Some Characteristic Features

• Presence of the fear of an object, situation or activity.
• The fear is out of proportion to the dangerousness perceived.
• Patient recognizes the fear as irrational and unjustified.
• Patient is unable to control the fear and is very distressed by it.
• This leads to persistent avoidance of the particular object, situation or activity.

Symptoms of a Phobia Include

Physical Symptoms

• Feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded or faint
• Feeling like you are choking
• A pounding heart, palpitations or accelerated heart rate
• Chest pain or tightness in the chest
• Sweating
• Hot or cold flushes
• Shortness of breath or a smothering sensation
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Numbness or tingling sensations
• Trembling or shaking.

Other Symptoms

• Feeling out of touch with reality or detached from your body
• A fear of fainting
• A fear of losing control
• A fear of dying.

What causes Phobias?

• Particular incidents or traumas
• Learned responses, picked up in early life from family
• Genetics
• Responses to panic or fear
• Long-term stress

Treatment

• Cognitive behavior therapy: can be used to break the anxiety patterns in phobic disorders, It is usually combined with behavioral techniques.
• Behavior therapy : g. Flooding, Systemic desensitization, exposure and response prevention, relaxation technique
• Medications : E.g. Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants