The most common phobias: a list with explanations

Probably, every person had to deal with phobias in one way or another. Some have learned to get along with internal demons, and some are striving to get rid of life-poisoning unrest. Specialists pay great attention to the study of all kinds of phobias, trying to alleviate the fate of the afflicted.

Some fears are quite common. A list of the 10 most common phobias we will definitely consider in this article. And there are those whose names are unknown even to those who are subject to them. Therefore, we will mention rare phobias for familiarization.

What to do if a phobia interferes with life, is it possible to get rid of it, is it always necessary? Let's find the answers to all the questions.

Phobia, fear and mental illness: what is the difference?

First of all, let's define the terms. Phobia is inextricably linked to fear. It represents an irresistible fear of certain phenomena, objects, situations. But are these concepts identical?

Experts answer this question negatively. According to scientists, a sense of fear is a necessity by which any living creature avoids dangers. This mechanism that helps to survive is laid down by nature itself. But in most cases, a sense of fear is justified.

A phobia, not only may not have visible reasons, but also has a number of signs that are not characteristic of a natural sense of fear. They are perfectly visible even to someone who does not have a doctor’s diploma. They include the following:

• respiratory failure (rapid or slow);
• the appearance of perspiration, increased sweating;
• tremor, trembling hands;
• disorientation in space, dizziness, nausea;
• palpitations, imbalance in blood pressure.

Some of these signs appear at the time of danger, when fear is justified. This is due to the release of adrenaline. By the way, this hormone works only for the benefit: it helps to make the right decision, to get together. The main thing is not to succumb to panic and pull yourself together in time.

In those cases when it comes to phobia, a provocative stimulus is not needed. It is enough to mention or even just remember about it. At the time of exacerbation, fear cannot be curbed. A person cannot control himself, his condition may worsen. At rest, a person is well aware that he has a phobia, but prefers not to talk about it.

This is the main difference from mental disorder. Phobias do not affect individuals, do not violate the integrity of the perception of the world, and do not ruin the psyche. When fears become an obsession and a person begins to behave inappropriately, a doctor’s consultation is vital. Disturbing symptoms should be considered a regular mention of the cause of fear, arranging shelters, unjustified spending on protective equipment, attempts to get away from a nonexistent pursuit, the desire to find out as much information as possible related to the object of apparent danger, aggression against those who are trying to dissuade. If one of your loved ones behaves this way, maybe he needs help. None of the most common phobias, as well as none of the rare ones, cause inappropriate behavior. Phobias are not a mental disorder.

Where do phobias come from?

Analyzing some common phobias, we can assume that their sources are similar. Experts believe that often the cause of the occurrence is experienced stress. After a frightening situation, a person may forever lose the desire to be in it again.

Some phobias arise from childhood upheavals and fears. Often, those situations, objects, people, circumstances, due to which a phobia formed, do not even remain in memory. But the subconscious mind stores information in its depths, “carefully” inspiring people to avoid repetition in every way.

However, there are many inexplicable. For example, the fear of flying on an airplane can haunt those who have never flown. Probably, in this case, the phobia developed out of fear of heights. Some types of phobias are even more difficult to explain.

The mystical version of the appearance of phobias

There is an alternative view. People who believe in the transmigration of souls put forward the version that a phobia is associated with a deep memory of a past life. More precisely, about the past death. According to the esotericists, a person who drowned in a previous life will be afraid of water in subsequent reincarnations.

Of course, this version, although quite entertaining, cannot be considered scientific. In any case, she currently has no evidence.

Phobia groups

Specialists who study phobias and the characteristics of the behavior associated with them use the following classification.

A list of the most common phobias with explanations is conveniently presented in a table.

Note that not all existing phobias are clearly classified. The table shows only the most common groups. To better understand the topic, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with each group in detail and consider examples.

Space Phobias

Scientists call the most common phobia the fear of a closed room, from which it is difficult to get out. There is a version that even tight swaddling in infancy may be the reason for this, but this is just a version that requires further analysis. The fear of cramped space is called claustrophobia.

The reverse phenomenon is agoraphobia. A person feels extremely uncomfortable in the middle of wide fields, squares.

Sociophobia

The list is headed by anthropophobia - the fear of people in the broad sense. Athenphosisphobia is the fear of touch. The painful fear of people of the opposite sex is called heterophobia.

Glossophobia is also subject to a lot of people, and this feature manifests itself usually in childhood. It is characterized by a fear of public speaking. Lemophobia, a fear of crowds of people, also belongs to this group.

Fear of disease

Not the last place in the list of common phobias is the fear of getting sick (nosophobia). It can manifest itself both in the stubborn denial of real diagnoses, and in the obsessive search for all sorts of symptoms. Monopathophobia is called the fear of a particular disease.

Doctors also highlight acnephobia, which is expressed in a terrible fear of acne.

