The rising cases of extreme phobias and why early help matters

A woman in Telangana recently died by suicide, following a prolonged struggle with an intense fear of ants: a reminder that phobias, when unrecognised and untreated, can become disabling and even life-threatening. Estimates indicate that these conditions are significantly under-reported, and current data remains limited. A 2010 meta-analysis of 13 Indian studies put the prevalence of diagnosable phobias at 4.2%. Meanwhile, the National Mental Health Survey (2015-16) reported that 2.57% of Indians lived with an anxiety disorder , with agoraphobia affecting 1.6% of the population. Globally, a specific phobia is recognised as the most common anxiety disorder, with lifetime prevalence ranging between 8% and 14%. Newer behavioural fears are emerging too-- studies among Indian medical students show nearly universal levels of nomophobia -- the fear of being without a mobile phone with around 14% reporting severe symptoms. When it becomes apparent Clinicians say these conditions often go unnoticed, until daily life is significantly disrupted. Yayathee S, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist at Rela Hospital, Chennai, recalls a patient who spent months terrified each time he attempted to sit in a car or board a flight. With no obvious trigger, the fear arrived fully formed: with palpitations, breathlessness, sweating, until psychiatrists diagnosed a specific phobia. Treatment began with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) using graded visual exposure. Through guided imagery, he practised entering a car, starting the engine, and eventually imagined walking into an aircraft. Over time, the panic subsided. In another case, a woman became convinced she was severely ill despite normal medical reports. Her persistent fear of dying kept her in constant vigilance. Therapists traced her health anxiety to low self-esteem and early emotional distress. Fear vs. phobia While many people experience mild, passing fears, a phobia is different -- it overwhelms the body and alters behaviour. “A common fear is usually short-lived and proportional,” says Rahul Chandhok, senior consultant and head, psychiatry, Artemis Lite Hospital, New Delhi. “But a phobia is intense, irrational, and persistent. It begins to interfere with daily life -- avoiding elevators, social situations, or medical visits and that’s when it becomes clinically significant.” Dr. Chandok notes that people often mistake phobias for personality quirks or dismiss them as overreaction. “By the time they reach us, the fear has already reshaped their routine.” In clinical settings, he most often sees social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific fears such as claustrophobia or fear of heights. These conditions may restrict routine functioning: avoiding meetings, skipping travel, declining invitations, or remaining confined indoors. Over time, this compounds into isolation, reduced confidence, and emotional exhaustion. Lesser-known phobias In her practice, Dr. Yayathee sees fears that range from the familiar to the unexpected - fear of travelling, illness, being alone, or meeting people are some that she encounters. Lesser-known phobias however, are increasingly surfacing: trypophobia (fear of clustered holes), anthropophobia (fear of people), coulrophobia (fear of clowns), globophobia (fear of balloons), vehophobia (fear of driving), and mysophobia (fear of contamination), the last one sharpening post-pandemic. Dr. Chandhok adds that what may appear unusual...

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