Fear cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation, exposure to which almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response or panic attack even though the subject recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. The phobic stimulus is avoided or endured with marked distress. Two types of phobia have been differentiated: a) Specific Phobia: Formerly called simple phobia, specific phobia is sub-typed on the basis of the object feared: animals; the natural environment (e.g., heights, storms, water); blood, injection, or injury; certain situations (e.g., cars, airplanes, heights, tunnels); and other stimuli (e.g., fear of choking, vomiting, or contracting an illness). b) Social Phobia: Also called social anxiety disorder, social phobia is the persistent fear of social situations that might expose one to scrutiny by others and induce one to act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be humiliating or embarrassing. Avoidance may be limited to one or only a few situations, or it may extend to most social situations. Performing in front of others or interacting socially may be the focus of concern. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between social phobia and agoraphobia when social avoidance accompanies panic attacks. Social phobia occurring in childhood and adolescence has been termed avoidant disorder.
An obsessive, persistent, unrealistic, intense fear of an object or situation. The fear is believed to arise through a process of displacing an internal (unconscious) conflict to an external object symbolically related to the conflict. Some of the common phobias are (add “abnormal fear of” to each entry):
- achluophobia Darkness
- acrophobia Heights
- agoraphobia Open spaces or leaving the familiar set- ting of the home
- ailurophobia Cats
- algophobia Pain
- androphobia Men
- autophobia Being alone or solitude
- bathophobia Depths
- claustrophobia Closed spaces
- cynophobia Dogs
- demophobia Crowds
- erythrophobia Blushing; sometimes used to refer to the blushing itself
- gynophobia Women
- hypnophobia Sleep
- mysophobia Dirt and germs
- panphobia Everything
- pedophobia Children xenophobia Strangers
An intense, irrational fear of something or a situation. True phobias are neurotic forms of behavior.
An unusually strong and irrational fear.
Specific phobias are persistent fears of clearly identified circumscribed objects or situations, usually leading to an immediate anxiety response and avoidance of the stimulus. Common specific phobias in children include fears of the dark; weather-related phenomena such as thunder and lightning; doctors, dentists, or medical procedures requiring physical contact; and animals or insects. The focus of the fear may be some expected harm from the object or situation (e.g., fear of dogs associated with a fear of being bitten). The diagnosis is not warranted unless the child’s fears reflect clinically significant impairment—for example, school refusal or excessive fear of going out to play because an encounter with an animal may occur. To differentiate between specific phobias and other anxiety disorders in children, the child’s fear may not be related to other fears such as panic attacks, social humiliation-embarrassment, or separation from a parent. Specific phobias may also vary as a function of beliefs associated with different cultures and ethnic groups. Fears of supernatural phenomena (i.e., spirits, etc.) should only be considered a specific phobia only if they are obviously in excess of cultural norms and cause significant impairment. Specific phobias may provoke panic attacks, especially if the person perceives that there is no escape. Anxiety is invariably experienced immediately when encountering the feared stimulus and may be expressed by crying, tantrums, or freezing or clinging behavior. Children often do not recognize that the fears are excessive or unreasonable and typically do not verbally express distress about the phobias.
A powerful, persistent fear of an object or situation, where in fact no danger or threat exists; sometimes thought to be a kind of defense mechanism called displacement, in which unconscious fears are attached to an external object. Phobia is a key characteristic of phobic disorders (see below) but is also a symptom of other mental disorders, such as panic disorders and other anxiety disorders. A much milder problem, school phobia, is more often a form of separation anxiety or reflects other kinds of social or academic problems.
Anxiety disorder characterized by irrational and intense fear of an object (e.g., a dog), an activity (e.g., leaving the house), or physical conditions (e.g., height). The intense fear usually causes tremor, panic, palpitations, nausea, and other physical signs. Types of phobia include agora¬ phobia, claustrophobia, and zoophobia. Treatment includes desensitization therapy and other techniques of behavior therapy.
A persistent, irrational, exaggerated, and involuntary fear of a specific object, place, activity, or situation. Examples of specific phobias are fear of heights (acrophobia), open spaces (agoraphobia), snakes, closed spaces (claustrophobia), and water. Social phobias include fears of meeting new people and of being embarrassed, humiliated, or ridiculed in front of others. Contact with the focus of the fear can prompt a panic attack.
A pathologically strong fear of a particular event or thing. Avoiding the feared situation may severely restrict one’s life and cause much suffering. The main kinds of phobia are specific phobias (isolated fears of particular things, such as sharp knives); agoraphobia; social phobias of encountering people; and animal phobias, as of spiders, rats, or dogs. Treatment is with behavior therapy, especially desensitization and flooding. ‘Psychotherapy and drug therapy are also useful.
An irrational fear of particular objects or situations. A well-known American medical dictionary lists more than 200 ‘examples’ of phobias, ranging, alphabetically, from fear of air to fear of writing. Included in the list are phobophobia (fear of phobias) and triskaidekaphobia (fear of having 13 sitting at table).
Any persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that results in a compelling desire to avoid the feared stimulus.
An anxiety disorder characterized by unreasonable or excessive fear of a particular object, situation, or activity.
A profound and irrational dread of a particular object, activity, or situation.
An ongoing and irrational dread of a specific object or situation. Numerous individuals experience minor phobias that might lead to discomfort but don’t significantly impact their daily activities. A phobia becomes classified as a psychiatric disorder when it disrupts regular social functioning.
Simple phobias, also known as specific phobias, are the most prevalent. These concerns often revolve around apprehension of specific animals or circumstances, such as confined spaces (claustrophobia). While fears of animals usually emerge during childhood, other categories of phobias can arise at any stage of life.
More intense and widespread fears are referred to as complex phobias. Agoraphobia is one type, often resulting in significant impairment. This condition typically commences in the late teens or early twenties. Another complex phobia is social phobia, characterized by the fear of being observed, such as experiencing anxiety around eating or speaking publicly. The onset of this phobia typically transpires in late childhood or early adolescence.
The origins of phobias remain uncertain. Some experts speculate that simple phobias could arise from a type of conditioning. For instance, an individual with a fear of dogs might have experienced a frightening encounter with a dog during their childhood.
Encountering the object or situation that triggers the fear results in profound anxiety, and in certain instances, it might even prompt a panic attack. This individual might commence evading any scenario that could involve interaction with the fear-inducing element, thereby potentially disrupting their way of life. Phobias can also be linked to depression or obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Additionally, the person might resort to excessive drug use or alcohol consumption as a means to alleviate the fear.
The course of treatment is contingent on the severity of the condition and the preferences of the individual. In cases of simple phobias, treatment might not be essential unless the feared element is so prevalent that avoidance proves challenging (e.g., a person residing in a city with a fear of elevators). Conversely, treatment is often pursued for complex phobias. This can encompass cognitive-behavioral therapy and, in some instances, the use of antidepressant medications.