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450 BCE
The first written reference
The first written refrence to phobic problems that we have is in the works of the ancient greek physisian Hippocrates. -
40
Aulus Cornelius Celsus
The actual word phobias never came from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. Aulus Cornelius Celsus first used the word to describe someone with the fear of water due to rabies. -
The first relatively modern use of the word phobia
In 1786 an unknown writer in the Columbian magazine defined the word phobia as being “A fear of an imaginary evil, or an undue fear of a real one.” -
First time in print
The word phobia does not pop up in print until 1801. -
A known word
It's not until the late 1800's that people begin using the word phobias and becoming comfortable with its meaning. -
Sigmund Freud
After much research and experiences with those who have a phobia, Sigmund and other researchers of the time also began to speculate that phobias were distinct mental conditions. -
A separate diagnostic category
In 1947 phobias became a separate diagnostic category in the International Classification of Diseases. -
Becoming classified
In 1951 phobias were classified by the American Psychiatric Association. -
Three types of phobias
In the 1960s, it was observed that phobias divide themselves into three rather different kinds or categories: agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobias. That set the stage for the phobia classifications that we still use today. -
How we have grown
In our modern era, we have so many advancements we have forgotten that hundreds of years ago they did not understand that if one was terrified of leaving their house it was a serious mental condition. -
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