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Phobias

Phobias are characterized by an intense irrational fear of a situation, object, or event. People with phobias understand that their fears are irrational but are not able to subdue the fear experienced in the presence of the particular stimuli and will do whatever necessary to escape from the situation. Usually even the mere thought of the situation or object will elicit anxiety symptoms and fear. The fear associated with the phobia can be so strong that the person will go to great lengths changing their daily routines in order to avoid the stimulus. If the stimulus is something common this can cause great stress and loss of quality of life for the sufferer. If left untreated phobias can persist for a lifetime.

Types of phobias:

Situational phobias: Situational phobias are phobias of being in certain situations such as crowds, open spaces, or closed spaces. The most common situational phobia is agoraphobia.
Claustrophobia: Claustrophobia is characterized as a situational phobia where the sufferer is afraid of restrictive or confined spaces. This could include being confined on an airplane, an elevator, or in a car, but can also include seemingly innocuous things such as standing in line or being in a room without windows.
Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia is a condition characterized by a fear of unfamiliar places as well as places that would cause the suffer to have to interact with people in some capacity. Agoraphobics fear a lack of control in these situations as well as the fear that they may have a panic attack in a public setting. This fear often eventually causes them to rarely leave their home.
Animal phobia: Phobias involving animals are the most common of all phobias, with snakes and spiders being the most commonly feared. Animal phobias are roughly three times more common in women than in men, and usually begin in childhood and frequently lessen in severity with age. Sufferers often complain of a fear of lack of air and an inability to breath.
Environment phobia: Environment phobias are phobias of natural occurrences such as storms, water, and heights.
Flight phobia: It is sometimes argued that the fear of flying may be attributed to agoraphobia because of a fear of a lack of control of the airplane and the possibility of a crash, or claustrophobia because of an inability to leave the aircraft. However, it is currently classified as a phobia unto itself. Sufferers of flight phobia will often drive huge distances to their destination in order to avoid having to get on an aircraft.
Disease phobia: While agoraphobia can cause people to avoid public places, so can a phobia of acquiring diseases. Sufferers of disease phobia will often avoid public places such as bathrooms and restaurants out of a fear that they will catch a disease. They may also wash their hands and shower excessively.
Blood, injury, or injection phobia: Phobias of this type are fairly common. Most of us have some apprehension at the sight of blood or when we are about to receive a shot, but sufferers of blood, injury, or injection phobias have such a strong aversion to these stimuli that they avoid the medical establishment at all costs.
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