• Question: why do people have phobias?

    Asked by anonymous1 to Pete, Rebecca, SallyB, Sally, Sian on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by steve823.
    • Photo: Rebecca Randell

      Rebecca Randell answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Phobias are irrational fears, there is no reason to be afraid of something but people still are. Some people have really weird phobias like balloons or buttons. They sometimes come from a bad experience that a person went through when they were younger

    • Photo: Sally Fenton

      Sally Fenton answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      People may have phobias for a variety fo reasons…they have been linked to things like stress, hormonal and chemical imbalances in the body and brain, past experiences a person has had which has made them scared of something..or even genetics! people could just be born with them!

    • Photo: Sally Barber

      Sally Barber answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      A phobia is an anxiety response which is far greater than the risk that the object/event carries. People are more likely to develop phobias when they are under stress. Experiences in the past can also trigger phobias as can someone elses reaction to something (if your mum is scared of spiders you are more likely to be too). Some peoples genetics mean they are more likely to suffer anxiety and phobias and some people have high levels of anxiety inducing chemicals in the brain which might increase their likelihood of having a phobia. I have a phobia of balloons because someone popped one in my face when I was a small child and it scared me. I get really freaked out at parties sometimes 🙁

    • Photo: Peter Styring

      Peter Styring answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      It’s a bit like the mental version of our immune system. Self preservation! Sometimes our body thinks something is going to be bad for it, even though it has no evidence to support it. However, some phobias have roots in mental illnesses such as obsessive compulsive disorders. There are some people who are afraid of buttons. Spiders I can understand, not buttons.

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