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A phobia is an abnormal or irrational fear of a situation or thing. A person suffering from a phobia may dwell on the object of his or her fear when it is not even present. People have been known to have fears of things as common as running water, dirt, dogs, or high places. One in ten people develop a phobia at some time in their lives.

In addition to the emotional feeling of uncontrollable terror or dread, people suffering from a phobia (called phobics) may experience physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and an overwhelming urge to run. These symptoms are often so strong that they prevent phobic people from taking action to protect themselves.

Simple phobias are usually termed according to the specific object or situation feared. Examples include acrophobia (fear of heights), agoraphobia (open spaces), claustrophobia (enclosed spaces), mysophobia (dirt and germs), zoophobia (animals),...