What are Phobias?

By Victoria Klaus

Photo via mikonaom on Pinterest

What is a Phobia?

Have you ever had an extreme reaction to something that is not likely to harm you? This could mean you have a phobia. However, phobias are rarer than people think; only about 9.1% of Americans actually have a phobia. People throw the word around a lot and do not realize how uncommon they really are. Being scared of a spider does not mean you have arachnophobia. Being uncomfortable when you see something with a lot of holes does not mean you have trypophobia. Let's dive into what it really means to have a phobia.

Phobias vs Fear

Phobias are mental illnesses and are defined as ”an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something” by Oxford Languages. This is different from fear because fear is rational. For example, if you see a bear, you might experience fear because you know that it could attack you. However, going to the doctor and panicking over a shot would be an example of a phobia because a shot won't harm you. Fear is a positive and necessary emotion. They help humans respond in dangerous situations; in the scenario of a bear, fear would lead the person to escape the situation. Phobias do not help people and can cause harm. They can lead to people missing out on certain things. For example, a person with a phobia of doctors could miss out on proper medical care.

Phobias also cause extreme physical reactions. They can lead to sweating or chills, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, and more. The anxiety experienced will outweigh the potential harm. There are many types of phobias that all target different things; some of the most common are claustrophobia, arachnophobia, and agoraphobia. 

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Why Do We Experience Phobias?

Because phobias seem to have no use for humans, it makes sense to wonder where they come from. Phobias usually stem from childhood. They can come from a bad experience with a specific trigger, like spiders or needles. It could be learned from people around you, or even passed down genetically. 

Overall, phobias are rare and extreme. Even though they are irrational, you should not mock someone for their phobia because they cannot control it. Phobias are much harder to overcome than fears.