Being afraid of walking alone at night might have its benefits by keeping you safe but having a fear of going to work might damage future prospects from life to career.
According to a senior psychiatrist, Dr Hamed al Sinawi, some individuals might even mend their lifestyles to accommodate their elements of fear.
The latest phobias to raise its head more prominently is ergophobia — an abnormal and persistent fear of work.
While so many people are trying their best to secure a job, here was a person who was approached by an organisation after they had seen the individual’s social media stature and expertise he had gained in a specific field that had attracted an immense following. Young and jobless, the person’s family and friends were happy when the aforementioned individual, who was a gamer, received job confirmation.
“He was enjoying it, but very soon, he questioned and wondered to himself whether the anxiety he was going through was worth the job. It was well paid and the family did not want him to lose the opportunity. Yet another person suffered from the fear of flying so much that even the thought made him uncomfortable,” explained Dr Al Sinawi.
According to him, the issue is that when people take longer to seek help, avoidance becomes part of their life.
“So they learn not to face the illness, and then it becomes a new lifestyle. It becomes difficult for them to change,” he pointed out.
A bad experience leaves its impression on the mind, to the point the mind questions each time, “What if?”
“The question, ‘What if?’ is the reason for ruining everything,” he stressed.
All of it except the original incident is imagination in mind, said the senior psychiatrist.
“For some people going through an accident or having a loved one in an accident might stop them from driving again. Probably they might take life adaptation and get a driver for example or they might start cycling if the place is nearby. So once they get used to the new lifestyle, they do not see a need to work on their fears.”
So can we just move on in life by sweeping the fears under the carpet?
Sometimes it is to understand what is fearful to you, said Dr Al Sinawi, “Most of the time people know there is no logic behind their fear, so one has to think of ‘What could happen?’ So breaking it down to small steps such as the person who has fear for flying can start with small journeys, travel with a person who is understanding because that person can talk to you, or read a book or use an iPad, so you are not constantly thinking ‘what if?’.”
Facing fear is the first step, but most people live in denial.
Ergophobia is when a person feels fear and intimidation from work because it requires commitment, having to deal with people and this can cause them to feel anxious and uncomfortable.
Luckily the young man concerned about suffering from ergophobia was mindful of the fear and his feelings. He acknowledged the fact that it was not the physical part of the work that was difficult, and the environment was peaceful, and he was passionate about the role he was given in the organisation, yet could not accept the commitment part of the job where he was required to be at the workplace at a certain time.
For some people giving up freedom can also develop the other aspect — expectations.
“Workplaces can also cause social phobia as people have to deal with people on a face to face basis, personalities vary and at a time can bring in difficult customers.
“The challenge to learn a new skills set can affect self-esteem and the ability to cope with the situation. It is often perceived as pressure.”
Internal conversations are often blamed for the anxiety. And Dr Hamed al Sinawi recommends, along with therapy, mindfulness to overcome anxious thoughts.
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