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DEVELOPMENT OF PHOBIAS. Fear and anxiety are part of our genetic make-up. It gives animals an evolutionary advantage as it triggers the "fight or flight response". A phobia is diagnosed as a mental disorder when the distress is extreme and irrational, and out of proportion to the danger, or when a person cannot adapt their life to avoid the stimulus, causing their behaviour to become dysfunctional. Phobias may be specific, focusing on a particular object or situation, or they can be social, involving a fear of any public scrutiny or embarrassing oneself. The third type is agoraphobia. This is a fear of public places or open spaces. This is the most debilitating as the person is housebound which prevents them carrying out many essential functions.. High arousal levels within the autonomic nervous system have been associated with phobias. Research indicates that people who develop phobias generally maintain a high level of...

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