Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsTypesPrevalenceTreatments

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Types

Prevalence

Treatments

According to the American Psychiatric Association, aphobiais an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm.For example, those with agoraphobia fear being trapped in an inescapable place or situation.

Phobia Symptoms

Phobic symptomscan occur through exposure to the feared object or situation, or sometimes merely through thinking about the feared object. Typical symptoms associated with phobias include:

In some cases, these symptoms may escalate into a full-scaleanxiety attack.

In response to these symptoms, some individuals may develop social anxiety disorder (SAD)—previously known as social phobia—and begin to isolate themselves, leading to severe difficulties with functioning in daily life and with maintaining relationships.

In other cases,such as with hypochondriasis, a person may seek out medical care due to a constant concern with imagined illnesses or imminent death.

Types of Phobias

TheAmerican Psychiatric Association defines phobias as anxiety disordersand categorizes them into three different types:

More examples of the four major types of specific phobias include:

Prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, social anxiety disorderaffects about 7% of adult Americans in a given yearand specific phobiasaffect approximately 9%. In general, women are affected more than men.

According to theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, only about 10% of reported phobia cases become life-long phobias.

Phobia Treatments

There area number of treatment approaches for phobias, and the effectiveness of each approach depends on the person and their type of phobia.

Another method often used in phobia treatment is counter-conditioning. In this method, the person is taught a new response to the feared object. Rather than panic in the face of the feared object or situation, the person learnsrelaxation techniquesto replace anxiety and fear.

This new behavior is incompatible with the previous panic response, so the phobic response gradually diminishes. Counter-conditioning is often used with people who are unable to handle exposure treatments and has been effective for treating children and adolescents.

Finally, for both adults and children with social phobia, medication like a low dose of abenzodiazepineor potentially an antidepressant (like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI) in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy can prove helpful.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

A Word From Verywell

If you think you may have a phobia, pleaseseek out treatment from a licensed therapist, psychologist, orpsychiatrist. You deserve to develop control of this fear, and you can with proper therapy.

List of Phobias: Common Phobias From A to Z

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learn Mem. 2017;24(9):462-471. doi: 10.1101/lm.044115.116Tsitsas GD, Paschali AA.A Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Applied to a Social Anxiety Disorder and a Specific Phobia, Case Study.Health Psychol Res. 2014;2(3):1603. Published 2014 Oct 21. doi:10.4081/hpr.2014.1603Burstein M, Georgiades K, He JP, et al.Specific phobia among U.S. adolescents: phenomenology and typology.Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(12):1072–1082. doi:10.1002/da.22008McLean CP, Asnaani A, Litz BT, Hofmann SG. Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness.J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(8):1027–1035. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.006McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA.Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.Expert Rev Neurother. 2014;14(8):893–910. doi:10.1586/14737175.2014.934677Davis TE 3rd, Ollendick TH, Ost LG.Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents.Cogn Behav Pract. 2009;16(3):294–303. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.12.008Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK).Social Anxiety Disorder: Recognition, Assessment and Treatment. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (2013).National Institute of Mental Health.The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America(2013).Richard T.A. Social Anxiety Association. Social Anxiety Fact Sheet: What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?Samra, Chadan K., Abdijadid, Sara.Specific Phobia. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing (2020).

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learn Mem. 2017;24(9):462-471. doi: 10.1101/lm.044115.116Tsitsas GD, Paschali AA.A Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Applied to a Social Anxiety Disorder and a Specific Phobia, Case Study.Health Psychol Res. 2014;2(3):1603. Published 2014 Oct 21. doi:10.4081/hpr.2014.1603Burstein M, Georgiades K, He JP, et al.Specific phobia among U.S. adolescents: phenomenology and typology.Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(12):1072–1082. doi:10.1002/da.22008McLean CP, Asnaani A, Litz BT, Hofmann SG. Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness.J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(8):1027–1035. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.006McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA.Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.Expert Rev Neurother. 2014;14(8):893–910. doi:10.1586/14737175.2014.934677Davis TE 3rd, Ollendick TH, Ost LG.Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents.Cogn Behav Pract. 2009;16(3):294–303. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.12.008Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK).Social Anxiety Disorder: Recognition, Assessment and Treatment. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (2013).National Institute of Mental Health.The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America(2013).Richard T.A. Social Anxiety Association. Social Anxiety Fact Sheet: What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?Samra, Chadan K., Abdijadid, Sara.Specific Phobia. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing (2020).

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learn Mem. 2017;24(9):462-471. doi: 10.1101/lm.044115.116Tsitsas GD, Paschali AA.A Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Applied to a Social Anxiety Disorder and a Specific Phobia, Case Study.Health Psychol Res. 2014;2(3):1603. Published 2014 Oct 21. doi:10.4081/hpr.2014.1603Burstein M, Georgiades K, He JP, et al.Specific phobia among U.S. adolescents: phenomenology and typology.Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(12):1072–1082. doi:10.1002/da.22008McLean CP, Asnaani A, Litz BT, Hofmann SG. Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness.J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(8):1027–1035. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.006McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA.Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.Expert Rev Neurother. 2014;14(8):893–910. doi:10.1586/14737175.2014.934677Davis TE 3rd, Ollendick TH, Ost LG.Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents.Cogn Behav Pract. 2009;16(3):294–303. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.12.008Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

Garcia R.Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learn Mem. 2017;24(9):462-471. doi: 10.1101/lm.044115.116

Tsitsas GD, Paschali AA.A Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Applied to a Social Anxiety Disorder and a Specific Phobia, Case Study.Health Psychol Res. 2014;2(3):1603. Published 2014 Oct 21. doi:10.4081/hpr.2014.1603

Burstein M, Georgiades K, He JP, et al.Specific phobia among U.S. adolescents: phenomenology and typology.Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(12):1072–1082. doi:10.1002/da.22008

McLean CP, Asnaani A, Litz BT, Hofmann SG. Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness.J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(8):1027–1035. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.006

McGuire JF, Lewin AB, Storch EA.Enhancing exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.Expert Rev Neurother. 2014;14(8):893–910. doi:10.1586/14737175.2014.934677

Davis TE 3rd, Ollendick TH, Ost LG.Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents.Cogn Behav Pract. 2009;16(3):294–303. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.12.008

Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK).Social Anxiety Disorder: Recognition, Assessment and Treatment. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (2013).National Institute of Mental Health.The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America(2013).Richard T.A. Social Anxiety Association. Social Anxiety Fact Sheet: What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?Samra, Chadan K., Abdijadid, Sara.Specific Phobia. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing (2020).

American Psychiatric Association. (2013).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK).Social Anxiety Disorder: Recognition, Assessment and Treatment. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (2013).

National Institute of Mental Health.The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America(2013).

Richard T.A. Social Anxiety Association. Social Anxiety Fact Sheet: What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Samra, Chadan K., Abdijadid, Sara.Specific Phobia. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing (2020).

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