What makes your skin crawl? Is it the thought of a spider scuttling across your pillow, a snake slithering through the garden, or perhaps the dizzying view from a lookout?
If you’re nodding along, you’re in good company. Despite our reputation for being a tough, no-nonsense bunch, Australians are surprisingly prone to phobias—and science says it’s not just in our heads, but in our genes.
According to the Federal Health Department, nearly one in seven Australians—that’s almost 15 per cent of us—will develop a phobia or anxiety disorder at some point in our lives.
And while we might joke about our mates being ‘scaredy-cats’, these fears can be intense, irrational, and disruptive to daily life.
Clinical psychologist Steph Georgiou described a phobia as ‘an intense, irrational and out of proportion fear for a specific object or situation, which impacts your day-to-day life’.
But why do we develop these fears, and why are some so much more common than others?
Phobias generally fall into four main categories:
- Animal-specific (think spiders, snakes, dogs)
- Medical-specific (needles, blood, hospitals)
- Place-specific (planes, lifts, bridges)
- Other (clowns, buttons, vomiting—yes, really!)
Let’s examine the top five phobias that haunt Australians and the fascinating science behind them.
1. Arachnophobia
Unsurprisingly, spiders top the list in Australia, home to some of the world’s most venomous eight-legged critters. Around 5 per cent of Australians have a clinically significant fear of spiders.
Georgiou explained that this is partly due to ‘evolutionary preparedness’—our brains are hardwired to be wary of things that could harm us.
Add to that a childhood of being told ‘don’t touch, it might bite!’ and a steady diet of horror movies featuring monstrous spiders, and it’s easy to see why so many of us shudder at the sight of a Huntsman.
But here’s the kicker: while spiders can be dangerous, those with phobias often perceive the threat as far greater than it is. Most Australian spiders are harmless, and bites are rare.
2. Ophidiophobia
Snakes slither into second place, even though most of us will unlikely encounter one in the wild.
Research shows that our brains react to the silhouette of a snake in just 120 milliseconds—faster than the blink of an eye—even if we’ve never seen one before.
The amygdala, our brain’s alarm system, is kicking into gear. It’s a survival mechanism, honed over millennia.
Negative portrayals in movies and books, plus anxious parents passing on their fears, only reinforce this ancient wiring.
3. Acrophobia
Heights are another biggie, with 20–30 per cent of Australians admitting they get wobbly at the knees when looking down from a great height.
This fear is partly inbuilt, thanks to our ‘innate postural threat system’—a subconscious mechanism that helps us avoid falls and injury.
Catastrophic scenes in movies (think: people tumbling off cliffs) don’t help, and for those with an anxious temperament, focusing on worst-case scenarios can turn a healthy respect for heights into a full-blown phobia.
4. Aviophobia
Flying is a complex fear, often involving a mix of anxieties: fear of crashing, fear of having a panic attack mid-flight, fear of heights, or simply fear of being trapped.
Sometimes it’s triggered by a bad experience or watching dramatic footage of plane crashes. For many, it’s about a lack of control—not being in the pilot’s seat can be deeply unsettling.
5. Glossophobia
You might be surprised to learn that public speaking is one of the most common phobias, even beating out some of the more ‘dangerous’ fears.
Glossophobia is rooted in our social wiring—we’re afraid of being rejected or scrutinised by a group. Movies and television often reinforce the idea that fitting in is everything, making the thought of standing out (and possibly messing up) all the more terrifying.
The quirky and the unusual
Of course, not all phobias are so easily explained. Some people have an intense fear of vomiting, clowns, or even buttons.
These often stem from early psychological conditioning—a bad experience, a moment of shame or disgust, or simply an association formed in childhood.
Avoidance only strengthens the fear, as the brain never gets a chance to learn that the object or situation isn’t dangerous.
So, what’s the solution? According to Georgiou, the key is gentle, gradual exposure.
If you’re terrified of spiders, start by looking at pictures and then videos, and eventually work up to being in the same room as one (preferably behind glass!).
If heights make you queasy, try looking out a second-storey window before tackling a lookout.
For public speaking, create a ‘fear ladder’: start by speaking in front of a few friends, then record yourself, then try a small group, and so on.
At each stage, practice calming your anxiety with deep breathing and challenge those negative beliefs (‘The spider probably won’t bite me—and even if it does, I’ll most likely be okay!’).
Remember, it’s perfectly reasonable to feel fear and anxiety. The trick is to lean into it, tolerate the discomfort, and gradually build your confidence.
Do you have a phobia that’s held you back, or a funny story about facing your fears? Have you ever tried exposure therapy, or do you have your tricks for managing anxiety? We’d love to hear your experiences—share your stories in the comments below, and let’s support each other in facing our fears, one step at a time.
Also read: Aquaphobia is more common than we think. But conquering it is possible
