A phobia is an excessive or unreasonable fear of an object.

PHOBIAS A phobia is an excessive or unreasonable fear of an object, place or situation. Simple phobias are fears of specific things such as insects, infections, flying. Agoraphobia is a fear of being in places where one feels "trapped" or unable to get help, such as in crowds, on a bus, or standing in a queue. A social phobia is a marked fear of social or performance situations. Phobias are extremely common. Sometimes they start …

…panic disorder. Compared to men, women more often suffer from most types of phobia and panic disorder. The reason that phobias and panic are more common in women is now known. Investigators speculate that men may be more likely to drown their fears, since alcohol abuse is more common in men than women. This is just one of many possible explanations, however. Differences in biological makeup or social and psychological experiences may also be responsible.