Phobias are irrational and illogical - and one out of eight Americans has a phobia or irrational fear of something. Many phobias lead to panic attacks, which are extremely frightening for both the person having the attack and the people around them.
Phobias in Psychology
"A person with a phobia suffers from an ongoing, irrational fear of something that is so strong it creates a compelling desire to avoid it," writes Joni Johnston, Psy.D. in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Psychology, (Alpha, 2009). Some phobias go away over time. Other phobias become a huge part of people's lives, and stay that way unless treatment is sought. Sometimes, the best treatment involves getting help for anxiety disorders or panic attacks.
Most phobias involve an unreasonable, extreme fear of everyday objects or events – which is why phobias are irrational. They don't make sense, even to the person suffering from them.
What Are the Most Common Phobias?
Phobias can involve almost anything -- coffee, line ups at grocery stores, dust. Some irrational fears that don’t seem to make much sense include arachibutyrophobia, the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth, or geniophobia, the fear of chins. Another irrational fear is being afraid of Friday the 13th (not the movie), which is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.
Most people who struggle with the most common phobias are intellectually aware their fears are irrational, but they just can’t help feeling paralyzed by fear, anxiety, and helplessness. Panic attacks occur, out of their control.
Other phobias seem to make more sense. For instance, some people fear developing ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) or cancer. In extreme cases, this could develop into panthophobia and cause panic attacks. Other people are irrationally afraid of ants, which can become an anxiety disorder called myrmecophobia.
The most common phobia in North America is arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders. Speaking in public or glossophobia is another common phobia, as is agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces). Birds is another fairly common phobia: some people can't look at, hear, or even say the word “bird” without having a panic, hyperventilating and crying -- they suffer from ornithophobia.
The most common phobias in psychology often stem from everyday situations.
Where Do Irrational Fears Come From?
Most phobias in psychology develop in adulthood, but can stem out of a childhood fear.
Many phobias start as a "normal" fear based on reality and logic, to an overwhelmingly irrational avoidance of a harmless situation. For example, if you're running in the park and a snake slithers across the path in front of you, you may quit jogging in that park. That anxiety may not go away even when you stop running in the park – it could spill over to jogging on the street, and even on a treadmill in the gym. Some phobias develop this way, and lead to serious panic attacks over seemingly harmless situations.
Healthy fears and phobias are two different things. Healthy fear keeps you alive and well, alert and energized. Unhealthy fear can cause anxiety and panic attacks, which can make life very difficult.
Signs of and Treatments for Phobic Behavior
You may have a phobia if:
- Your professional or social life is negatively affected by irrational fears.
- Your fearful, anxious feelings won’t go away, and seem irrational even to you.
- You arrange your life to avoid the situation or object. Phobias disrupt lives - which is why seeking treatment for anxiety disorders and panic attacks is so important!
Overcoming a phobia is possible, often with psychological help. Systematic desensitization is an effective treatment for phobias or panic attacks for many people.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen - Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time writer and blogger in Vancouver, BC, and the creator of the Quips and Tips blog series.
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