What are Phobias?

A phobia is not the same as a simple fear. Everyone feels scared sometimes, like when watching a scary movie or encountering something unexpected. However, a phobia is much stronger and lasts much longer than a fear, and phobias can make people panic even when the object or situation they fear is not actually dangerous. For example, someone with a phobia of spiders might be terrified of even a harmless spider that is far away. This fear can feel so overwhelming that it affects a person’s ability to enjoy everyday activities. Phobias can also cause physical reactions like sweating, a racing heart, or difficulty breathing, which make the fear seem like a true threat. Unlike ordinary fears, which tend to pass quickly, phobias can last for months or years and, without treatment, may even get worse over time. Understanding what makes a fear become a phobia is an important step in finding ways to manage and overcome phobias.

Phobias come in many forms and affect people in different ways. Some people have specific phobias, which are fears of certain objects or situations, like rats, thunderstorms, or flying in an airplane. These phobias can make people avoid everyday activities, like walking in the park or traveling by plane. Specific phobias may also cause people to avoid things they need to do; for example, someone may avoid going to the doctor if they have a phobia of needles. People with severe agoraphobia can even refuse to leave their houses at all because they are too scared of being in situations where it might be hard to escape, such as crowded places. People with social anxiety disorder experience similar symptoms to those with phobias, though this specific disorder has its own classification. People with social anxiety disorder feel very nervous about social interactions, such as talking in front of a group, meeting new people, or attending parties. People can also have more than one phobia, which can make life even more challenging. Each type of phobia has its own difficulties, but they all have one thing in common: they cause intense fear and anxiety that can interfere with normal activities.

Are People Born With Phobias or are They Learned?

Some people are more likely to develop phobias because of their genes. Studies show that if a close family member (like a parent or sibling) has a phobia, it increases the chances that someone else in the family might develop one too [1]. For example, if a parent is very afraid of heights, their child might develop the same fear, even if they have never had a bad experience with heights themselves. Because some phobias can develop without a specific negative experience, it suggests the presence of a genetic component because the fear arises from inherited traits rather than experiences or learning. Scientists also believe that some types of phobias are more likely to be passed down through genetics than others. It has been found that animal phobias and blood-injury-injection phobias are the most likely to be inherited [1]. However, it is important to know that having a family history of phobias does not guarantee that someone will develop a phobia of their own. Genes only increase the possibility, and other factors such as experiences and learning also play an important role. The combination of genes and environmental factors can help us understand why some people are more vulnerable to phobias than others.

People can also develop phobias by observing the behavior of others. Watching how others react to certain things can teach us to feel the same way. This is called social learning. For example, if you see someone else being afraid of spiders, you might start to feel scared of spiders too, because you assume there is a rational reason that the other person is afraid of them. Social learning is especially common in young children, who often look to adults or older kids to understand what is safe or dangerous. For instance, if a parent reacts fearfully to snakes or heights, their child might learn to have the same reaction. This is especially true if the child already inherited a genetic vulnerability to developing a phobia. Social learning highlights the importance of our relationships and environments in shaping our fears. It also reminds us that phobias are not always based on personal experiences—sometimes they come from watching and learning from others.

Our brains are extremely good at learning, and sometimes they learn to be afraid of certain things through a process called fear conditioning (Figure 1). This happens when the brain associates a specific object or situation with a scary event. For example, if you hear a loud, frightening noise every time you see a rat, your brain might start to associate rats with feelings of fear. Even when the noise stops, you may then still feel fear when you see a rat [2]. Over time, this process can lead to a phobia that feels automatic and difficult to control. Fear conditioning helps explain why some people develop fears even when the object or situation is not dangerous. It also shows how our brains can create strong emotional connections between our experiences and our surroundings, sometimes leading to fear responses that feel uncontrollable [2]. By recognizing how fear conditioning works, therapists can help people unlearn these automatic fear responses and develop healthier reactions to the things they fear.

Sometimes people develop phobias after having a severely frightening experience. For example, if someone is bitten by a dog, they might develop a strong fear of dogs, even if they meet friendly dogs later in life. These experiences can leave lasting impressions on the brain, making it hard to feel safe in similar situations. Sometimes, even one scary event is enough to trigger a lifelong fear. For others, repeated smaller events—like encountering a barking dog while walking home, or seeing an aggressive dog in the park—can slowly develop into a phobia. Environmental factors often work alongside genetics to shape how a person responds to fear. While not everyone who has a scary experience develops a phobia, those who do may find that the fear feels uncontrollable and continues long after the event has passed. Learning about the role of the environment in phobias helps us understand that these fears are often responses to real and impactful events.

