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PHOBIAS

What is a phobia? A phobia is an intense fear or feeling of anxiety that occurs only in a particular situation that frightens you. This might be something as seemingly logical as a fear of heights, or as illogical as a fear of the colour green. At other times you don’t feel anxious. For example, if you have a phobia of spiders (as millions of people do), you only feel anxious when there’s a spider around, otherwise you feel fine. About one in ten people has a significant phobia, although few people seek treatment. People develop phobias to all sorts of things. Each phobia has its own name. Some (of a very long list) include:

 Musophobia – fear of mice

 Peladophobia – fear of bald people

 Amathophobia – fear of dust

 Pnigophobia – fear of choking or smothering

 Maieusiophobia – fear of childbirth

 Homichlophobia – fear of fog

 Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Phobias make people avoid situations they know will make them anxious, but this can make the phobia worse. A person’s life can become increasingly dominated by the precautions they take to avoid a situation they fear. You may know there’s no real danger and you may feel embarrassed by your fear, but you’re still unable to control it. It’s better to confront your fears, even if it’s in a very careful way or with the help of a trained therapist. A phobia is more likely to go away if it began after a distressing or traumatic event. What’s the treatment? Cognitive behavioural therapy – a ‘talking treatment’ where you learn all about the thing or situation you are scared of and how to change your behaviour – has a high success rate in phobias. Your GP can refer you. (from BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/mind_phobias.shtml)

The purpose of the text is to ...

• give information about phobias

• give instructions for people with phobias

• persuade people with phobias to seek help

PHOBIAS

What is a phobia? A phobia is an intense fear or feeling of anxiety that occurs only in a particular situation that frightens you. This might be something as seemingly logical as a fear of heights, or as illogical as a fear of the colour green. At other times you don’t feel anxious. For example, if you have a phobia of spiders (as millions of people do), you only feel anxious when there’s a spider around, otherwise you feel fine. About one in ten people has a significant phobia, although few people seek treatment. People develop phobias to all sorts of things. Each phobia has its own name. Some (of a very long list) include:

 Musophobia – fear of mice

 Peladophobia – fear of bald people

 Amathophobia – fear of dust

 Pnigophobia – fear of choking or smothering

 Maieusiophobia – fear of childbirth

 Homichlophobia – fear of fog

 Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Phobias make people avoid situations they know will make them anxious, but this can make the phobia worse. A person’s life can become increasingly dominated by the precautions they take to avoid a situation they fear. You may know there’s no real danger and you may feel embarrassed by your fear, but you’re still unable to control it. It’s better to confront your fears, even if it’s in a very careful way or with the help of a trained therapist. A phobia is more likely to go away if it began after a distressing or traumatic event. What’s the treatment? Cognitive behavioural therapy – a ‘talking treatment’ where you learn all about the thing or situation you are scared of and how to change your behaviour – has a high success rate in phobias. Your GP can refer you. (from BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/mind_phobias.shtml)

A phobia is ........

• happens to everyone when they are frightened

• happens only in certain situations

• only happens to people who are anxious

PHOBIAS

What is a phobia? A phobia is an intense fear or feeling of anxiety that occurs only in a particular situation that frightens you. This might be something as seemingly logical as a fear of heights, or as illogical as a fear of the colour green. At other times you don’t feel anxious. For example, if you have a phobia of spiders (as millions of people do), you only feel anxious when there’s a spider around, otherwise you feel fine. About one in ten people has a significant phobia, although few people seek treatment. People develop phobias to all sorts of things. Each phobia has its own name. Some (of a very long list) include:

 Musophobia – fear of mice

 Peladophobia – fear of bald people

 Amathophobia – fear of dust

 Pnigophobia – fear of choking or smothering

 Maieusiophobia – fear of childbirth

 Homichlophobia – fear of fog

 Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Phobias make people avoid situations they know will make them anxious, but this can make the phobia worse. A person’s life can become increasingly dominated by the precautions they take to avoid a situation they fear. You may know there’s no real danger and you may feel embarrassed by your fear, but you’re still unable to control it. It’s better to confront your fears, even if it’s in a very careful way or with the help of a trained therapist. A phobia is more likely to go away if it began after a distressing or traumatic event. What’s the treatment? Cognitive behavioural therapy – a ‘talking treatment’ where you learn all about the thing or situation you are scared of and how to change your behaviour – has a high success rate in phobias. Your GP can refer you. (from BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/mind_phobias.shtml)

Phobias ...

