A phobia is not just an extreme fear but an anxiety disorder. The person it affects would either dread a situation, place, thing or living creature. Phobias can cause shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, anxiety and feeling of panic. People with a phobia go to great lengths to avoid there fear. If you were to come across your phobias you could suffer from enormous distress which interferes with normal function. There are two common types of phobias, specific and complex phobias. It is very unlikely for a person to develop a phobia after 30 years of age. People will usually start to develop a phobia during early childhood. The most common reason for people to develop a phobia is a bad childhood experience. For example if you were to be locked in a cupboard for a while and panic a lot you would be likely to develop claustrophobia (a fear of confined spaces). People with a phobia that is specific will usually develop there phobia between the ages of 4-8 years.