When a person fears about specific things, places and situations it is possible that he is experiencing phobia. These fears may be of highway driving, flying, dogs, escalators, tunnels, water, closed in places, insects, snakes and injuries involving blood. However one thing is important to note that only fears can not be called phobias as phobias are illogical and absurd fears that do not make any sense to other people. If a person having phobia is forced to face the unwanted object or situation, he will panic and this can result in severe anxiety. Thus phobias can be long lasting and may lead to momentous disability.

There are three major types of phobias that are found in common these days.

Specific or simple phobias are those fears that are commonly found in children and are taken as normal but some fears accompany a person through out his life. These fears can be of animals, insects, injury, natural situations and enclosed places like air planes and escalators. Apart from children these phobias also attack women easily due to their sensitivity.

The second type of phobia is Social phobia which happens in a situation when a person is extremely fearful about his social environment. He lacks confidence and hesitates to sit among two or more people whom he does not know and avoids parties and other types of social gatherings and even family functions. He is afraid of his social appearance and thinks negatively that people will make fun of him. When this phobia becomes a panic he is isolated from the society and can indulge in smoking, and drinking.

The early adult hood fears are termed as Agoraphobia and are less likely to occur as compared to simple phobia. A person who is afraid of Agoraphobia is afraid of going to open places and cannot stay away from his home as it can cause an over whelming anxiety in him. He remains depressed and thinks about using drugs to escape from his troubled situation.

Phobias can be controlled and avoided from the very early age of children as parents can encourage them to face the unwanted situation despite of avoiding them.