| Phobias |
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Phobias usually develop in late childhood, adolescence or early adult life in response to a frightening event or situation. However, it's not always clear where phobias come from. The cause of simple phobias is not always known. Occasionally, a simple phobia can be traced to an earlier experience; for example, a child being trapped in an enclosed confined space may develop claustrophobia when they're older. Sometimes, certain phobias (for example, a fear of spiders) run in families. This is probably because children learn to fear, rather than inherit the phobia from a family member. The causes of complex phobias, such as agoraphobia and social phobia, are unclear. Social phobias may begin due to an anxious and intense experience in a social situation. Or it may be that your social confidence did not have the chance to fully develop past the normal stage of shyness of a young child. |
