The cause of a phobia may be both genetic and environmental. A child may develop a phobia if he or she has a fearful first encounter with an object or situation.
Some things that may put a child at risk for a phobia include shyness, a traumatic event in early childhood, or mental health issues in family members. Symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, a feeling of choking, and upset stomach. A mental health provider can diagnose a phobia.
Between 8 and 12 months of age—around the same time they understand the meaning of a fearful face—babies begin to produce fearful expressions and other fear-based behaviors, like clinging to a parent, making distressed sounds, or turning away.
Common phobias include fear of animals, insects, blood, heights, closed spaces, or flying. In children and adolescents, the identified fear must last at least six months to be considered a phobia rather than a transient fear.
Ask them to tell you about their fears and what exactly makes them afraid. Show your child that you understand their fears, but that you don't necessarily share them. Reassure them that they are safe; explain there are no such things as monsters.
Your phobia may develop from factors in your childhood environment. For example you might have parents or guardians who are very worried or anxious. This may affect how you cope with anxiety in later life. You might develop the same specific phobia as a parent or older sibling.
Most kids cope with normal fears and worries with gentle support from their parent. As they grow, they get over fears they had at a younger age. Some kids have a harder time and need more help with fears.
Young toddlers (especially shy, cautious kids) often fear loud sounds like thunder, firecrackers, or barking dogs. Around age three, fear of “bad men,” monsters, and witches often develop. One reason fears pop up at this age is because of a 3-year-old's new ability: comparing.
a phobia may be a learned response that a person develops early in life from a parent or sibling (brother or sister) genetics may play a role – there's evidence to suggest that some people are born with a tendency to be more anxious than others.
Phobias can limit your daily activities and may cause severe anxiety and depression. Complex phobias, such as agoraphobia and social phobia, are more likely to cause these symptoms. People with phobias often purposely avoid coming into contact with the thing that causes them fear and anxiety.
The problem is diagnosed only when the specific fear interferes with daily activities of school, work, or home life. There is no known cause, although they seem to run in families. They are also found slightly more often in women. If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not seek treatment.
Common conditions associated with anxiety for children with autism include: Phobias, or intense, irrational fears of specific things. In children with autism, such phobias can arise from heightened sensory stimulation such as loud noises (for example, fear of popping balloons at an early age can develop into a phobia).
1. Arachibutyrophobia (Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth) Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. While the phenomenon has happened to everyone at one point or another, people with arachibutyrophobia are extremely afraid of it.
As we age, we produce much less adrenaline, which can cause racing hearts and dizziness. This means the intense fears we may have experienced in youth no longer trouble us as much. However, older people often experience a greater sense of vulnerability, so things like heights or big crowds become more of an issue.
Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias
People who have a phobia will experience panic and anxiety when thinking about or being exposed to their fear. Panic disorder sufferers, on the other hand, are not generally triggered by a specific fear. People with panic disorder experience panic attacks suddenly and unexpectedly.
It's not known what causes complex phobias, such as agoraphobia and social phobia. However, it's thought that genetics, brain chemistry and life experiences may all play a part in these type of phobias.
For the majority of people with undiagnosed or untreated anxiety disorder, there are many negative consequences, for both the individual and society. These include disability, reduced ability to work leading to loss of productivity, and a high risk of suicide.
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is an extreme form of fear or anxiety, triggered by a particular situation or object. A situation that triggers a phobia. You may know it's safe to be out on a balcony in a high-rise block, but feel terrified to go out on it.
Research suggests that phobias can run in families, and that both genetic and environmental factors (nature and nurture) can contribute to developing a phobia.
Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to be very effective for treating phobias.
The best treatment for specific phobias is a form of therapy called exposure therapy. Sometimes your health care professional also may recommend other therapies or medicine. Knowing the cause of a phobia is less important than focusing on how to treat the avoidance behavior that has developed over time.