natural environment. Examples include heights,
storms, water, darkness, etc.
• Situational (triggered by a specific
situation). Examples include enclosed spaces
(claustrophobia), flying, driving, tunnels, bridges,
etc.
• Blood-Injection-Injury. blood, injury, or a fear of
needles or other medical procedures.
• Abstract aspects: Fear of success, fear of failure

6. The difference between fear and a phobia
Normal fear Phobia
Feeling anxious when flying through
turbulence or taking off during a
storm
Not going to your best friend’s
wedding because you’d have to fly
there
Experiencing butterflies when peering
down from the top of a skyscraper or
climbing a tall ladder
Turning down a great job because it’s
on the 10th floor of the office building
Getting nervous when you see
a dog
Carefully checking the park because
you might see a dog
Feeling a little queasy when getting a
shot or when your blood is being
drawn
Avoiding necessary medical
treatments or doctor’s checkups
because you’re terrified of needles

7. WHAT HAPPENS??

8. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PHOBIAS
• Difficulty breathing
• Racing or pounding heart
• Chest pain or tightness
• Trembling or shaking
• Sweat
• Hot/cold flashes
• Feeling like you’re going to die or pass out
• Knowing that you’re overreacting, but feeling
powerless to control your fear
• Intense need to escape
• Feeling of overwhelming anxiety or panic

9. Treatment
• Flooding
• Systematic Desensitization
• Fast phobia cure-NLP
• Humour

10. THANK YOU!!