Full Answer
How many people with specific phobias eventually receive treatment?
Only about a tenth to a quarter of people with specific phobias eventually receive treatment,30,57possibly because avoidance can reduce stress and impairment.
What is the prevalence of specific phobias?
Specific phobias generally appear in early childhood, around age 7. An estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, have a specific phobia, and many people have more than one specific phobia. The prevalence of specific phobias in teenagers is higher at 15.1%. More than twice as many women as men have specific phobias.
Should people with phobias seek treatment?
If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not seek treatment. Sometimes, however, they may make important career or personal decisions to avoid a situation that includes the source of the phobia. When phobias interfere with a person's life, treatment can help.
Where can I find phobia facts and statistics?
These phobia facts and statistics have been reported in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Text Revision by The American Psychiatric Association.
Do most people with phobias seek treatment?
If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not seek treatment. Sometimes, however, they may make important career or personal decisions to avoid a situation that includes the source of the phobia.
How common is a diagnosis of specific phobia?
The lifetime prevalence estimates for specific phobias range from 6% to 23%, making them the most common anxiety disorder and among the most common psychiatric disorders in the community.
Is the treatment for a specific phobia?
The best treatment for specific phobias is a form of psychotherapy called exposure therapy. Sometimes your doctor may also recommend other therapies or medication. Understanding the cause of a phobia is actually less important than focusing on how to treat the avoidance behavior that has developed over time.
What is the lifetime prevalence for specific phobia in the US?
Lifetime specific phobia prevalence ranged from 2.6% to 12.5% across countries (Table 1) and the averaged cross-national lifetime prevalence in was 7.4% for the whole sample (median=6.8%; IQR=4.8%–10.2%), 4.9% for the male and 9.8% for the female subsample.
Who is most likely to be diagnosed with a specific phobia?
Your age. Specific phobias can first appear in childhood, usually by age 10, but can occur later in life. Your relatives. If someone in your family has a specific phobia or anxiety, you're more likely to develop it, too.
What is the number one fear in the world 2021?
Our dataRankFearPercent "afraid" or "very afraid"1Loved ones dying65%2Loved ones becoming seriously ill64%3Mass shootings60%4Not having enough money for retirement54%37 more rows
Is Johnny Depp afraid of spiders?
Johnny Depp, who is well-known for his superior performances in an array of top movies, possesses both a fear of spiders and a fear of clowns. The fear of spiders is known as arachnophobia, and the fear of clowns is known as coulrophobia.
What is the most uncommon phobia?
21 Rare and Weird Phobias You've Likely Never Heard OfArachibutyrophobia (Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth) ... Nomophobia (Fear of being without your mobile phone) ... Arithmophobia (Fear of numbers) ... Plutophobia (Fear of money) ... Xanthophobia (Fear of the color yellow) ... Ablutophobia (Fear of bathing)More items...•
What group has one of the highest rates of specific phobias?
Specific phobias have a lifetime prevalence of 15% among adolescents, with the incidence highest at 16.7% between the ages of 13 and 14 years old. Between 18 and 29 years old, specific phobias have a lifetime prevalence of 13.2%.
What percentage of the world has specific phobia?
Studies indicate that the lifetime prevalence of specific phobias around the world ranges from 3% to 15%, with fears and phobias concerning heights and animals being the most common.
How many people have specific phobias?
Specific Phobias An estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, have a specific phobia, and many people have more than one specific phobia.
How much of the world population has a phobia?
Introduction. Specific phobia is one of the most common mental disorders in the general population with lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates in representative population surveys ranging from 7.7 to 12.5% and from 2.0 to 8.8%, respectively (Kessler et al.
How many people have a specific phobia?
Specific phobias generally appear in early childhood, around age 7. An estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, have a specific phobia, and many people have more than one specific phobia. The prevalence of specific phobias in teenagers is higher at 15.1%.
What are the symptoms of phobia?
These include: Dizziness, trembling and increased heart rate. Breathlessness. Nausea. A sense of unreality. Fear of dying.
What is it called when you are afraid of people?
Social phobia is now called social anxiety disorder. It is a fear of social situations where you will be with unfamiliar people or may be scrutinized. Those with this disorder fear being embarrassed or humiliated in these situations. The fear of speaking in public is a specific type of social anxiety disorder.
What happens if you can't avoid a fear?
