Why Do People Get Phobias?

People often think if they find the origin of their phobia, it will be cured. However, things aren't always so simple. Even if you know that you have a phobia of dogs because you were once chased by a dog, it probably won't make the fear go away. Studies show that the triggers to a phobia aren't always related to a specific incident.  Sometimes phobias start because of general stress, anxiety and fear that gets focused onto one thing or activity.

When a person first experiences a phobia their anxiety builds up, they get rushes of adrenalin, and they can't deal with stress, therefore causing a person to form permanent fears.
   

The National Phobic Society (NPS) published a list of several different causes:

• Stress
• Childhood environment
• Genetic predisposition
• Physical factors, like thyroid problems
• Biochemical imbalances and changes in levels of chemical messengers in the brain

    However in difficult times in a person's life, their subconscious has much to do with their new found phobias. Their subconscious attaches stress to a fear and it becomes a phobia. Although finding the origins of the fear will not cure the fears. To conquor a fear it's about facing it and overcoming it.