Anxiety Online - Specific Phobia

What is Specific Phobia?

A person with a specific phobia (SP) experiences intense anxiety when they are exposed to a specific-feared situation or object, which either leads them to avoid the situation/object or face the situation with intense distress.

What are the symptoms?

The experience of intense fear when exposed to (or anticipation of) a specific object or situation
The distress present when exposed to the feared situation/object can sometimes take the form of a panic attack (a discrete period of intense and sudden fear, apprehension or terror, with physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, blushing, trembling, sweating and faintness)
The person with a SP recognises that their fear is unreasonable or excessive
People with an SP either experience considerable distress about having the phobia and/or they avoid the feared object/situation. If the feared situation cannot be avoided, this can significantly interfere with their normal routine, including work, academic study, relationships, and/or social activities
There are five major SP category types, these being:
- Animal (e.g. birds)
- Natural environment (e.g. heights, storms)
- Blood-injection-injury (e.g. receiving an injection)
- Situation (e.g. elevators, enclosed spaces, flying)
- Other (e.g. fear of vomiting or getting ill)

Who gets a Specific Phobia?

Different types of phobias tend to develop at different life stages; for example a fear of animals, blood and water tends to develop in early childhood, whereas a fear of heights tends to develop in adolescence
Factors contributing to the development of a specific phobia may include childhood fears that are not resolved, parental modelling or exposure to a stressful or traumatic situation such as a natural disaster or bites by a vicious animal