Phobias can happen in early childhood. But they are often first seen between ages 15 and They affect both men and women equally. But men are more likely to seek treatment for phobias. Research suggests that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the start of phobias.
Certain phobias have been linked to a very bad first encounter with the feared object or situation. People with specific phobia know that their fear is extreme.
But they can't overcome it. The problem is diagnosed only when the specific 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 slightly more often in women. If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not seek treatment.
Sometimes, however, they may make important career or personal decisions to avoid a situation that includes the source of the 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.
The best treatment for specific phobias is a form of psychotherapy called exposure therapy. Sometimes your doctor may also recommend other therapies or medication. Understanding the cause of a phobia is actually less important than focusing on how to treat the avoidance behavior that has developed over time. The goal of treatment is to improve quality of life so that you're no longer limited by your phobias.
As you learn how to better manage and relate to your reactions, thoughts and feelings, you'll find that your anxiety and fear are reduced and no longer in control of your life. Treatment is usually directed at one specific phobia at a time.
Talking with a mental health professional can help you manage your specific phobia. Exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are the most effective treatments. Generally psychotherapy using exposure therapy is successful in treating specific phobias. However, sometimes medications can help reduce the anxiety and panic symptoms you experience from thinking about or being exposed to the object or situation you fear.
Medications may be used during initial treatment or for short-term use in specific, infrequently encountered situations, such as flying on an airplane, public speaking or going through an MRI procedure. Ask your doctor or other health care professional to suggest lifestyle and other strategies to help you manage the anxiety that accompanies specific phobias. Updated November June Childhood generalized specific phobia as an early marker of internalizing psychopathology across the lifespan: results from the World Mental Health Surveys.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Professional Screenings. Determining Subtypes. Differential Diagnosis. Labs and Tests. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Related Articles. What Is Fear of Birds Ornithophobia? What is Fear of Traveling Hodophobia? What Is Exposure Therapy? Agoraphobia is characterized by a disproportionate fear of public places. People may have difficulty leaving the house or being in a public place where they cannot easily escape. Symptoms can include anxiety symptoms such as panic attacks when exposed to the source of the fear and avoidance of any situation or place that might trigger the fear response.
Symptoms that a person might experience when faced with a situation they fear include rapid heartbeat, shaking, shortness of breath, numbness, stomach upset, a sense of unreality, and a fear of losing control. The avoidance behaviors and anticipatory anxiety that characterize agoraphobia make it difficult for people with the condition to function normally, leading to significant disruptions in normal routines and relationships as well as work and social activities.
In order to be diagnosed with agoraphobia, symptoms need to be present for a minimum of six months and should not be better explained by another underlying condition. If you suspect that you have a phobia, talk to your doctor or mental health professional. These conditions can lead to significant distress and disruptions in your normal life, but effective treatment options are available including behavioral therapy and medications.
Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th ed. Washington, DC. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
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