Most people have a fear of something but for one in 10 people, fear can turn into a phobia. The most common phobias people suffer from include a fear of spiders, snakes, heights, the dark, being in crowds or tight spaces, animals and people. 
Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder and, according to the NHS, it is estimated that around 10 million people in the UK have a phobia which can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex and social background. And the American Psychiatric Association says phobias are the number 1 psychiatric illness in women of any age in the United States and the second most prolific in men older than 25.
The Huffington Post points out that a ‘specific’ phobia, or an ‘excessive and unreasonable fear of a specific object, place or situation’, afflicts about 19 million people in the US, quoting the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
Fears can range from the relatively commonplace fear of closed spaces, or claustrophobia, to the more unusual, such as a fear of dolls or children, known as pediophobia. Others include arachnaphobia (fear of spiders), xenophobia- (fear of strangers or foreigners), ergophobia (the fear of work) and even phobophobia (a fear of phobias).
Many people with phobias resign themselves to living in fear, but this doesn’t have to be the case as help is available. Treatments for every phobia are available through the NHS or other medical methods, including hypnotherapy.
In the latter instance, the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) has qualified and well-trained therapists across the UK who can help people overcome their irrational fears and anxieties. Hypnotherapy has a proven track record in this regard and has cured people of their fear of public speaking, spiders, open spaces and many other phobias.
The NCH says that while people with phobias often know their response is irrational, this makes it harder for them to accept and people often only seek help from a hypnotherapist when it prevents them doing something they want to do, or when they know a situation will force them to face it.
The NCH also says there is the possibility of unconsciously passing on a phobia to their children, who learn from their parent’s behaviour.
Nicky Lidbetter, chief executive of Anxiety UK, says people are sometimes reluctant to see their doctor about a phobia, because they’re embarrassed by it. The easier way is to seek out a hypnotherapist near you by using the NCH’s directory of therapists, and have a series of one-on-one sessions which will make facing your fears less anxious, leading to a better and more fulfilled lifestyle.