Then you’re not alone
Terrified of the creepy-crawlies?
Scared of slithering serpents?
Well, youre not alone.
Illustration by Emily Roberts, Verywell
Statistics suggest thatphobiasare among the most common psychiatric illnesses among U.S. adults.
The National Institute of Mental Health suggests thatphobias affect approximately9.1% of U.S. adults each year.
These phobias typically emerge during childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood.
They also impact twice as many women as they do men.
There are severalexplanations for why phobias develop, including evolutionary and behavioral theories.
Whatever the cause, phobias are treatable conditions that can be minimized and even eliminated withcognitiveandbehavioral therapytechniques and medication.
Keep reading to learn more about the most common phobias and their specific characteristics.
Click below to listen now.
What Are the Most Common Phobias?
Illustration by Emily Roberts, Verywell
What exactly do people tend to fear the most?
In some cases, they may escalate into a full-blownpanic attack.
Here’s a more in-depth look at each one.
Click Play to Learn More About Common Phobias
This video has been medically reviewed byDaniel B.
Arachnophobia
Arachnophobiais the fear of spiders and other arachnids.
So why are so many people terrified of arachnids?
While there are an estimated 35,000 spider species, only around a dozen pose any real threat to humans.
As a result, evolution contributed to a predisposition to fear these creatures.
Ophidiophobia
Ophidiophobiais the fear of snakes.
This phobia is quite common and often attributed to evolutionary causes, personal experiences, or cultural influences.
Some of the common symptoms associated with this phobia include trembling, rapid heartbeat, and feeling disoriented.
The fear of flying sometimes causes people to avoid flying altogether.
This particular phobia can be quite common.
Astraphobia
Astraphobiais a fear of thunder and lightning.
People with this phobia experience overwhelming feelings of fear when they encounter such weather-related phenomena.
People with this phobia also tend to develop an excessive preoccupation with the weather.
Like many phobias, this fear often goes untreated because people avoid the triggering object and situation.
Some people even pass out during the injection.
This phobia can lead to vaccine hesitancy.
People with this phobia fear being watched or humiliated in front of others.
Even ordinary, everyday tasks such as eating a meal can be anxiety-provoking.
Social phobias often develop during puberty and can last throughout life unless they are treated.
The most common form of social phobia is a fear of public speaking.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobiainvolves afear of being alonein a situation or place where escape may be difficult.
People will begin avoiding these trigger events, sometimes to the point that they cease leaving their homes entirely.
Approximately one-third of people withpanic disorderdevelop agoraphobia.It usually develops sometime between late adolescence and mid-30s.
Estimates also suggest that two-thirds of people with agoraphobia are women.
In some instances, this phobia may be related toobsessive-compulsive disorder.
Fortunately, safe and effective treatments are available which may includepsychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both.
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