Do you have a phobia?
Did you know that 4 out of 5 people have a phobia of something? 'It's estimated that there are around 10 million suffers in the UK,' says Alison Kerry from mental health charity Mind.
These fears can range from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) to more unusual fears such as paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is fear of Friday the 13th.
More women than men are affected and nearly a quarter of people with a phobia think it affects their lives.
Phobias usually develop in late childhood and during your teens, although becoming phobic about something can happen at any time in your life.
What's the difference between a fear and a phobia?
A phobia is a fear that becomes irrational and stops you living a normal life. For example, you might be scared of being stung by a bee because it's painful but your fear wouldn't stop you from going out in the garden. The fear becomes a phobia when just thinking about a bee or seeing a picture of a bee makes you feel anxious and you'd do anything to avoid a situation where there may be bees. You may also experience a panic attack.
Find out why we get phobias - but don't worry, we won't show any pictures of the things you're scared of!
By Louise O'Connell
- Next: Why do we get phobias?
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