<<return to table of contentsA phobia is a strong, irrational and involuntary fear of an everyday object, situation or place. (Like say, Ziploc bags. Just kidding.) Though reactions to phobias can sometimes be comical--like when a woman jumps on a chair at the sight of a mouse in a cartoon--a phobia is just as serious as any other anxiety disorder.
They can be divided into four major categories:
- Animal phobias
- Environmental phobias
- Situational phobias
- Bodily injury phobias
Here are a few of the more common ones...
Claustrophobia
Fear of small or enclosed spaces; claustrophobics often report feeling trapped without a way to escape. Some claustrophobics are so freaked out by the thought of a small space they opt to be cremated rather than buried upon their deaths. Now that's some serious anxiety!
Arachnophobia
In case you missed the movie (of the same name) about the fuzzy, murderous spiders, arachnophobia is a fear of the eight-legged creatures. Does the size, shape or all-out grossness factor into this fear? Heck no!
It's actually the most common of all animal phobias, frightening more people than snakes and mice.
Aviaphobia
Not to be confused with fear of aviaries, which shares the same root word, aviaphobia is a fear of flying that not even a cute boy (or girl) in the seat next to you or free DIRECTV can cure. And the crying babies certainly don't help.
Acrophobia
Otherwise known as a fear of heights, this phobia can be triggered by riding a ferris wheel, standing at the top of the Empire State Building, climbing a ladder or even wearing high heels. Yikes, that's really up there...
Belonephobia
This unfamiliar phobia is actually quite common in both children and adults. Otherwise known as the fear of needles, belonephobia includes knitting needles, sewing needles, as well as the dreaded needles used to give injections (though fear of injections, trypanophobia, is a whole other phobia altogether).
Do you think belonephobics are also scared of sharp, scary porcupines?
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a fear of public or open spaces such as the mall, museum or park. Current research has shown a strong link between this Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder, which makes sense considering that people tend to hang out in public...