The Fear Center of the Brain

A number of brain areas play a role in how people experience fear (Figure 2). When you first see something scary, your eyes send the image to a part of the brain called the thalamus, which acts like a mailroom (or relay center) that quickly passes the information to other areas of the brain for specialized processing. When the image gets sent to the visual cortex (a large section in the back of the brain dedicated to processing visual information obtained by the eyes) you can then identify what you are looking at. Once you have identified what you are looking at, the next step is to determine how you feel about the item. The information is therefore next passed from the visual cortex to the amygdala, a small structure located deeper within the brain, and sometimes referred to as the “fear center”. The amygdala acts like an alarm system or a security guard (see this article, which describes what happens in the brain when you spot something scary). The amygdala decides if what you are seeing is dangerous and prepares you to react by sending signals to your body.

This reaction, called the fight-or-flight response, helps people stay safe in dangerous situations. The “fight-or-flight” response gets the body ready to fight, run away, or freeze, which is why your heart might beat fast, or your palms start to sweat when you are scared. However, the amygdala can sometimes overreact, like a false alarm, making you feel afraid even when there is no real danger [3]. For example, someone with a fear of snakes might panic at the sight of a harmless garden snake that poses no threat. This fear might feel out of place today, but it comes from our ancestors’ need to do things that increased their chances of survival. A long time ago, being scared of snakes or other dangerous animals likely helped our ancestors avoid getting hurt. Being afraid of threats like snakes was an advantage for survival because that behavior (avoiding snakes) meant they were less likely to be bitten. These fears that were once an advantage can still affect people today, even if they are no longer important to our survival. Understanding how the brain works and how evolution shaped our fears can help us see phobias as natural responses activated in situations where the thing we fear is no longer an actual threat.

Treating Phobias

The good news is that phobias can be treated effectively. One of the most common and effective ways to treat phobias is exposure therapy, which involves gradually confronting the fear in a safe and controlled environment. For example, someone with a fear of flying might start by looking at pictures of airplanes, then move on to visiting an airport, and eventually take a short flight. This gradual exposure helps the brain “unlearn” the fear and realize that the situation is not as scary as it seemed [4]. Another effective method is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), where people work with a therapist to change the negative thoughts and beliefs that fuel their phobia [5]. During CBT, people learn to retrain their brains to respond differently to fear by challenging negative thinking patterns. A therapist can help you find evidence that disproves your fears and helps you realize the fears are based on unlikely outcomes. By successfully using CBT, you can replace panic and avoidance with calm and confidence. Techniques like mindfulness and deep breathing can also reduce physical symptoms of fear (such as a racing heart) and help people feel more in control. In severe cases, medication may be used alongside therapy to reduce anxiety.

Fear is a natural part of life, but phobias reveal what happens when that fear becomes overwhelming. Phobias can develop from genetics, environmental influences, learned behaviors, or the brain’s natural responses, but phobias most likely develop from a combination of these factors. Understanding phobias can help therapists and medical professionals better support those who experience them. Phobias are not a choice, but it is important to remember that they are treatable! Whether through exposure therapy, CBT, or relaxation techniques, people can learn to manage their fears and regain control over their lives. There is a lot of hope for people overcoming phobias because the brain has the incredible ability to learn, adapt, and change for the better. By practicing effective strategies and having support, people can overcome their fears and phobias. As the brain adapts, people find themselves feeling less scared and panicked, and instead they start to feel stronger and more confident when encountering situations they were once afraid of. In short, learning about phobias can give people insights into human behavior, emotions, and the tools we have available to help us face our fears.

Glossary

Phobia: ↑ An irrational, uncontrollable, and persistent fear of an object or situation that can interfere with everyday life.

Genes: ↑ Biological information encoded in your cells, which is inherited from your parents and carries information that determines your traits.

Social Learning: ↑ When we learn by watching other people instead of figuring things out through direct experience.

Fear Conditioning: ↑ When your brain learns to be scared of something because it has been linked to a bad or scary experience.

Exposure Therapy: ↑ A type of therapy that helps people face their fears gradually, in a safe environment and with the help of a trained therapist.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): ↑ A type of talk therapy that helps people identify and change their unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors.

Conflict of Interest

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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