WHAT SCARES YOU? List of Phobias

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear."

H.P. Lovecraft

The word phobia comes from the Greek word phobos which means fear, terror, panic, and flight. In Greek mythology, Phobos was a god who caused fear and panic in his enemies in a time of war. Although phobias and phobic reactions have been recorded for thousands of years, scientific understanding of them began in the twentieth century.

Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of certain objects or situations. People who have phobias are often so overwhelmed by their anxiety that they avoid the feared objects or situations. The stange thing about phobias is that people are usually able to realize that the phobia is not sensible when they are in a safe place, but it doesn't stop the fear when the object or situation that they fear is near.

Panic, anxiety and phobias are very related problems experienced by many individuals. Phobias ruin lives. Many people are crippled by their intense irrational terrors - whether focused on snakes, spiders, social situations or just going out of the front door. How Many People Suffer from Phobias? Approximately 4 to 5% of the U.S. population has one or more clinically significant phobias in a given year.

The exact cause of phobias is not known, although one common theory is that phobias are learned fears. This premise advances that phobias arise in the' teenage years, out of childhood fears, or around the time one is becoming more independent. However, that is not to suggest that a singular event triggers a phobia; in reality, that is rarely the case.

There are two types of phobias---Social Phobias and Simple or Specific Phobias. Some would add a third kind: 'Agoraphobiba' often called claustrophobia; this includes things like a fear of enclosed spaces, using buses and trains, even just leaving the house. Agoraphobics often think that if they are put into their feared situation that they will collapse or lose control.

A Social Phobia is the fear of embarrassment or humiliation that may occur when eating, drinking, speaking or engaging in any other activity in front of others or in a public place - a fear that results in avoidance behavior. Social Phobias have national health consequences. Many social phobics turn to alcohol or illegal drugs for temporary relief from their fears.

Simple Phobias are fears of dogs, snakes, driving, heights, etc. This type of phobia can greatly effect how one goes about their daily life and may guide them in making decisions.

Believe it or not, all the phobias listed here are real.

Each phobia listed is followed by what the "fear of" is, e.g. "Acrophobia: heights" means 'Acrophobia is the fear of heights'. There is also a page with a reverse index listing the "fear" first alphabetically.

If you can't find a phobia listed, it probably doesn't exist. However, we're not infallible. One may have slipped through the cracks. So, if you do know of one not shown, email it to me.

Also, from the ADAA, Anxiety Disorders Association of America, "if you suspect that you might suffer from a phobia...", learn more at their website

Alphabetical Index of Phobias

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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