Seventy-five percent of those affected are women, probably because of some chemical or biological factors that are not yet fully understood. Phobias A phobia is an excessive fear of an object, activity or situation that disturbs a person's functioning by leading them to avoid the cause of that fear. Some of the more common simple phobias are fears of animals, insects, heights, enclosed spaces and flying. According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, phobias affect as many as 25 million people in the United States. Obsessions are unwanted ideas, worries, thoughts, images or impulses that occur repeatedly.
Compulsions are behaviors that are repeated over and over again in a very set way.
Obsessions often cause anxiety and compulsive behaviors or rituals seem to occur as a way to reduce this anxiety. Obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors can become so time consuming and disturbing that it becomes difficult for the person to lead a normal life. The person's family relationships, social life and work or school performance can suffer. Anxiety disorders can be treated effectively with counseling, medication or both. Therapy can help a person explore and gradually deal with the psychological factors that may be contributing to the anxiety symptoms.