Fear factors

Common fears (in alphabetical order)

Dark

Dogs

Flying

Ghosts /boogeyman

Heights

Insects/spiders

Small spaces/elevators

Snakes

Storms

Strangers/being kidnapped

The numbers

Between 8.7% and 18.1% of all Americans suffer from phobias.

Phobias are the most common mental illness among women, and second among men older than 25.

The brain

Phobias are usually linked to the amygdala, an area of the brain located behind the pituitary gland in the limbic system. The amygdala may trigger the secretion of hormones that affect fear and aggression. When the fear or aggression response is initiated, the amygdala may trigger the release of hormones that put the human body into an alert “fight-or-flight” state.

Treatment

An array of treatments from medication to various forms of therapy are effective in helping patients overcome phobias. They include:

Virtual reality or imagery exercise: This type of treatment is designed to desensitize patients to their fear.

Cognitive behavioral therapy: Lets the patient understand the cycle of negative thought patterns as well as ways to change them. CBT may be conducted in a group setting.

Gradual desensitization treatment: Very effective in helping patients overcome phobia, says Davis.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Typically used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hypnotherapy: Coupled with neuro-linguistic programming, it can help to remove associations that trigger phobic reactions.

Antidepressant medications: Various kinds of drugs work on some phobias, but their long-term side effects must be weighed.

Sources: Gallup, eMedTV.com, National Institute of Mental Health, ?Wikipedia, LSU’s Tom Davis