Phobias are among the most common mental health problems, and surveys regularly find they are reported more often by women than men. Nobody has a single answer for why, but there are a few likely reasons.
Life experiences
Stressful and frightening experiences make anxiety and phobias more likely, and women are more likely to go through some of these. A bad experience can change how the mind reacts to danger for years afterwards.
Asking for help
Men are often less likely to talk about fear or ask for help. That may mean some phobias in men simply go unreported, so the gap may be smaller than the numbers suggest.
Hormones
Changing hormone levels, for example around periods, pregnancy or the menopause, can affect mood and anxiety. Thyroid problems can also play a part, so it is worth checking with your GP if anxiety comes on suddenly.
The good news
There is still a lot we do not know about why phobias start. What we do know is that they respond well to the right help, whoever you are. If a fear is getting in the way of your life, it is worth doing something about it.
Want help with a phobia?
Take the free phobia test to see how strong your fear is, or book a £49 consultation call and we can talk it through.
Leave a Reply