From the point of view of psychology, phobias are considered a type of disorder that affect emotional health , these are characterized by manifesting an intense fear and also disproportionate with respect to certain objects and situations. Because they can have a very diverse origin, it has been possible to identify several types of phobias, each of them presenting their own characteristics and different levels of severity.
It is normal for people to have specific reactions to events, people, objects, and other situations that are perceived to be dangerous. As a result of this condition, it is possible to develop worry, try to protect yourself, as well as develop different levels of anxiety and stress . Consequently, phobias are usually considered negative because they limit people to carry out activities that are part of their daily lives.
So far there is no consensus regarding the origin or antecedents that promote the development of a particular phobia. Usually mention is made of traumas, these events and experiences of the past significantly influence the future of people. Consequently, it is common for some individuals to be more likely to react through rejection and avoidance towards what has generated said trauma.
Due to the great diversity of phobias that have so far been identified, these have been divided into two categories, some called specific and others of a social nature. Statistically some are more common due to the large number of the world’s population that appears to be them. However, fewer individuals have other phobias that are beginning to be considered less common.
Index
Most common phobias
In phobias they can be studied from different perspectives, to facilitate their study they have been divided into two main categories. The first of them is known by the name of specific phobias, this classification in turn is subdivided into five more. But depending on the criteria used for the diagnosis of a phobia, the suffering of other disorders or disorders in the same patient can also be considered .
Phobias that are related to fears of environmental phenomena , sharp objects, injections, blood, loud sounds, heights, flying, choking, or stage fright are considered to be in this category . All these are common elements that people manifest as a type of excessive fear , they also have reactions which they usually cannot control.
The next category is identified with the name of social phobias. These are characterized by interfering with and limiting the normal routine of a person, in this way it has a negative influence by preventing people from establishing social, emotional, work and academic relationships in a normal way.
Usually included here is any fear that is related to the inability to be part of any public event or situation . Usually mention is made of the impossibility of being able to speak in public, but it is also manifested by not being able to be part of meetings, give exhibitions, appear in media such as social networks, participate in shows, teach classes or even impediment to look directly at the someone else’s eyes.
The following describes the phobias that are considered the most common according to the statistical records of people who have been diagnosed with them. It is also important to consider that these are often related to fears that may have some logic and reason to develop such fears. They are as follows:
Aerophobia
Extrae is a phobia that is characterized by the impossibility of facing situations in which it is necessary to use some type of air transport . According to the current records of people with aerophobia , approximately 10% of the population worldwide manifest symptoms of this condition.
Usually the diagnosis of this phobia arises from the impossibility of getting on a plane . It becomes evident in the most extreme cases, when people experience a total rejection and anxiety at the very idea of taking an air trip.
Claustrophobia
The Claustrophobia is a phobia is characterized by fear of being in enclosed spaces , places where it is not defined what exits are and there is no possibility to see that happening outside. It is estimated that at least 5% or 8% of the world’s population appears to have this condition.
People who are claustrophobic often avoid the use of elevators, but it also manifests itself by outright refusing to use means of transport such as the subway and trains. In the same way, they try to avoid small rooms, revolving doors and those spaces where it is necessary to use a door such as public bathrooms.
Agorafobia
The Agoraphobia is defined as the fear of open spaces . It is a condition considered common due to its prevalence in 4% of the population, however this is a statistic that varies taking into account that it usually occurs more in women than in men.
Agoraphobic people report feeling insecure and also ask for help when they are alone in spaces such as streets and parks. Fear focuses on the possibility that any unforeseen situation may happen in this context, they are people who try to avoid being alone for a long time.
Brontophobia
This fear focuses your attention to avoid facing situations that are framed in the scenery of nature . That is, people who suffer from it tend to feel especially vulnerable to atmospheric phenomena such as storms and also thunder and lightning. But it is also associated with other phenomena such as rains, in the same way you can experience the same feeling of fear in the face of deep waters.
Enoclophobia
This phobia is characterized by the unjustified fear of the possibility of being the victim of an avalanche or of suffering some physical aggression when being among many people. Those who suffer from this condition try to avoid situations where there is a large crowd of people, they consider it dangerous because there is a greater propensity for unforeseen accidents.
The crowds that can be generated from public demonstrations such as protests are usually events that people who suffer from this type of phobia avoid. They will also try to avoid being part of public events such as concerts and festivals . They are situations that produce anxiety.
Zoofobia
As its name indicates, it is a phobia that arises from the fear of facing specimens belonging to certain varieties of living beings . The fear of animals can also carry more particular names as to which species it is feared. The most common case is arachnophobia , this is characterized by irrational fear of spiders or any representation of them.
There is a wide variety of other zoophobias such as entomophobia which is fear of insects, apiphobia fear of bees, myrmecophobia fear of ants, herpetophobia fear of reptiles, ophidiophobia fear of snakes, ichthyophobia fear of fish and even kainophobia fear of cats.
Hematofobia
This condition is characterized by an aversion to the possibility of observing blood or wounds . Also included here are people who express fear about the possibility of receiving injections . Unlike other phobias, in this case one of the most prominent physical manifestations is the vasovagal response, this means that there may be a drop in blood pressure and consequently suffer a faint.
It also manifests itself through multiple other symptoms that are typical of this condition. Some of the most common are dizziness and nausea. In addition, patients diagnosed with this condition will continually try to avoid medical tests or treatments that involve the use of injections.
Dentofobia
Until now it was not considered as a common type of phobia, however the statistics have changed in recent years increasing considerably. These phobias focus their attention on the persistent rejection of the possibility of attending a dental consultation . Those who suffer from this condition try to avoid undergoing any type of treatment that involves an intervention on their teeth.
You experience extreme fear of the possibility of suffering some kind of accident in the oral area . They can even manifest any kind of physical reaction just by thinking or hearing the word dentist or dentist.
Acrofobia
Approximately at least a quarter of the world population manifests symptoms belonging to this phobia. Fear of heights is a fear that can occur at any age, people who suffer from it try to avoid any situation in which they must be several meters above ground level.
The phobia manifests itself when people have difficulty looking out of windows or balconies. Any vantage point or space that is elevated, even a cliff or the perspective of a landscape from above, means for these people a high level of stress and anxiety . In the most extreme cases, the use of stairs may even be avoided.
Necrophobia
The fear of death is considered to be a common and instinctive fear that is part of human nature. In this case, a phobia is described that goes beyond what is considered normal, an excessive fear of the possibility of suffering a sudden and painful death is manifested. It also manifests itself when people fear the unknown and the possibility of suffering some kind of suffering in the future.
Alexa Clark specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has experience in listening and welcoming in Individual Therapy and Couples Therapy. It meets demands such as generalized anxiety, professional, love and family conflicts, stress, depression, sexual dysfunction, grief, and adolescents from 15 years of age. Over the years, She felt the need to conduct the psychotherapy sessions with subtlety since She understands that the psychologist acts as a facilitator of self-understanding and self-acceptance, valuing each person's respect, uniqueness, and acceptance.