Specific phobias are an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of objects or situations that pose little real danger but provoke anxiety and avoidance. Unlike the brief anxiety you may feel when giving a speech or taking a test, specific phobias are long lasting, cause intense physical and psychological reactions, and can affect your ability to function normally at work, at school or in social settings. Specific phobias are among the most common anxiety disorders, and not all phobias need treatment.
But if a specific phobia affects your daily life, several therapies are available that can help you work through and overcome your fears — often permanently.
"-phobia" redirects here. For the class of psychological disorders, see phobia. The english suffixes -phobia, -phobic, -phobe (from greek φόβος phobos, "fear") occur in technical usage in psychiatry to construct words that describe irrational, abnormal , unwarranted, persistent, or disabling fear as a mental disorder (e. G. Agoraphobia ), in chemistry to describe chemical aversions (e. G. Hydrophobic ), in biology to describe organisms that dislike certain conditions (e. G. Acidophobia ), and in medicine to describe hypersensitivity to a stimulus, usually sensory (e. G. Photophobia ). In common usage, they also form words that describe dislike or hatred of a particular thing or subject (e.
Other types of phobias
Phobias are constant, excessive fears of an object or situation that interfere with one's life and/or cause personal distress. Phobias are among the most common types of psychiatric disorders, with 11% of the population subject to a phobia at some point in their lives, and 5. 5% of the population subject to a phobia within a given 30-day period. Many people learn to manage their phobia with minimal difficulties. For example, a person with a spider phobia might avoid activities such as camping, but otherwise does not notice a disruption in his or her life.
However, for phobias that cause noticeable life interference, there are effective treatments that are successful in up to 90% of cases.
Unlike specific phobias, complex phobias are more likely to develop during adulthood. They are often linked to a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about a particular circumstance or situation and mental health issues such as depression, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are often linked. The two most common types of complex phobias are social anxiety and agoraphobia.
types of phobias • signs & symptoms • treatments fear is a natural reaction to danger. But when your fears are so great that they disrupt your daily life, you probably suffer from a phobia. Phobias can cause overwhelming fear of animals, objects or social situations, or the complete inability to deal with a given situation, for no apparent reason. Sometimes phobias can cause fear so intense it totally disables its victims. Phobias are among the most common of all mental illnesses, and they are usually the most successfully treated.
Both simple and complex phobias can be treated successfully. Treatment options include talking therapies and self-help techniques. In some cases medicine may be prescribed to treat the anxiety associated with a phobia. It can often take some time to overcome a complex phobia. Treatment of phobias.