People avoid things because they fear them. This avoidance is called a phobia. In children these are normal developmental fears which children grow out of (a fear of strangers or animals). Sometimes these fears persist or worsen into adulthood. People can also develop phobias in adulthood. An example would be a child traumatized by a dog bite and then finds that they are now avoiding dogs, get scared around all dogs, and feel anxious even hearing the barking of a dog.
Frequently phobias that were manageable by avoidance, become unmanageable. For example, if you feared flying but never had a need to, it wouldn’t be a problem. Then your child decides to get married in the south of France. Now your phobia of flying may become a problem. Phobias are very treatable with CBT.
For more information, please contact Dr. Vermilyea.