Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDSM-5 CriteriaTypes of Specific PhobiasCauses of Specific PhobiasTreatmentsPreparing for Treatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

DSM-5 Criteria

Types of Specific Phobias

Causes of Specific Phobias

Treatments

Preparing for Treatment

A specificphobiais an intense and irrational fear of a specified object or situation. A phobia is an excessive and overwhelming fear that results in avoidance or extreme distress. Some phobias are centered on a specific fear object, while others are complex and tied to different situations or circumstances.

Phobias affect about 19 million adults, and women are two times more likely than men to have a specific phobia.Some people experience multiple specific phobias simultaneously. Approximately 75% of people with a specific phobia fear more than one object or situation.

At a GlanceThe DSM-5 outlines certain criteria that must be met for a diagnosis of a specific phobia. This includes excessive fear, and immediate anxiety response, and avoidance of the fear trigger. Such symptoms must limit a person’s ability to function, last at least six months, and not be due to another mental disorder.

At a Glance

The DSM-5 outlines certain criteria that must be met for a diagnosis of a specific phobia. This includes excessive fear, and immediate anxiety response, and avoidance of the fear trigger. Such symptoms must limit a person’s ability to function, last at least six months, and not be due to another mental disorder.

DSM-5 Criteria for a Specific Phobia Diagnosis

A fear and a phobia are not the same, so it’s important to know the difference. Many people experience fears or aversions to objects or situations, but this does not necessarily mean that they would bediagnosed with a specific phobia.

Therapists cannot use a lab test to make this diagnosis, so they and other mental health professionals consult the DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,5th Edition, text-revision). This guide provides diagnostic criteria for specific phobia from the American Psychiatric Association:

Recognizing Fear As Irrational Is Not RequiredIn previous DSM editions, adults with specific phobias had to recognize that their fears are out of proportion to reality, but children did not. The 2013 edition now says the adults no longer have to recognize the irrationality of their behavior to receive a diagnosis.

Recognizing Fear As Irrational Is Not Required

In previous DSM editions, adults with specific phobias had to recognize that their fears are out of proportion to reality, but children did not. The 2013 edition now says the adults no longer have to recognize the irrationality of their behavior to receive a diagnosis.

There are five types of specific phobias:

There are a number of different factors that can contribute to the development of specific phobias. These include:

What Causes Phobias to Develop?

Treatment for Specific Phobia

While specific phobias can be serious and debilitating, effective treatments are available. These can help reduce or even eliminate symptoms. They include:

Medication

While medication is not usually used on its own to treat phobias, it may sometimes be prescribed to help people manage physical and emotional reactions associated with phobias. Suchmedicationsare usually most effective when paired with psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy

There are a number of psychotherapy techniques that may be used to treat phobias, but exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are the two that are more commonly used.

The DSM-5 states that people with specific disorders also have an elevated risk for suicide. These phobias also tend to commonly occur alongside other mental health conditions includingpanic disorder,post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), andsubstance use disorder.Because of this, getting appropriate treatment is essential.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you have decided it’s time to seek professional help for your fear, take some time to prepare yourself for your first appointment. To make the most of your appointment, and help your therapist determine if you have a fear or a phobia, create three lists:

Questions to Ask Your Therapist

While you’re in the therapist’s office, you have an opportunity to ask questions. Worried you won’t be able to think of any on the spot? Here are some you can use:

Takeaway

People who have a specific phobia may be aware that their fears are irrational, but knowing this doesn’t mean that their fear isn’t very real and often debilitating. Specific phobias are common, and are often rooted in the primal, instinctual fears that many people (even those without a diagnosis of phobia) experience and understand. It is important to remember that effective treatments are available that can help relieve these fears and the symptoms they cause.

List of Phobias: Common Phobias From A to Z

8 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.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XFox NA, Pine DS.Temperament and the emergence of anxiety disorders.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):125-128. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2011.10.006Van Houtem CM, Laine ML, Boomsma DI, Ligthart L, van Wijk AJ, De Jongh A.A review and meta-analysis of the heritability of specific phobia subtypes and corresponding fears.J Anxiety Disord. 2013;27(4):379-88. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.007Kaczkurkin AN, Foa EB.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidence.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):337-346. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/akaczkurkinAmerican Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022

8 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.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XFox NA, Pine DS.Temperament and the emergence of anxiety disorders.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):125-128. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2011.10.006Van Houtem CM, Laine ML, Boomsma DI, Ligthart L, van Wijk AJ, De Jongh A.A review and meta-analysis of the heritability of specific phobia subtypes and corresponding fears.J Anxiety Disord. 2013;27(4):379-88. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.007Kaczkurkin AN, Foa EB.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidence.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):337-346. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/akaczkurkinAmerican Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022

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.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-XFox NA, Pine DS.Temperament and the emergence of anxiety disorders.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):125-128. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2011.10.006Van Houtem CM, Laine ML, Boomsma DI, Ligthart L, van Wijk AJ, De Jongh A.A review and meta-analysis of the heritability of specific phobia subtypes and corresponding fears.J Anxiety Disord. 2013;27(4):379-88. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.007Kaczkurkin AN, Foa EB.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidence.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):337-346. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/akaczkurkinAmerican Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022

Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013.

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.

Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B.Specific phobias.Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-X

Fox NA, Pine DS.Temperament and the emergence of anxiety disorders.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):125-128. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2011.10.006

Van Houtem CM, Laine ML, Boomsma DI, Ligthart L, van Wijk AJ, De Jongh A.A review and meta-analysis of the heritability of specific phobia subtypes and corresponding fears.J Anxiety Disord. 2013;27(4):379-88. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.04.007

Kaczkurkin AN, Foa EB.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidence.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):337-346. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/akaczkurkin

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022

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