If you have a phobia and you can't avoid the object or situation you fear, you can experience extreme anxiety. You may organize your life in ways that help you avoid the thing you fear, yet may still experience anxiety even thinking about it. Researchers are uncertain exactly what causes phobias.
Why are mental health rates so low?
It's possible that these numbers are low since mental disorders are often under-reported in the U.S. This can be attributed to many factors, including a stigma associated with mental illness and a lack of adequate funding for treatment.
Can phobias be disabling?
While feeling anxiety about speaking in public or encountering a snake is common, phobias can be disabling. If you experience panic attacks or you can't do activities you want to do because of your fears, help is available. Phobias are treatable and often you can get permanent relief.
How many people recover from social phobias?
Only 20% of those who seek treatment for specific phobias recover entirely. Causes of phobias include particular incidents, genetics, learned responses, and long-term stress. Statistics on fear reveal that only 23% of people who have a social phobia treat it.
Which age group is more prone to phobias?
Women are more prone to having phobias than men: 66% vs. 34%, according to statistics on phobias. (Fear Of) Phobia facts from the same study show that 45% of those who have phobias are under 18. Moreover, 44% belong to the 18–34 age group, while 6% belong to the 35–49 age group.
What is the difference between social phobia and agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is the fear of public places, while a social phobia is the fear of social situations. People with agoraphobia tend to be afraid of things like buses and shops, while those with social phobia can often be scared of meeting people.
What is the most common fear in the US?
The fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias in the US, with 32% of Americans suffering from it. (YouGov) Acrophobia statistics reveal that 24% of Americans are afraid of heights, putting this phobia on the same list of common fears.
How many people have phobias of public speaking?
The public speaking fear statistics reveal that 26% of Americans suffer from this phobia. (The Washington Post) As public speaking is one of the most common phobias in the world, it’s not a surprise that it’s first on the list of fears of Americans.
Why do phobias happen?
They happen because the fear response that kicks in during fight or flight isn’t perfect at estimating an actual threat.
What percentage of Americans have a fear of snakes?
The fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias in the US, with 32% of Americans suffering from it. The public speaking fear statistics reveal that 26% of Americans suffer from this phobia.
How many people have specific phobias?
Here are some specific phobia statistics: Specific phobias begin during childhood and can persist all throughout one’s life. Nearly 15-20% of us experience specific phobias at least once in our life. In the U.S., nearly 8.7% of people (aged 18 and over) have at least one extreme specific fear and nearly 25 million Americans report having ...
How many people with social phobias are depressed?
Nearly 17% of people with social phobias develop depression. The majority of them turn to medication, even substance abuse with illegal drugs (nearly 17%) or alcohol (nearly 19%). However, the fact remains that anti anxiety medication and antidepressants are the most effective treatment for social phobias.
When do people start having phobias?
Social phobias affect people of all ages, though they usually begin in adolescence. If phobia statistics and facts are to be believed, then nearly 40% of them begin before the age of 10, while 95% start before the age of 20. The more common social phobias include: fear of writing or eating before someone, meeting people of higher authority, ...
What is social phobia?
Social phobia is defined as the extreme fear of social situations where the individual is afraid of being judged by or embarrassed in front of other people. These are some of the most common phobias, affecting nearly 3% of the world’s population. More social phobia statistics:
What are the symptoms of social anxiety?
Typical symptoms of social anxiety phobias are heart palpitations, dry mouth, hot cold flashes and trembling.
How many people have a phobia of flying?
In the U.S., nearly 8.7% of people (aged 18 and over) have at least one extreme specific fear and nearly 25 million Americans report having the fear of flying phobia. Specific phobias, namely Zoophobias, can affect people of all ages, backgrounds or social-economic statuses.
What is the best treatment for social phobias?
Apart from prescription medication, Cognitive Behavior Therapy is also a known effective treatment for overcoming social phobias. Many people suffering from these phobias have experienced an impact in their personal and professional lives.
How many people have phobias?
About 19 million Americans have one or more phobias that range from mild to severe. Phobias can happen in early childhood. But they are often first seen between ages 15 and 20. They affect both men and women equally. But men are more likely to seek treatment for phobias.
What is the best treatment for phobias?
When phobias interfere with a person's life, treatment can help. For specific phobias, cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure treatment is advised. In exposure therapy, people are gradually exposed to what frightens them until the fear starts to fade.
