From a fear of spiders to heights, scientifically proven phobias reveal ways our brains wire us to avoid perceived threats.
The sight of a needle is enough to make some people break into a cold sweat, and public speaking could feel like a showdown with certain doom for others. These intense reactions might seem dramatic, but when it comes to phobias, the brain isn’t exactly following a logical script—it’s more like hitting the panic button at the drop of a hat.
For Cecile Woo, HealthSci ’26, spiders have been a lifelong nemesis.
“I get so scared of spiders every time. I immediately panic when I see spiders, especially the hairy ones. Even if the spider poses no actual threat to me, it could be just a picture, and I’d have the same reaction as if it were real. Just the thought of a spider sends me running for the hills,” Woo said in an interview with The Journal.
Phobias are excessive and persistent fears of specific objects, situations, or activities. Unlike general anxiety, phobias are marked by immediate, overwhelming reactions to triggers, often beyond the person’s control.
At the core of phobias lies the brain’s response to perceived danger, largely governed by the amygdala—an almond-shaped region of the brain responsible for processing emotions and fear responses.
When faced with a phobic trigger, the amygdala activates the body’s “fight or flight” response, causing symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, and a strong urge to escape the situation. This reaction is thought to have evolutionary origins, with the amygdala acting as a survival mechanism. The amygdala alerts the body to perceived threats even when no actual danger exists.
The amygdala’s role in triggering immediate responses is an evolutionary advantage that helped early humans survive dangerous situations. However, in today’s world, where threats are less about predators and more about social or environmental fears, the amygdala can overreact, causing unnecessary fear responses.
Phobia causes the body to react as if it’s in imminent danger, leading to avoidance behaviour that reinforces the phobia. They often arise from a combination of genetic predisposition and learned experiences. Studies suggest if a close family member has a specific phobia, it can increase the likelihood of another family member developing the same fear.
Traumatic experiences associated with a specific trigger can condition the brain to associate that stimulus with intense fear. The famous Little Albert experiment demonstrated this, where a child was conditioned to fear white rats by pairing their exposure with loud, frightening noises. The experiment highlighted how fears can be learned and persist over time.
“I’ve had a fear of getting stuck in confined spaces for as long as I can remember. This is why I don’t ever wear rings, since I worry that they might get stuck on my finger. I am perfectly fine with taking elevators, but if it were to get stuck, I would start panicking,” Ore Maxwell, HealthSci ’26 wrote in a statement to The Journal.
One of the reasons phobias are so challenging to overcome is that avoiding fearful situations reinforces the fear. The brain needs to adapt or learn that the situation isn’t genuinely dangerous. This avoidance creates a cycle that strengthens the phobia over time.
For university students, common phobias such as public speaking, heights, or flying can significantly impact daily life and academic performance. Academic pressure and social expectations often exacerbate these fears, making it challenging to seek help.
While occasional anxiety before a presentation is common, a person with a phobia of public speaking might experience physical symptoms like nausea or a racing heart, leading them to avoid speaking in front of others altogether.
Fortunately, advancements in psychology have led to effective treatments for phobias. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used approaches, focusing on gradually exposing patients to their feared object or situation in a controlled environment. This process, called exposure therapy, helps the brain relearn and diminish its fear response over time.
“Overcoming phobias isn’t easy, but it is possible with the right approach. I used to have an intense fear of hospitals. I would start feeling dizzy and get a pounding headache every time I saw a hospital building. However, through cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), I was able to overcome my fear. It was tough, but now I’m in my final year of nursing, and I don’t feel the fear anymore,” said Emily Correa, Nurs ’24, in an interview with The Journal.
For students, understanding and addressing phobias is critical, especially given the stress of academics and social pressures. Phobias can contribute to broader mental health issues like anxiety disorders or depression if left untreated.
Seeking professional help can be a crucial first step in addressing the root of the phobia. Additionally, gradual exposure to feared situations, combined with relaxation techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness, can help reduce immediate anxiety responses.
Tags
brain, fear, fight or flight, neurobiology, phobias
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