www.merriam-webster.com defines phobia as an exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation. According to www.wrongdiagnosis.com , 1 in 23 people suffer from phobias, which is almost 4.25 percent of the overall population.
Agoraphobia is an unreasonable reason for anxiety associated with unfamiliar surroundings or situations, this phobia can be very complex and emotionally stressful. Approximately 3.2 million Americans ages 18-54 suffer from Agoraphobia.
Triskadekaphobia is the fear of the number thirteen. 20.6 million Americans suffer from this disorder, which is almost one in ten Americans.
Claustrophobia is referred to as an anxiety disorder and is a severe fear of enclosed spaces, like small rooms, cars, airplanes and elevators. Anxiety disorders are more common in men than women and half of the reported cases come from children. Data indicates that 2 to 5 percent of the population experiences Claustrophobia.
Aerophobia is an exaggerated or irrational fear of flying and in some cases the fear of fresh air and breezes. An estimated 1 in 5 people suffer from Aerophobia.
Nyctophobia is the fear of the dark and being in the dark. Although adults suffer from nyctophobia, it is much more common in children.
Acrophobia is the extreme fear of heights. Acrophobia can make it extremely challenging for a person affected by it to travel by airplane, climb ladders or go on amusement park rides. Twice as many women suffer from acrophobia than men and between 2 and 5 percent of the general population experience this phobia.
Aichmophobia is the general fear of needles and pointed objects, including medical and tattooing needles. Aichmophobia can prevent people affected by it from receiving vital medical care including receiving shots or vaccinations. Men and women are affected equally and five percent of the world is affected by this phobia.
Gephyrophobia is the fear of crossing bridges. People with this phobia experience extreme nervousness, discomfort and disorientation of crossing bridges.
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking and it falls into the category of a social phobia. People with glossophobia experience extreme amounts of discomfort when put in the situation to do public presentations or be the center of attention in front of small or large crowds. Glossophobia may have affected 75 percent of people who have had public speaking, according to Wikipedia.
Coulrophobia is the exaggerated fear of clowns. This phobia is common among both children and adults. In some cases of coulrophobia, the fear extends to covering one’s face with face paint.
Obesophobia is the fear of gaining weight. With the large amount of focus put on weight in the media, there are people that experience severe discomfort and go to extreme measures to avoid gaining weight. In recent history the percentage of obesophobia has increased to over 80 percent of the overall population.