What is the fear of panic attacks called?
What is agoraphobia? Agoraphobia involves the fear of having a panic attack in a place or situation from which escape may be hard or embarrassing. The anxiety of agoraphobia is so severe that panic attacks are not unusual. People with agoraphobia often try to avoid the location or cause of their fear.
What is a person's fear of being humiliated?
Social phobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person has significant anxiety and discomfort related to a fear of being embarrassed, humiliated, or scorned by others in social or performance situations. Even when they manage to confront this fear, people with social phobia usually:
What is the fear of people with agoraphobia?
People with agoraphobia often try to avoid the location or cause of their fear. Agoraphobia involves fear of situations like the following: People with agoraphobia typically avoid crowded places like streets, crowded stores, churches, and theaters.
What is a specific phobia?
Specific phobia is an extreme fear of an object or situation that typically isn't harmful. Examples may include a fear of: Flying (fearing the plane will crash) Dogs (fearing the dog will bite or attack) Closed-in places (fear of being trapped) Tunnels (fearing a collapse)
What does it feel like to have a social phobia?
Even when they manage to confront this fear, people with social phobia usually: Feel very anxious before the event or outing. Feel intensely uncomfortable throughout the event or outing. Have lingering unpleasant feelings after the event or outing . Social phobia often happens with the following: Public speaking.
What are the most common phobias?
Situational phobias, as the name suggests, are linked to a specific situation. Phobia facts state fear of flying (aerophobia) and fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) are the most common phobias in this group. In contrast, the most common medical phobias are fear of blood (hemophobia) and fear of needles (trypanophobia). 2.
What is a specific phobia?
Specific phobias are fears of specific objects or situations that are usually harmless and not life-threatening. Among the many types of phobias, the most common specific phobias include fear of animals (dogs, snakes), situations (flying), natural environments (storm), blood, etc.
What is phobia 2021?
By Marija Kovachevska. February 10, 2021. Phobias belong to the class of mental disorders known as anxiety disorders. Phobia statistics show that they are rather common, especially among women. Far from being just irrational fears, they are complex conditions with significant consequences on the everyday life dynamics for the sufferers.
Why do people have peanut butter phobias?
3. The main causes of phobias can be traumas, stress, genetics, learned responses, and responses to fear. (Mind.org) Various factors can cause phobias.
What are some unusual phobias?
The list of unusual phobias is so extensive that we’ll mention only a few of them, starting with a ulophobia (the fear of flutes) and kinemortophobia (fear of zombies). Then, there are symmetrophobia (fear of symmetry), ablutophobia (fear of bathing), and perhaps the most unusual one, arachibutyrophobia.
What is the last resort for phobias?
Medications are the last resort for treating phobias because they offer only short-term relief. Antidepressants are prescribed for anxiety, panic disorder, and social phobia; tranquilizers for severe anxiety, while beta-blockers help with anxiety symptoms (e.g., palpitations).
What is the fear of being embarrassed?
Gelotophobia is the fear of being embarrassed or laughed at in social interactions. Various research shows that people who have this phobia more often have problems developing close relationships. Consequently, they tend to feel more lonely than the average population.
What are some examples of social phobia?
Common examples are interacting with strangers or peers, inconveniencing others, and eating in public. Cognitive therapy frequently focuses on decreasing the excessive concern regarding the opinion of others.
Why do people with social phobia use alcohol?
This is because a therapy group provides an ideal social environment in which to practice these skills. A high percentage of people with Social Phobia use alcohol to self-medicate before attending social events. Treatment may need to specifically address excessive alcohol use/abuse.
What is behavioral exposure therapy?
Behavioral exposure therapy consists of gradual exposure to the feared object or situation either in vivo (live), in imagination, or a combination of both. Therapy participants may begin by exposure to photographs of the feared object before facing the real object or situation.
How does self focus affect people?
This in turn increases the person's worry that others will notice, and judge them in a negative way. Self-focus can also interfere with a person's ability to fully participate in conversations.
Does social phobia respond to therapy?
Social Phobia responds quite well to standard cognitive-behavioral therapy. Studies demonstrate the positive effect of treatment remains after treatment ends (Taylor, 1996). There is evidence that exposure therapy alone may be as effective as a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies (Feske & Chamblass, 1995).