What is a phobia?

A phobia is an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain object, situation, or activity. This fear can be so great that a person may try almost anything to avoid the source of this fear. One response can be a panic attack. This is a sudden, intense fear that lasts for several minutes. It happens when there is no real danger.

Who is affected by phobias?

About 19 million Americans have one or more phobias. They may range from mild to severe. Phobias can happen in early childhood. But they often first occur between ages 15 and 20. They affect both men and women equally. But men are more likely to seek treatment for phobias.

What causes phobias?

Phobias may start with both genetic and environmental factors. Certain phobias have been linked to a very bad first encounter with the feared object or situation. Mental health experts don’t know if this first encounter is necessary. Phobias may simply occur in people who are prone to having them.

What are the main types of phobias?

Specific phobia

Specific phobia is an extreme fear of an object or situation that normally isn't harmful.

Examples include a fear of:

• Flying (fearing the plane will crash).

• Dogs (fearing the dog will bite or attack).

• Closed-in places (fear of being trapped).

• Tunnels (fearing a collapse).

• Heights (fear of falling).

What causes specific phobia?

People with a specific phobia know that their fear is extreme. But they can't overcome it. The problem is diagnosed only when the fear interferes with daily activities of school, work, or home life.

There is no known cause, although they seem to run in families. They are also found a bit more often in women. If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not seek treatment. But sometimes they may make important personal decisions to avoid a the source of the phobia.

Treatment for specific phobia

When phobias interfere with a person's life, treatment can help. For specific phobias, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure treatment is advised. In exposure therapy, people are gradually exposed to what frightens them until the fear starts to fade. Relaxation and breathing exercises also help.

Social phobia

Social phobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person has a fear of being embarrassed, humiliated, or scorned by others. Even when they manage to confront this fear, people with social phobia usually:

• Feel very anxious before the event.

• Feel very uneasy during the event.

• Feel bad after the event.

Social phobia often happens with:

• Public speaking.

• Meeting people.

• Dealing with authority figures.

• Eating in public.

• Using public restrooms.

What causes social phobia?

Social phobia is not the same as shyness. Shy people can be very uneasy around others. But they don't have the extreme anxiety in looking ahead to a social situation. Also, they don't necessarily avoid circumstances that make them feel self-conscious. In contrast, people with social phobia are not necessarily shy at all. They can be completely at ease with some people most of the time.

Most people with social phobia will try to avoid situations that cause distress.

Diagnosing social phobia

Social phobia is diagnosed when the fear greatly gets in the way of normal routines or is too upsetting.

Social phobia disrupts normal life. It interferes with career or social relationships. It often runs in families and may happen along with depression or alcoholism. It often starts in early teens or even younger.

Treatment for social phobia

People with social phobia are often treated with CBT, medicine, or a mix of both.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia involves the fear of having a panic attack in a place or situation from which escape may be hard or embarrassing.

The anxiety is often so severe that it causes panic attacks. People with agoraphobia often try to avoid the location or cause of their fear. It involves fear of situations like:

• Being alone outside their home.

• Being at home alone.

• Being in a crowd.

• Traveling in a vehicle.

• Being in an elevator or on a bridge.

People with agoraphobia typically stay out of crowded places like streets, crowded stores, churches, and theaters.

What causes agoraphobia?

Most people with agoraphobia get it after first suffering a series of panic attacks. The attacks happen randomly and without warning. They make it impossible to predict what will trigger them. This makes the person anticipate future panic attacks. Eventually, they fear any situation where an attack may happen. They avoid any place or situation where panic attacks have happened before.

People with the disorder may feel that they can't leave their homes. Others do go into stressful situations, but only with great distress, or with a trusted friend or family member.

People with agoraphobia may also have depression, fatigue, tension, alcohol or drug abuse problems, and obsessive disorders. This makes treatment crucial.