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Accept yous always wondered what causes phobias? Researchers take offered several theories well-nigh the factors that may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop.

What Is a Phobia?

A phobia is an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of an object or situation that poses little real danger but provokes anxiety and avoidance.

Several types of phobias exist. Some people fearfulness large, open spaces. Others are unable to tolerate sure social situations. And still, others have a specific phobia, such as a fearfulness of snakes, elevators or flying.

Not all phobias need handling. Merely if a phobia affects your daily life, several therapies are available that can help you overcome your fears—often permanently.

Phobias are divided into three main categories:

• Specific phobias: A specific phobia involves an irrational, persistent fright of a specific object or state of affairs that’s out of proportion to the bodily chance. This includes a fright of situations (such equally airplanes or enclosed spaces); nature (such as thunderstorms or heights); animals or insects (such as dogs or spiders); blood, injection or injury (such every bit knives or medical procedures); or other phobias (such as loud noises or clowns). In that location are many other types of specific phobias. It’due south not unusual to feel phobias virtually more than one object or situation.
• Social anxiety disorder: More than just shyness, social anxiety disorder (formerly known every bit social phobia) involves a combination of excessive self-consciousness and a fearfulness of public scrutiny or humiliation in mutual social situations. In social situations, the person fears beingness rejected or negatively evaluated or fears offending others.
• Fear of open up spaces (agoraphobia): This is a fear of an actual or predictable situation, such as using public transportation, beingness in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line or existence in a oversupply, or being exterior the domicile lone. The anxiety is acquired by fearing no easy means of escape or aid if intense anxiety develops. Most people who take agoraphobia develop it after having 1 or more panic attacks, causing them to fear another attack and avert the place where it occurred. For some people, agoraphobia may be so severe that they’re unable to exit home.

What Causes Phobias?

Factors that may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop include:

• Genetics: Enquiry has shown that certain phobias may run in families. For example, twins who are raised separately, in unlike locations, may develop the aforementioned phobias. However, many people with phobias accept no relatives with the condition.
• Cultural Factors: Some phobias occur only in sure cultural groups. An example is taijin kyofusho, a social phobia that appears nearly exclusively in Nippon. This is a fear of offending or harming others in social situations. It is markedly unlike from a traditional social anxiety disorder in which the sufferer is afraid of being personally embarrassed or humiliated. It is, therefore, possible that culture plays some role in phobia development.
• Behavioral and Environmental Factors: Many phobias are based on real-life events that may or may not exist consciously remembered. A phobia of dogs, for example, may stem from beingness attacked as a small child. Social anxiety disorder may develop from teenage awkwardness or babyhood bullying. It is likely that a combination of these factors must be in identify for a phobia to develop. However, more than research is necessary before a definitive decision can be reached.