There are less common types in this group: amichophobia (fear of skin lesions), venereophobia (fear of catching an STD), vermifobia (fear of pathogenic microorganisms), dermatophobia (when the risk of skin diseases is frightening).

Algophobia - the fear of experiencing pain - is inherent in many people. Diagnosing it can be difficult, to a reasonable extent it is common to everyone.

Deadly fear

Headed by the top most common phobias associated with death, thanatophobia - the fear of death as such.

Tafephobia also belongs to the group - an indescribable fear of burial alive. Surely many remember that such fear haunted Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol all his life. Perhaps this was not just fear, but a premonition of trouble, because after exhumation it was found that the great writer was most likely buried when he was in a deep sleep or coma. Modern medicine has made significant progress, experts state death after opening the body and thorough research, but many of our contemporaries suffer from this phobia.

The names "cardiophobia" and "heart attack" speak for themselves. These fears are associated with death from heart disease.

Sexual sphere

A very common phobia is a panic fear of intimacy (coitophobia). Special cases also belong to this group: fear of the first sexual experience (intimophobia), fear of harassment (counter-phobia), fear of exposure and touch (myxophobia).

The list of phobias in this group is quite large. Scientists identify many areas, each of which is associated with certain parts of the body, situations, and other factors. Some people have even such an unusual fear as the fear of a kiss (philemophobia).

Contrast Phobias

The next group combines fears associated with wrong actions, wrong actions, inappropriate feelings.

The most common are hamartophobia (fear of an unworthy act), paralyphophobia (fear of a false choice), hyrophobia (fear of manifesting joy out of place), enosiophobia (fear of the fall).

Phobiophobia

This sounds amazing, but phobiophobia is also on the list of the most common phobias. Some people, especially those familiar with the topic, are terribly afraid that their phobia will develop. These thoughts can be very intrusive.

Frightening environment

Having examined 7 main groups, we pay attention to some equally common phobias that are not included in any of them.

Specialists combine many varieties into a group of bestial phobias. It should be noted that this collective name, as such, fears of all animals does not exist.

The factor is always a certain type of animal (for example, with ailurophobia - fear of cats), a class (with ostraconophobia - fear of mollusks), or a group of animals.

List of the most common phobias

Top 10 will help get a better idea of ​​the spread of certain fears.

1. According to experts, no less than 20% of the world's population is affected by nontophobia. The meaning of fear is associated with a fear of the dark. This is the most common phobia in the world. Most often, necophobia occurs among children. It can pass with age, but this does not always happen. Some people need a night light all their lives.
2. Acrophobia is a panicky fear of heights. 7–8% of people suffer from this. Airplanes, roofs, high-rise balconies, mountain peaks, rides like Ferris Wheel - all this seems hateful and dangerous. According to experts, this phobia is not only one of the most common, but also extremely dangerous. Many say that when they are at the top, they experience impulses to rush down.
3. Aerophobia is the fear of air travel. Common sense is powerless where a panic attack begins. Many aerophobes are well aware that the aircraft is one of the safest vehicles, but they can not help themselves.
4. Claustrophobia is a fear of closed or cramped space. Elevators, closed doors, nooks scare and cause a desire to escape.
5. Aquaphobia - the fear of drowning or drowning.
6. Ophidiophobia - the panic fear of snakes.
7. Hematophobia is an uncontrolled panic fear of blood, which is accompanied by loss of consciousness much more often than other phobias.
8. Thanatophobia - fear for one’s own life.
9. Autophobia is caused by an obsessive fear of loneliness.
10. Glossophobia is the fear of speaking publicly.

The most unusual phobias

What anxieties alone do not conquer a person ... The most common phobias seem more or less understandable, but there are those that are even more difficult to explain. Consider the names and factors of the most unusual human fears.

• Acribophobia is a panic fear of not understanding the essence of what you hear.
• Gnosisophobia is a fear of learning.
• Lacanophobia is a fear of vegetables.
• Dorophobia is an inexplicable fear of gifts.
• Hydrosophobia - excessive fear of sweating.
• Ombrophobia is associated with rain, snow, hail.
• Penteraphobia occurs only in men. The subject of fear is mother-in-law.
• Chronophobia is a fear of time.
• Philophobia is characterized by a fear of falling in love.
• Retterophobia is the fear of mispronouncing a word or phrase.

Is treatment necessary?

Experts do not give a clear answer to this question. Each case requires an individual approach. Some phobias can cause neurosis (incidentally, Freud believed that nihophobia always leads to neurosis).

It happens that a phobia can adversely affect the state of health, for example, cause heart problems. In such cases, consultation with a psychologist, and possibly a psychotherapist, is necessary.

It should be remembered that a person with a phobia should never be “broken”: the fear of water will not disappear if you throw the unfortunate person out of the boat in the middle of the lake; fear of snakes will not pass by itself from contact with reptiles. The consequences can be irreversible and tragic. Correction of the condition can be selected exclusively by an experienced doctor.