S. adult population suffers from some kind of phobia, and a person can develop a phobia of anything - elevators, clocks, mushrooms, closed spaces, open spaces. Exposure to these trigger the rapid breathing, pounding heartbeat and sweaty palms of panic.
Phobias aren't just extreme fear, they are irrational fears of certain things or situations - dogs, heights, escalators, tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, dentists, blood, germs. Adults with phobias realize their fears are irrational, but often facing, or even thinking about facing, the fear brings on a panic attack and severe anxiety. Often there is no explanation for the fear. In many cases, a person can readily identify an event or trauma, such as being chased by a dog, that triggered the phobia. "What puzzles experts is why some people who experience such an event develop a phobia and others do not. Many psychologists believe the cause lies in a combination of genetic predisposition combined with environmental and social causes." (Seligman, Martin E.P.,1971).
Another possible explanation is that people generally develop phobias for objects or situations they cannot predict or control. "Danger is more stressful when it takes us by surprise. Lightning is unpredictable and uncontrollable. In contrast, you don't have to worry that electrical outlets will take you by surprise, so it's not likely that you will have an "electric outlet phobia" although many people with a lightening phobia also fear common household electrical outlets." (Mineka, S., 1985).
There are three defined types of phobias:.
~ specific/simple phobia - fear of an object or situation, such as heights or spiders.
~ social phobia - fear of embarrassment in social settings.
~ agoraphobia - fear of being away from a safe place.
The physiological aspects of a person with a phobia include an almost instantaneous surge of heart rate (palpitations), blood pressure, sweating, breathing and metabolism.