The reason for the title of this article; phobias, panic attacks and anxiety, is that each condition can be, but not necessarily, interlinked.
The lines that separate the many different conditions of mental illness can be so murky, and can vary so much from one person to another, that in truth it's impossible to say to someone; "You have depression," or "You have anxiety.
" Indeed, Ms.
A may have depression.
Mr.
B may have anxiety, but the chances are that they both suffer at least borderline symptoms of other illnesses.
We've had a look at some of the stranger phobias, and I feel that my levity in that particular article was rather unkind.
Now, though, I'd like to explore the symptoms and the possible causes behind phobias, and the link to panic attacks, anxiety and depression.
My own experiences were that immediately following my discharge from an excellent psychiatric unit in England, where I'd spent six weeks in the alcoholic wing, I suffered severe panic attacks and anxiety when I went home.
I think the reason for the onset of these states was that while in hospital, I, along with everyone else, had been buffered from the great big bad world outside.
There was nothing to worry about, although I'm bound to say that my marriage was teetering on the brink, but when you're taken away from your normal life, the 'out of sight, out of mind' re-action seems to kick in.
In the event, my wife, bless her, stuck by me and did all she could to help on my discharge.
But for about three weeks, once I was in a particular room of the house, I had the greatest difficulty leaving it.
Actually going through the front door was out of the question.
The extraordinary happened after three weeks.
I awoke one morning totally free of the awful debility of terror.
There was no more fear, no more apprehension, nothing.
I don't think I've ever felt so vital, happy and alive in my life before.
Why did these feelings of fear suddenly leave me like that? Goodness knows.
Did I have them while I was drinking? No - or did I? Perhaps I drank to be rid of them, but then being an alcoholic in any case, it's impossible to say.
The alcoholic doesn't need a reason to drink! What I'm trying to illustrate, though, is how these diseases can merge, one into the other.
Phobias are a form of anxiety disorder.
Sometimes, they may be due to a traumatic event in early childhood.
Sometimes, but on the other hand, perhaps not.
They may simply appear for no apparent reason.
Then again, if we look at social phobias and agoraphobia, the fear of being away from the safety of familiar surroundings; in crowds or gatherings of some sort, something may have happened when you were in one of those situations that deeply upset you.
Perhaps you were giving a speech, and people started to shout you down.
Or you were expounding your views within a small group of people when you saw a couple whispering together and chuckling.
You thought it was directed at you, so from that day forward you always dodged going to any gathering.
It can easily be seen, therefore, how panic attacks may follow from this.
All of a sudden, your spouse tells you to be ready for the evening, because you're both going to someone's house.
The reason is that they want to meet you.
They've heard of your ability or talent in a certain area, and they and their friends would like to discuss the possibility of your giving a talk.
Perhaps not even remembering the awful experience you had years ago, nevertheless the thought of meeting all those people makes you terrified.
So we can see that from phobias, anxiety may well rear its head and a panic attack won't be far behind.
Leave the door open a crack for these nasty little brutes, and they'll be through it like a shot