Many phobias develop as a result of having a negative experience or panic attack related to a specific object or situation. There may be a link between your own specific phobia and the phobia or anxiety of your parents — this could be due to genetics or learned behaviour. Physical symptoms of phobias include feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded or faint, feeling like you are choking, a pounding heart, palpitations or accelerated heart rate, chest pain or tightness in the chest, sweating and so on. Researchers have found that phobias are often linked to the amygdala, which lies behind the pituitary gland in the brain. The amygdala can trigger the release of “fight-or-flight” hormones. Phobias are among the most common of all mental illnesses, and they are usually the most successfully treated. Phobias are divided into categories according to the cause of the reaction and avoidance.

Arjun Julian

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