The Facets Of Phobias

Phobia, an irrational fear often triggered by an unpleasant event or sight. There are various forms of phobias, ranging from the common fear of spiders to more bizarre ones such as the fear of wind. Many researches have been conducted on phobias, what causes them, and what age groups are more likely to acquire one. It has been stated that younger age groups are more likely to have or acquire a phobia. This is due to maturity, as one ages, their experience broadens, and they have more of an understanding of how things work or what can or cannot harm them. Though, how long does a phobia last? Is it possible for an adult to develop a phobia? By using multiple researches and studies, this paper seeks to answer these questions on the facets of phobias

Specific phobia, like the other forms of phobias, “is an anxiety disorder characterized by clinically-significant fear of a particular object or situation that typically leads to avoidance behavior.” (Swinson, R., MD, & McCabe, R. E., PhD., 2015) Specific phobias are the most common mental disorders and have the potential to be highly disabling. Though, despite their ability to mentally hinder an individual, they are regarded as being the most treatable mental disorders (Professional, H., & Kennard, J.,

The common and exaggerated fear of spiders, needles, and heights interfere with the daily lives of some individuals. Adults typically develop phobias between the ages of 15 and 25 (Winerman, L., 2005). Older adults are less likely to develop phobias. Kevin Gourney, an Emeritus Professor and Psychologist, states that acrophobia (fear of heights) has the possibility of developing later in life, regardless of if the individual has had the phobia previously. Gourney goes on to explain that this is due to “a deteriorating sense of balance as we age.” The highest prevalence rates for phobias have been found by Lindesay, Briggs and Murphy (1989), who report a 10.0% phobia prevalence rate among people 65 years of age and older, with agoraphobia accounting for 7.8% of this total, while specific phobia and social phobia represent 2.1% and 1.3% respectively (Kaczkurkin, A. N., & Foa, E. B.,