Why are people born with phobias?

author

This page says: "It is generally accepted that phobias arise from a combination of external events and internal predispositions." This means, I suppose, that you have to have both an internal predisposition and an external event. In other words: You can't be born with a phobia, only with a predisposition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobia#Causes Oct 17 08, 9:15 PM

looney_tunes

Current theory says that one is not born with a phobia, one develops a phobia. They "arise from a combination of external events and internal predispositions. ... [Experiments have shown that] certain objects may have a genetic predisposition to being associated with fear. Many specific phobias can be traced back to a specific triggering event, usually a traumatic experience at an early age. Social phobias and agoraphobia have more complex causes that are not entirely known at this time. It is believed that heredity, genetics, and brain chemistry combine with life-experiences to play a major role in the development of anxiety disorders, phobias and panic attacks." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobia Oct 17 08, 9:46 PM