o are self-assured and confident in other situations may be terrified of the idea of speaking in front of others. Glossophobia is especially debilitating for people who must speak before an audience or give public presentations as part of their professional lives, like politicians or teachers.
Specific phobias often co-occur with other disorders, such as generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Specific phobias are irrational or unreasonable fears that are triggered by the presence of a specific object (or situation) that may pose no actual threat. For example, claustrophobia is a relatively common phobia about being trapped in an enclosed space. People who have claustrophobia usually fear small spaces, restricted movements and suffocation.
Other Common Phobias
There are a variety of common phobias. Some different types of phobias include:
- Zoophobia: fear of animals
- Arachnophobia: fear of spiders
- Acrophobia: fear of heights
- Aquaphobia: fear of specific situations, such as being in water
- Astraphobia: fear of natural phenomena, such as thunder and lightning
- Hematophobia: fear of blood or injuries
- Mysophobia: fear of experiences and objects like vomiting, choking, dirt and germs
- Coulrophobia: fear of clowns
- Nyctophobia: fear of dark places
Phobias affect a significant percentage of the American population. According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, some phobia statistics include:
- Over 8.5 percent of American adults suffer from the symptoms of a specific phobia in any given year. Out of this group, the largest percentage is between the ages of 45 and 59.
- Over 32 percent of Americans with a specific phobia are receiving treatment for the disorder
- On average, Americans experience the symptoms of phobia for the first time at the age of seven
The Most Common Phobias
Out of the numerous phobias that have been identified, there are a few that prevail in our culture. According to Current Opinion in Psychiatry, the most common phobias involve animals, closed spaces, high places, being alone or being injured. However, although these top phobias occur the most frequently doesn’t mean that they are necessarily more debilitating than the more unusual phobias.
Phobia Risk Factors
Common risk factors of phobias include:
- Hereditary anxiety issues
- Socioeconomic standing
Phobias and Substance Abuse
Like other anxiety disorders, specific phobias often co-occur with substance abuse. Alcohol and drugs may be used to take the edge off the individual’s persistent fears or to help him or her cope with depression caused by self-isolation. Substance abuse can temporarily mask the presence of a phobia. A neuropsychological evaluation is often required to distinguish between the symptoms of an anxiety disorder and the side effects of drug or alcohol abuse.
Each type of phobia has its own unique set of diagnostic criteria. However, there are some overlaps. Diagnostic criteria that are similar for all phobias include:
- Life-limiting: the condition significantly impacts the person’s life
- Avoidance: extreme attempts to avoid the feared situation
- Anticipatory anxiety: tendency to dwell on upcoming events that may feature the feared object or situation
Many effective therapies and phobia treatment options are available to help people. Several therapeutic strategies are successful, including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Originally developed for the treatment of depression, CBT has been applied to the treatment of anxiety disorders and even phobias. This therapeutic approach aims to change the repetitive thought patterns that lead to self-defeating behaviors and distorted perceptions of the world. A person with a specific phobia, for instance, might learn to replace persistent worries about a situation or object with positive, reassuring self-talk.
- Exposure therapy: In exposure therapy, the patient is gradually exposed to the object of fear in a controlled environment. The ultimate goal is to introduce the patient to the subject of the phobia in a re