Can anyone point me to a thread or a link where I can do a little layman-friendly research about phobias?

I've just been wondering what causes them. I suppose some might be due to a childhood experience, and I guess most phobias relate to something of which it would be reasonable to be afraid (snakes, spiders, thunderstorms, etc.)

Just curious at what point severe anxiety or fear about someting crosses the line and becomes a true phobia, and why some people develop them and some don't.

I always wonder why the next person can relax and sleep through a closed MRI, whereas I get anxious and short of breath just THINKING about somebody ELSE in that tube.

Anybody point me toward some answers? Thanks!

When you think about someone entering MRI that picture causes negative response in your body. What a beautiful day and Im sitting here- just thinking for myself.

I was never in jacuzzi but when I imagine those bubbles I belive it feels good. If you remember how it is to be in jacuzzi and quickly remember guy in the tube that will be completely different experience than being short of breath. This example will not cure anyone's phobia but it can help you to understand on intuitive level how phobia or anxiety work.

"Phobia" in will give you tons of material for waisting time. In general there are two approaches: offical psychiatric, "you have to recite Homer in ancient Greek to cure phobia" and "curing phobia in one session by phone for 200$". It is important that they are cheap.

I don't know where to point you but can give you my experience. My brother and his friend decided one day to hang me upside down in a sewer. That scared me to death. Then they thought it would be even funnier to put me in a metal garbage can with lid and roll me down the alley. Now, this was a common trend with all of my friends who thought it was fun. So while everyone else was laughing I was terrified because they couldn't get the lid off once I stopped. My brother also thought it was funny to try and suffocate me with pillows. We were teenagers when this all happened and I love my brother.

Those experiences started my clostaphobia.

My other phobia started when I was hanging out the second floor apartment window talking to my friends outside. I kept itching on my arms and scratched it like anyone else would do. Eventually it got worse and I looked down and was covered with a huge amount of house centipedes! Babies everywhere! I freaked out as you can imagine. I was a teenager then too.

That experience started my intense fear of house centipedes.

Neither phobia keeps me confined in any way though. I will ride an elevator, I will kill a centipede. BUT, don't keep me too long in a confined space or let that centipede get away or I will break out in a sweat and hyperventilate.

I am also fearful of yellow jackets but only because I am allergic to them.

Euuuuuw! Centipede's crawling on you. Thats something I would never forget either. You had a mean brother. I know that you love,and have forgiven him,but those things where cruel,scary,and not right.

When I was about 14,I had a pea shooter. I was blowing the pea out of the straw,and it went down my throat. That was my first panic attack. I thought that I was going to choke,and die. It came back,and left for a long time. It felt like a emotional cloud would come over me,then I would feel pins,and needles on my face,then I thought that I was going to choke. I have not mentioned this before,but that was my first panic attack.

My second big panic attack happened at a military Academy when I was about 16. We where sitting at attention,and the Commandant was angry,and I started shaking in the back of my neck,and I couldn't stop it,and my mind went into a whirl wind of panic. After that second panic attack,I never was able to shake off the anxiety again. I went to the infirmary,and they basically kicked me out after awhile. They thought that I was making it up. Wrong!!! This was back in the spring of 1969. They new nothing in those days about anxiety problems. They thought that it was all in your head,and that you could shake it off.

My mothers side of the family has a history of anxiety,and these type of things.

Later I had panic attacks where I was scared out of my wits. I felt like I was having heart attacks,with a stinging chest,and sensations that are hard to explain.

The Biochemical reactions in our brains are hindered according to scientists. After that second attack,it branched out into dozens of phobias. Then I started getting chronic anxiety,and ended up with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,with depression. These traits are inherited.

I had fear of driving over bridges,heights,elevators,siting in the front row with people behind me,crowds,dentists chairs,barbers chairs,and etc.,etc,etc.

I also got over allot of them,by doing those things. I still have a underlying problem with some of them,but not as bad.

The panic attacks are not like they use to be,but I get a pain in my chest from anxiety. This is what I'm struggling with now,and the OCD,and depression. The depression goes away,then comes back. It's been difficult,because no one seems to really understand it,unless they have been through it. It's complicated. Brokenfriend

Here is a website that gives short answers.

http://www.listofphobias.org/what-causes-phobias.htm

Be sure to check out some of the lists on the right, unless you suffer from Dextrophobia: Fear of objects at the right side of the body.