Different Phobias

6 Common Different Types Of Phobias


There are many different phobias. A phobia is an irrational fear of a situation or certain object. This can happen when a person does not understand or is fearful of an event or a specific thing. It can come from a negative experience relating to a topic or from fear being around an object, person or animal. A person who suffers from different phobias can have different symptoms that include dizziness, nausea, panic and a fear of death.


People who have phobias can also have anxiety and panic attacks when they come in contact with something they are fearful of. It is thought that 10% of all people in the United States suffer from phobias. It is the most common mental illness and women suffer from phobias more often than men. Most people realize that their fear is irrational and they seek out help to conquer their fear. While other sufferers may become reclusive and avoid everyday situations.


Most of the time, exposure to the frightening situation or object is the cure. Overtime, the panicked feeling will eventually go away. Relaxation methods may also be used to ease the sufferer’s fears. There are many types of different phobias that can relate to almost anything. Most are very common and can be experienced by many people.

Agoraphobia is one of the most common phobias. This happens when a person has a fear of crowds or wide open places. An agoraphobic cannot stand to be in a room filled with unfamiliar faces and they may experience anxiety at places like the grocery store, sporting events or in a mall. People with this type of phobia may retreat to what they perceive as a safe place. They may become home bound is the condition worsens.


A few years ago a movie was made and it was called, arachnophobia. This type of phobia is the irrational fear of spiders. In this movie, the main character had a bad childhood experience with a spider. Even though it did not harm him in anyway, just seeing this creepy creature made him anxious and scared by even the sight of a spider. This is one reason why people have different phobias.


Many celebrities have a fear of shaking hands or being touched by people and this is called verminophobia. This happens when a person fears germs. When a sufferer is touched by another person, they may feel the need to wash their hands or even to take a shower. Their fear of germs may also cause them to only eat food prepared at home. They may avoid this like working in a garden or changing a dirty diaper.


Obesophobia can be closely related to anorexia. An obesophobic is afraid to gain weight. They may intentionally avoid foods that are high in fat and calories and they may also exercise all the time. These are the same symptoms that anorexics experience and this phobia can affect overall health.

Aichmophobia is the fear or needles. A person who suffers from this phobia can become lightheaded and even faint if they know they will have to have an injection. They can also experience panic attacks. This can be a hard type of phobia to cure because the sufferer cannot be helped by exposure to the problem.


Acrophobia is another commonly felt phobia. This is the fear of heights or high places. People with this phobia can have problems with escalators or elevators and they may also have a fear of flying. If a person with acrophobia knows he has to climb up stairs or stand on a balcony, they can become panicked and can also suffer from extreme anxiety.