A traumatic experience in the past is usually the major cause of philophobia. Failure in maintaining one relationship may cause people afraid to start another one, especially when they have maintained the relationship carefully with a very deep emotional feeling.
Some other philophobic people get their fear from hearing someone’s tragic love experience, be it their family members or friends. This kind of experience makes people retreat whenever love approach. They can’t stand the idea of having a deep emotional feeling with someone because they keep thinking of the worst situation that may happen if they fall in love.