Phobias

• Definition


  A group of mental disorders characterised by high levels of anxiety in response to a particular stimulus or group of stimuli, the anxiety interferes with normal living.
• Types of phobias


  • Agoraphobia (fear of being trapped in a public place where escape is difficult)
  • Social phobia (anxiety related to social situations, such as talking to a group of people)
  • Specific phobias (fears about specific objects, such as spiders or snakes, or specific situations, such as heights or the dark)
• Emotional characteristics of phobias

  • Fear that is marked and persistent, and is likely to be excessive and unreasonable
  • Feelings of anxiety and panic
  • Emotions cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation and are out of proportion to the actual danger posed
• Behavioural characteristics of phobias


  • Avoidance of the object or situation that creates fear
  • Freezing or fainting in response to the feared object or situation
  • Avoidance in the feared situation interferes significantly with the person’s normal routine, occupation, social activities or relationships.
• cognitive characteristics

  • irrational nature of the person’s thinking
  • resistance to rational arguments
  • person recognises that their fear is excessive or unreasonable, feature may be absent in children