Bipolars can experience phobias, too.  These are intense fears that are out of proportion for the particular situation.  When a bipolar person is faced with a dreaded situation (public speaking, heights, leaving the house, needles, spiders, small spaces, cats, snakes, etc.) the person’s anxiety rapidly spikes and can escalate into a panic attack.  Phobias are diagnosed when clinically significant anxiety happens when exposed to the feared object or situation. This fear often leads to avoidance of the object or situation.

Famous People with Phobias

Nobody is immune to phobias.  Anybody can experience the terrifying feeling of an oncoming panic attack from their impending fear.  George Washington was afraid of being buried alive (taphephobia).  Do you know who has the fear of disorder or untidiness (ataxophobia)?  David Beckham.  The Material Girl, Madonna is afraid of thunder (brontophobia).  Who’s ready for the Kentucky Derby?  Robert Pattinson is not.  He has equinphobia, the fear of horses. Sigmund Freud had a fear of weapons and ferns.  The Queen of Everything, Oprah Winfrey, does have one flaw – fear of gum chewing.  Scarlett Johansson is afraid of birds or ornithophobia.  The Great French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte had ailurophobia (fear of cats).  Howie Mandel is a germaphobe (fear of germs).  I have no idea how Jennifer Aniston gets around for her acting career because she has a fear of flying.  The funny man with all the great many characters, Johnny Depp, has a fear of clowns.  And Sheryl Crow has a fear of heights.

Here is a link to some more information on phobias:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phobias/basics/definition/con-20023478

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