Fears Across the Nation: Exploring Prevalent Phobias in the United States
In a survey conducted among 2,500 U.S. residents in October 2023, researchers found that phobias come in various forms and can cause feelings of fear and panic. The average age of participants was 37.9 years old.
The survey results align with national mental health data, indicating that the most common phobias in the U.S. include:
1. **Animal phobias**, such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders), are among the most prevalent, with a lifetime prevalence of 3.8% globally and similar patterns in the U.S.
2. **Heights** also feature high on the list, with acrophobia (fear of heights) being the most common phobia in 21 states across the country.
3. **Enclosed spaces** are the most common phobia in the state of Mississippi.
4. Atychiphobia (fear of failure), Thanatophobia (fear of death), Trypanophobia (fear of injections), and Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) tie for fourth place in the survey. The survey did not specify which states these phobias are most common in.
5. Agoraphobia (fear of crowds), Glossophobia (fear of public speaking), and Trypophobia (fear of circle clusters) tie for fifth in the list of most common phobias in the survey. Again, the survey did not provide information on the states where these phobias are most prevalent.
It is worth noting that some phobias can be easier to avoid, while others can cause people to run away from certain situations. For example, during Halloween, Acrophobia (fear of heights) was found to be the biggest phobia for the country's spookiest holiday.
The survey sample was representative, with 50.9% female, 46.8% male, 1.7% non-binary, 0.4% transgender, and 0.2% other respondents. The data or visuals from the survey can be used for non-commercial purposes, provided proper attribution is given.
In addition to the common phobias mentioned, the survey also highlighted lesser-known phobias such as Agoraphobia, Glossophobia, and Trypophobia. Social phobia was the second most common phobia in four states: Alaska, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Utah.
Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) was found to be a prevalent phobia in five states: Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, South Dakota, and Vermont.
Overall, the survey provides valuable insights into the prevalence of phobias in the U.S., offering a starting point for further research and potential interventions to help those affected by these conditions.
- In the realm of less common phobias, the survey also shed light on health-and-wellness concerns, with Trypophobia (fear of cluster patterns) and Glossophobia (fear of public speaking) making an appearance.
- Furthermore, the blog post about the survey results unveiled that Science enthusiasts might also have cause for concern, as Atychiphobia (fear of failure) was found to be among the top five phobias in multiple states.
