Phobia, the definition of a phobia is an intense, persistent and irrational fear of certain things, activities, people, animals or situations. Many people have fears of certain things, but certain factors seperate a fear from a phobia. If somebody has a phobia they may go out of their way to avoid any situation where there is even a slim chance of encountering their phobia.

It is speculated that about 28 out of every 100 people have a phobia, with women twice as likely to suffer from phobias than men.

When people encounter their phobia, they can have intense feelings of dread or panic, along with a rapid heart beat, trouble breathing, sweating, shaking, and nausea. Accompanied by an extreme desire to escape.

The three main types of phobias are:

Social phobias- a fear of certain social situations, as the name implies.

Agoraphobia-Fear of being trapped in an inescapable place or situation.

Specific phobias-fear of a specific thing/object.

The five types of specific phobias are:

natural environment: such as fear of water, heights, lightning, etc.

Animal: snakes, spiders, dogs, etc.

Medical: Fear of doctors, needles, hospitals, blood, dental work, etc.

Situational: fear of leaving the house, driving, elevators, etc.

Other: Everything else, such as fear of clowns, balloons, vomiting, choking, etc.

Causes of phobias:
There isn't a single cause for phobias, it can vary from person and their phobia, it could be triggered by a traumatic experience, such as a person who almost drowned could, as a result, develop a fear of water, or a person who was bitten by a dog could develop a fear of dogs. Some people also develop a phobia from watching others show fear, for example, a child of parents who are afraid of needles could develop the same phobia. It is possible to develop a phobia simply from reading about a plane crash or having somebody tell you dogs are dangerous, as well.

Some common phobias include:
Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes
Acrophobia: fear of heights.
Agoraphobia: Fear of being unable to escape a situation
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
Astraphobia: fear of thunder and lightning
Trypanophobia: fear of injections
Social Phobias: Fear of social situations
Pteromerhanophobia: fear of flying
Mysophobia: Fear of dirt and/or germs.
Claustrophobia: Fear of tight spaces

And to finish off, a list of weird/unusual phobias:

Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: fear of long words

Pogonophobia: fear of beards

Barophobia: fear of gravity

Androphobia: Fear of men

Chrometophobia: Fear of money

Geniophobia: Fear of chins

Optophobia: Fear of opening one's eyes

Vestiphobia: fear of clothing

Peladophobia: fear of bald people

Do you have a phobia?