• are logical

• are not logical

• can be logical or not logical

PHOBIAS

What is a phobia? A phobia is an intense fear or feeling of anxiety that occurs only in a particular situation that frightens you. This might be something as seemingly logical as a fear of heights, or as illogical as a fear of the colour green. At other times you don’t feel anxious. For example, if you have a phobia of spiders (as millions of people do), you only feel anxious when there’s a spider around, otherwise you feel fine. About one in ten people has a significant phobia, although few people seek treatment. People develop phobias to all sorts of things. Each phobia has its own name. Some (of a very long list) include:

 Musophobia – fear of mice

 Peladophobia – fear of bald people

 Amathophobia – fear of dust

 Pnigophobia – fear of choking or smothering

 Maieusiophobia – fear of childbirth

 Homichlophobia – fear of fog

 Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Phobias make people avoid situations they know will make them anxious, but this can make the phobia worse. A person’s life can become increasingly dominated by the precautions they take to avoid a situation they fear. You may know there’s no real danger and you may feel embarrassed by your fear, but you’re still unable to control it. It’s better to confront your fears, even if it’s in a very careful way or with the help of a trained therapist. A phobia is more likely to go away if it began after a distressing or traumatic event. What’s the treatment? Cognitive behavioural therapy – a ‘talking treatment’ where you learn all about the thing or situation you are scared of and how to change your behaviour – has a high success rate in phobias. Your GP can refer you. (from BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/mind_phobias.shtml)

The number of people who have phobias is ...

• five out of ten people

• ten people

• 10 percent of the population

PHOBIAS

What is a phobia? A phobia is an intense fear or feeling of anxiety that occurs only in a particular situation that frightens you. This might be something as seemingly logical as a fear of heights, or as illogical as a fear of the colour green. At other times you don’t feel anxious. For example, if you have a phobia of spiders (as millions of people do), you only feel anxious when there’s a spider around, otherwise you feel fine. About one in ten people has a significant phobia, although few people seek treatment. People develop phobias to all sorts of things. Each phobia has its own name. Some (of a very long list) include:

 Musophobia – fear of mice

 Peladophobia – fear of bald people

 Amathophobia – fear of dust

 Pnigophobia – fear of choking or smothering

 Maieusiophobia – fear of childbirth

 Homichlophobia – fear of fog

 Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Phobias make people avoid situations they know will make them anxious, but this can make the phobia worse. A person’s life can become increasingly dominated by the precautions they take to avoid a situation they fear. You may know there’s no real danger and you may feel embarrassed by your fear, but you’re still unable to control it. It’s better to confront your fears, even if it’s in a very careful way or with the help of a trained therapist. A phobia is more likely to go away if it began after a distressing or traumatic event. What’s the treatment? Cognitive behavioural therapy – a ‘talking treatment’ where you learn all about the thing or situation you are scared of and how to change your behaviour – has a high success rate in phobias. Your GP can refer you. (from BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/mind_phobias.shtml)

Peladophobia is ...

• fear of bald people

• fear of dust

• fear of fog

The text is aimed at ....

• Librarians

• Library users

• Council workers

• School students

Information is given about borrowing CDs.

• True

• False

Which category of video isn’t listed?

• Educational

• Exercise

• Film

• Travel

A telephone number is provided.

• True

• False

Members can also borrow CD-ROMs.

• True

• False

• The text doesn't say