causes of phobias

What are the causes of phobias? Well, over time, We have evolved with the ability to become phobic. In today’s complex world our learning mechanism often works in an inappropriate ways and can be held responsible for the causes of phobias. Unconscious or emotional learning takes place to keep us safe. In primitive conditions when coming into contact with something dangerous, the mind/body would create the optimum state for survival - a panic attack. This type of learning is not of the intellectual, or rational type. This type of learning takes place at an emotional level so that the response can bypass the ‘thinking brain' and can be attributed to the causes of phobias.

To become phobic, all you need is a high anxiety state paired with an object. The causes of phobias are basically the misuse of the imagination. Non-specific phobias can come about either through a 'spreading-out' of panic attacks, or through a person's levels of general anxiety becoming so high that panic is easily triggered whenever stress levels are raised even slightly. The causes of phobias need to be de-conditioned in order for a cure to be established. Put simply a persons phobic stimulus has to be reversed when coming into association with the trigger. Cognitive anxiety management techniques, ongoing relaxation and gradual exposure to the problem situation, can over time ease the causes of phobias.