Can You Have More Than One Phobia? (Yes—And You’re Not Alone)

If you’ve ever had a strong fear of something—like flying, spiders, or crowded spaces—you probably know how intense and overwhelming it can be. But what if you’re afraid of more than one thing? Is that normal? Is it harder to deal with?

The short answer: yes, it’s common to have more than one phobia. And no, you’re not alone—and it’s absolutely possible to work through them.

When Fears Multiply

Phobias are more than just fears—they’re persistent, intense, and can interfere with daily life. You might avoid booking holidays because of your fear of flying, but also dread doctor’s appointments because of your fear of needles. Or maybe you steer clear of public speaking and feel panicky around dogs. It’s not uncommon for these kinds of fears to overlap, and they can sometimes feed into each other.

Sometimes, multiple phobias develop over time. A person might grow up afraid of storms and later develop social anxiety or fear of elevators. Other times, fears may feel linked. For example, a fear of fainting might exist alongside a fear of blood, or a fear of losing control in public spaces might overlap with agoraphobia.

Whatever combination you’re experiencing, it can feel confusing—and frustrating. You might wonder: Why is this happening to me? Why can’t I just be normal? But multiple phobias don’t mean something is wrong with you. They simply reflect how your brain is trying to protect you, even if it's overreacting to certain triggers.

How Phobias Take Hold

Phobias often develop after a specific incident (like getting stuck in a lift or being bitten by a dog), but not always. Sometimes they form gradually, reinforced over time by avoidance. The more we avoid something that makes us anxious, the more our brain learns: Yep, that must have been dangerous. Good thing we stayed away!

When you’re dealing with more than one phobia, that cycle of avoidance can happen in several areas of life at once. Over time, you might find yourself constantly managing your environment—always planning, avoiding, explaining, or cancelling. It’s exhausting.

But here’s the good news: just like phobias can build up over time, they can also be unlearned. And you don’t have to tackle them all at once.

Treating One Can Help with the Others

It might surprise you to learn that treating one phobia can often reduce the intensity of others. A study by Ollendick and colleagues (2009) found that when youth received a brief, targeted treatment for a specific phobia—such as a fear of animals or heights—not only did their primary fear improve, but the severity of other phobias and anxiety disorders they had also reduced significantly [1].

This is important. It means you don’t need to “fix everything” all at once. You can start with one fear and still see positive ripple effects across other areas of your life. Your brain starts learning: Maybe I can handle this. Maybe I’m stronger than I thought. And that sense of confidence and mastery can carry forward into facing other fears, even if they seem unrelated.

How oVRcome Can Help

Here at oVRcome, we know that life isn’t always neat—and neither are phobias. That’s why our programs are designed to support people who may be dealing with more than one fear.

Whether it’s fear of flying and social anxiety, or emetophobia (fear of vomiting) alongside agoraphobia, you can access multiple programs through your oVRcome account. Each one includes step-by-step virtual reality exposure experiences tailored to that specific fear, along with tools to help you manage your anxiety as you work through them.

Some people choose to focus on one phobia at a time. Others prefer to alternate depending on what’s coming up in life. There’s no single “right” way to heal—and we’re here to support you in building your confidence, however that looks.

Moving Forward

Having multiple phobias doesn’t make you weak. It means you’ve been doing your best to cope with a sensitive, protective system that sometimes overfires. The path forward isn’t about eliminating fear altogether—it’s about retraining your brain to see that you can handle things, one small step at a time.

If you’re ready to start, we’re here for you. With oVRcome, you can face your fears gently, build confidence at your own pace, and take control back—no matter how many phobias are showing up.

References

[1] Ollendick TH, Ost LG, Reuterskiöld L, Costa N. Comorbidity in youth with specific phobias: Impact of comorbidity on treatment outcome and the impact of treatment on comorbid disorders. Behav Res Ther. 2010 Sep;48(9):827-31. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.05.024. Epub 2010 Jun 1. PMID: 20573338; PMCID: PMC2914122.