Phobias are defined by Mind, a mental-health charity, as “an intense fear of a situation or an object that wouldn’t normally worry other people”. Many people will think briefly, for example, about a lift breaking down, but someone with claustrophobia (a common fear) would panic inside one and so take the stairs instead.

There are an estimated 10m phobia sufferers in the UK. Social phobia alone – a fear of social or performance situations, such as speaking in public or job interviews – is the third most common psychiatric disorder, after depression and alcohol abuse, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

People can become phobic of almost anything. Fear of using public lavatories, for instance, affects thousands of people in Britain and is nine times more common in men than women, the National Phobics’ Society says.

There are two main ways phobias develop. Many arise after a negative experience, such as an accident, but they can also be learnt – for instance, if children see that their parents are afraid of heights or spiders – which is why phobias tend to run in families.

Most phobics manage their symptoms by avoiding the source of the fear, but many phobias are treatable. “Anxiety disorders, of which phobias are a subset, respond to a structured, rational approach,” says Nicky Lidbetter of the National Phobics’ Society.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, which involves developing new ways of thinking about and responding to the problem, is often successful. The treatment includes learning accurate information about the feared object or situation and challenging the irrational tendency to catastrophise (assume the worst). The object of fear is then gradually reintroduced in small, manageable steps – a process known as exposure. Six to 10 sessions are average, but sufferers can show improvement after just one.

Common UK phobias

Social phobia 1,032 people (17.2%)
Agoraphobia 594 people (9.9%)
Vomit phobia (emetophobia) 156 people (2.6%)
Blushing phobia (erythrophobia) 72 people (1.2%)
Driving phobia 64 people (1.06%) Based on survey of 6,000 members of the National Phobics’ Society in 2005-6

The cycle of fear

— A phobia is a fear out of proportion to actual danger that affects behaviour

— This perception of danger leads to genuine panic in sufferers, who try to avoid the object or situation

— Phobias act like a bully – if you give in to one, it gets worse. Breaking the cycle requires addressing the flawed thinking that created it

— Avoidance may seem like the best idea, but it psychologically reinforces the phobic’s belief that there is danger

TAKING IT FURTHER

www.babcp.com
The website of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies lets you search for a therapist via location and speciality

www.livinglifetothefull.com/index.php
Computer-based cognitive behavioural therapy can be useful. This is a free self-help course

www.phobics-society.org.uk
The National Phobics’ Society, soon to become Anxiety UK, has a wealth of information