PHOBIAS: CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS

A phobia is an unreasonable fear of something. There are two main kinds of phobias. The first is social phobia. The second is a group called the specific phobias.

Social phobia is a fear of going out in social situations. A person with this disorder will be afraid of getting embarrassed or humiliated. Just thinking about going out in a social situation will make this person very anxious. People with social phobia usually avoid social situations as much as possible. They may go to an event, but feel very distressed the whole time. Adults with this disorder usually realize the fear is too strong or that it is unreasonable. Children with the disorder may not realize this.

Social phobia can cause problems at work and in school, as well as in a person's social life. This disorder occurs in both men and women. It usually starts in the teens, but can begin in childhood.

Specific phobias are fears caused by a specific object or situation. The fear is very intense and can cause a great deal of anxiety. People with animal phobias fear animals or insects, often snakes or spiders. People with environmental phobias fear things like storms, heights, or water. There are also situational phobias. These involve fearing situations like flying, driving, or being on bridges or in tunnels.

There are several theories about why people develop phobias. Specific phobias often result from having a bad experience. Children may see other people getting hurt by something or be afraid of something. Most of the time, people end up with phobias about something that does have some potential risk. To be diagnosed as a phobia, the fear has to interfere with someone's life or cause distress. Phobias are much more common in women than in men.

Both social phobia and specific phobias usually respond to treatment. Certain medications can be very helpful to people who are learning how to confront the object of their phobias. Other medications can also be taken right before a scary situation. Specific behavioral therapy techniques are useful. Learning yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques can help control the anxiety people get when they deal with their phobias.

Call your healthcare provider if you think you have phobias.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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