behavioural characteristics

• panic

  a phobic person may panic in response to the presence of the phobic stimulus. Panic may involve a range of behaviours including crying, screaming or running away. children may react slightly different e.g. clinging or having a tantrum
• avoidance

  unless the sufferer is making effort to face their fear they tend to go to avoid coming into contact with the phobic stimulus. this can make it hard to go about daily life. This can interfere with work, education and social life
• endurance

  the alternative to avoidance. a sufferer remains in the presence of the phobic stimulus but continues to experience high levels of anxiety. This may be unavoidable in some situations e.g. fear of flying