Phobiasare extreme fears that make it impossible to function normally.
Phobias, however, cause psychological and physical reactions that are difficult if not impossible to manage.
As a result, people with phobias will go to great lengths to avoid the object of their fears.
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What Causes Phobias?
Why do other people react to the same experience with mild anxiety or calm?
The causes of phobias are not yet widely understood.
Increasingly, however, research shows that genetics may play at least some role.
Studies show that twins who are raised separately have a higher than average rate of developing similar phobias.
In general, relatives of someone with a specific anxiety disorder are most likely to develop the same disorder.
This is much higher than the 10% chance of developing an anxiety disorder found in the general population.
However, this study does support the theory that genetics play a major role.
