What do phobias cause

People with social phobia often go out of their way to avoid public situations. Many people dislike certain situations or objects, but to be a true phobia, the fear must interfere with daily life. Here are a few more of the most common ones:. Glossophobia: This is known as performance anxiety, or the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

People with this phobia have severe physical symptoms when they even think about being in front of a group of people.

Glossophobia treatments can include either therapy or medication. Acrophobia: This is the fear of heights. People with this phobia avoid mountains, bridges, or the higher floors of buildings. Claustrophobia: This is a fear of enclosed or tight spaces. Severe claustrophobia can be especially disabling if it prevents you from riding in cars or elevators. Learn more about claustrophobia, from additional symptoms to treatment options. Aviophobia: This is also known as the fear of flying.

Dentophobia: Dentophobia is a fear of the dentist or dental procedures. It can be harmful if it prevents you from obtaining needed dental care. Hemophobia: This is a phobia of blood or injury. Nyctophobia : This phobia is a fear of the nighttime or darkness. It almost always begins as a typical childhood fear.

People with a genetic predisposition to anxiety may be at high risk of developing a phobia. Age, socioeconomic status, and gender seem to be risk factors only for certain phobias.

For example, women are more likely to have animal phobias. Children or people with a low socioeconomic status are more likely to have social phobias. Men make up the majority of those with dentist and doctor phobias. The most common and disabling symptom of a phobia is a panic attack. Features of a panic attack include:. Treatment for phobias can involve therapeutic techniques, medications, or a combination of both.

Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is the most commonly used therapeutic treatment for phobias. It involves exposure to the source of the fear in a controlled setting.

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List of Partners vendors. Have you ever wondered what causes phobias? Researchers have offered several theories about the factors that may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop. A phobia is an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of an object or situation that poses little real danger but provokes anxiety and avoidance. Unlike the brief anxiety most people feel when they give a speech or take a test, a phobia is long-lasting, causes intense physical and psychological reactions, and can affect your ability to function normally at work or in social settings.

If anxiety negatively affects functioning in work, school or social situations, talk with your doctor or a mental health professional.

Childhood fears, such as fear of the dark, of monsters or of being left alone, are common, and most children outgrow them. But if your child has a persistent, excessive fear that interferes with daily functioning at home or school, talk to your child's doctor.

Most people can be helped with the right therapy. And therapy tends to be easier when the phobia is addressed right away rather than waiting.

Although specific phobias may seem silly to others, they can be devastating to the people who have them, causing problems that affect many aspects of life. If you have a specific phobia, consider getting psychological help, especially if you have children. Although genetics likely plays a role in the development of specific phobias, repeatedly seeing someone else's phobic reaction can trigger a specific phobia in children. By dealing with your own fears, you'll be teaching your child excellent resiliency skills and encouraging him or her to take brave actions just like you did.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Specific phobias are an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of objects or situations that pose little real danger but provoke anxiety and avoidance. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic.