A phobia is a persistent and irrational fear of a particular type of object, animal, activity, or situation.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Specific phobias are a type of anxiety disorder in which exposure to the feared stimulus may provoke extreme anxiety or a panic attack. Specific phobias are among the most common of all psychiatric disorders, affecting up to 10% of the population.
Common phobias include the fear of particular animals (for instance, dogs or snakes), insects or spiders, high places, lightening, flying, and blood. People with specific phobias often realize their fear is irrational, but are unable to prevent it.
Symptoms:
Exposure to the feared object provokes an anxiety reaction.
The anxiety and discomfort is out of proportion to the real threat of the feared object.
The person may experience excessive sweating, poor motor control, or rapid heart rate.
The person avoids situations in which contact with the feared object or animal may occur -- for example, avoiding driving through tunnels, if tunnels are the subject of the specific phobia. This type of avoidance can interfere with job and social functioning.
The person may feel weak or cowardly and lose self-esteem when avoiding the object of the phobia.
Description of behavior from family, friends, and affected person
Review Date: 11/15/2006
Reviewed By: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Anxiety & Stress
