Fear is a part of every person’s life and a healthy amount of it can even be good for your overall performance and mental health. But it is when it escalates into more and becomes an actual psychological disorder that you need to be proactive and treat it seriously. Phobias are the most common psychological illness in women and second most among men according to the American Psychiatrist Association. Phobias can develop during childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood if not treated properly. They could even escalate to a point where you can get panic attacks which is why it is important to learn about them in order to treat them. Following are the top ten most common phobias that you might have:

1. Arachnophobia

The fear of spiders or any other eight-legged insects is called Arachnophobia. It can be triggered by just looking at the insect or even thinking about it which can lead to the person having anxiety. Even though only a few dozen species are actually dangerous among the thousands, it is theorized that this fear could actually have been passed down from our ancestors due to evolution and them not having any defensive medical treatment to treat injuries from such insects.

2. Nyctophobia

The fear of the dark is called Nyctophobia. This phobia can be due to the fact that in the dark you cannot see or know what could happen and so the brain can be triggered into being defensive. Another reason could be due to a traumatic experience you might have faced in the dark in your childhood that has caused you to become fearful.

3. Ophidiophobia

The fear of snakes, also known as Ophidiophobia, is very common worldwide. It can be developed due to many reasons. A person who has been bitten by a snake can grow fearful but it can also be because of evolutionary reasons or myths and horror stories from different cultures. People can also become Ophidiophobic because of their disgust at such a poisonous creature.

4. Acrophobia

The fear of heights is one of the most common phobias in the world. Some people have a healthy amount of fear when standing at a high place but people with acrophobia can get anxiety attacks, nausea, and dizziness when faced with even the thought of going at a high place such as towers, tall buildings, and even bridges. It can be caused due to a traumatic experience or just the evolutionary fear of the risk of falling from a great height.

5. Aerophobia

The fear of flying affects many people worldwide. The rate of flying and plane accidents that occur in a year is low, but has not stopped people from being afraid of getting on planes. This phobia could result in dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat and disorientation. It can be treated by simple exposure therapy that would gradually expose you to flying until you are cured of the phobia. This fear can be caused due to the fact that sitting high up in the air in a boxed compartment with no way out can make people uncomfortable.

6. Cynophobia

Cynophobia is a fear of dogs. Dogs can be one of the most lovable creatures in the world but that has not stopped millions from developing a fear of them. This fear could develop after a traumatic experience involving a dog such as getting bitten in childhood. This fear could get so bad that people cannot walk down the street if they suspect a dog is present. It could hinder them from doing normal daily life activities.

7. Astraphobia

Millions of people across the globe have a fear of thunder storms or lightning. This fear could develop in childhood due to the scary noises and environment that can have a strong impact on a child’s psyche. This phobia could cause rapid heartbeat, hyperventilation, and shaking. People go so far as to hide under covers on their bed and rarely want to be alone during storms.

8. Trypanophobia

Trypanophobia is a fear of needles or injections that many people suffer from. It can cause a person to avoid medical treatments and not visit doctors at all. The fear can lead to the person not seeking medical attention even when necessary. They tend to avoid any interaction where a needle or injection could be present. It can cause them to get panic attacks, short breath and even faint.

9. Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is a fear of closed spaces without any room to escape. This fear could be triggered due to situations like an overcrowded elevator, rooms with no windows, small vehicles etc. It could have a connection to a traumatic childhood experience. This phobia can cause anxiety and the person could try to avoid places that are too small or crowded. This also goes unnoticed and untreated like many on this list.

10. Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)

Just like many other mental illnesses and issues, this disorder goes fairly unnoticed by many people. The phobia of social situations or interactions is very real and can have dangerous effects on the health. People with social anxiety do not like unpredictable social situations or being in a social event with people they do not know or are comfortable with. They would try to avoid speaking, eating or doing many normal things in public due to their anxiety. It is very important to recognize and treat this fear since it can cause a person to become entirely anti-social and remain at home for most of their lives.

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