Subjectivity in Phobias: Not Everybody Fears The Same Things

What is Subjectivity in Phobias?

Phobias, such as Haemophobia (fear of blood), are irrational fears that arise from subjective experiences and individual interpretations.

These fears can be triggered by seemingly harmless situations or objects, which may be difficult for those without the phobia to understand.

From a psychological perspective, phobias are subjective rather than objective in nature.

This means that the anxiety and fear experienced when encountering blood, for example, are the result of internal mental processes and personal meanings attributed to blood.

It is important to recognise that not everyone will feel anxious when encountering blood, as the fear response is unique to each individual.

Subjectivity or Objectivity as Cause or Effect

Are phobic objects the cause of anxiety, or does an individual's subjectivity cause their anxiety?

This is the essence of subjective versus objective psychology.

If you experience anxiety when confronted with your own specific phobic trigger, you may attribute your anxiety to the external object.

However, if clowns, for example, provoke anxiety in some people but not in everyone, it raises the question of why.

This fundamental explanation for fears and phobias applies universally, irrespective of the specific phobic trigger.

Clowns cannot make a person feel anxious.

However, if you perceive them as a threat, it is logical that you would experience anxiety.

The anxiety associated with phobias is not the underlying problem, as it is natural to feel anxious in the presence of a perceived threat.

The true issue lies in the perception that clowns are a threat.

Irrational Versus Realistic Fear

It's crucial to understand that not all fears are irrational, even if they are classified as phobias.

At Tranceform Psychology, we frequently assist individuals with Aviophobia, the fear of flying.

Interestingly, none of our clients with a fear of flying have ever been involved in a plane crash before seeking our help.

In fact, most of them have flown multiple times and gradually developed this phobia over time.

However, if a client reveals that they have been through three plane crashes and survived each one, we acknowledge that their fear is not irrational.

Rather, they have a realistic fear based on their personal experiences.

It's important to highlight that fears stemming from actual experiences are not necessarily irrational and should not be categorised as phobias.

On the other hand, fears that result from the subjective meaning attributed to an object or situation can reasonably be referred to as phobias.

If you wish to overcome your phobia, regardless of its nature, we recommend following our Tranceformental CBT Therapy Programme.

This programme specifically addresses phobias at the perceptual level, helping you change the meanings associated with external stimuli or circumstances.