No matter what specific phobia you have, it's likely to produce these reactions:

- Immediate feelings of intense fear, anxiety, and panic when exposed to or thinking about the source of fear
- Awareness that the fears are unreasonable/exaggerated but feeling powerless to control them
- Worsening anxiety as the situation or object gets closer in time or physical proximity
- Doing everything possible to avoid the object/situation or enduring it with intense anxiety and fear
- Difficulty functioning normally because of fear
- Physical reactions and sensations, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, tight chest or difficulty breathing
- Feeling nauseated, dizzy, or fainting around blood/ injuries
- For children, can result in tantrums, clinging, crying, or refusing to leave a loved one's side or approach their fear

Symptoms of Specific Phobias

Listed are five theories of the cause of specific phobias in human behavior:
- The Classical, Vicarious, and Informative Pathways for Fear Acquisition
- The Preparedness Model
- The Nonassociative Theory
- The Fear Module Theory
- Cognitive Models

Theories of Specific Phobia's Origins

Chris Askew, Andy P. Field, Vicarious learning and the development of fears in childhood, Behaviour Research and Therapy,
Volume 45, Issue 11, 2007, Pages 2616-2627, ISSN 0005-7967,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2007.06.008.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000579670700123)

Vicarious learning and the development of fears in childhood, 2007

References for Specific Phobias

Specific phobias are a common mental health condition. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 12.5% of the population will meet the diagnostic criteria for a specific phobia during their lifetime.

Prevalence of Specific Phobias

There are many specific phobias but common ones include a fear of:

- Situations, for example, airplanes or enclosed spaces
- Nature, including thunderstorms or heights
- Animals/ insects, such as dogs or spiders
- Blood, injection or injury, including needles, accidents or medical procedures
- Others, such as choking, vomiting, loud noises or clowns

Common Categories of Specific Phobias

Which of the following scenarios provides the clearest example of a specific phobia?

A specific phobia, formerly known as a simple phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, distressing, and persistent fear or anxiety centered on a specific object or situation. Individuals with a specific phobia often recognize that their level of fear is irrational, yet they may go to great lengths to avoid the phobic stimulus. The anxiety and avoidance behaviors associated with the phobia are typically disruptive to the person's daily life and functioning.

University of Rochester

Arizona State University

Google

Columbia University

Trinity College (CT)

Santa Clara University

The term 'phobia' originates from the Greek word for fear. A phobic disorder is defined by an intense, persistent, and irrational fear of a particular object, activity, or situation. This overwhelming fear compels the individual to actively avoid the source of their phobia. Exposure to the phobic stimulus results in significant distress and dysfunction, even when the person intellectually understands that their fear is excessive. Phobic disorders are generally categorized into three types: specific phobias, agoraphobia, and social phobia.

Phobic Disorder

The DSM-5-TR separates anxiety disorders into the following specific disorders:
-	Separation Anxiety Disorder
-	Selective Mutism
-	Specific Phobia
-	Social Anxiety Disorder
-	Panic Disorder
-	Panic Attack Specifier
-	Agoraphobia
-	Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
-	Substance / Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder
-	Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
-	Other Specified Anxiety Disorder
-	Unspecified Anxiety Disorder


[DSM-5-TR] List of Anxiety Disorders

The major types of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism.

Major Types of Anxiety Disorders

Brazier, Y. (2020, November 26). Phobias: Symptoms, types, causes, and treatment. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347. 

Phobias Article

Mayo Clinic. (2022). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 12, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/ 

Mayo Clinic 

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Derived from the Greek for 'fear of the marketplace,' agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined by intense fear and avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable if panic symptoms arise. Such situations often include using public transportation, being in open areas like parking lots, enclosed spaces like stores, crowded places, or being outside the home alone.

Agoraphobia

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) affects about 4% of the worldwide population and is slightly more common in women. Also known as social phobia, it is defined as a persistent,and potentially debilitating fear of meeting new people, being watched, or criticized by others. Some with social anxiety may attempt to avoid anxiety-triggering situations by self-isolating or cancelling plans. It is a profound fear of the judgement of peers, particularly public humiliation. It is NOT shyness or introversion but can sprout from childhood shyness. In a social sense, social anxiety is not just feeling nervous or shy in certain social situations like starting a new job or the first day of school. Social anxiety disorder is a disorder that interferes with everyday life and relationships due to fearing situations where you can be embarrassed or viewed negatively and intense fear of situations where a person with SAD expects the worst. 

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

Coelho, C. M., & Purkis, H. (2009). The Origins of Specific Phobias: Influential Theories and Current Perspectives. Review of General Psychology, 13(4), 335–348. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017759

The Origins of Specific Phobias: Influential Theories and Current Perspectives, 2009

Specific Phobia

Based on the provided scenario, explain why Maria's condition is best described as a phobic disorder rather than a simple fear. In your answer, identify specific examples from the text that align with the defining characteristics of a phobic disorder.

Differentiating Fear from Phobia

Separation anxiety in children seems intense or prolonged and interferes with school or other daily activities. It can also includes panic attacks. Most frequently separation anxiety disorder is linked to the child's anxiety about his or her parents, but it could relate to another close caregiver.

Less common separation anxiety disorder can occur in teenagers and adults, causing significant problems leaving home or going to work.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

A severe anxiety disorder, where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, for example with classmates or distant relatives. Usually, selective mutism starts during childhood, if left untreated, it can continue to adulthood. Individuals with selective mutism are not choosing to not speak but are unable to speak. The expectation to talk to certain people triggers a freeze response with feelings of panic making talking impossible. 



Selective Mutism 

This disorder is hallmarked by the experience of multiple, unexpected panic attacks. These attacks are often associated with intense fear that occurs quickly. Generally, this diagnosis is applied if you have had four or more panic attacks, and fear their reocurrence. Having one panic attack, is not a panic disorder. Worry over panic attacks and avoidance of situations, places, etc. that are associated with panic attacks can lead to further problems. 

Recurrent panic attacks may show temporal lobe abnormalities. Those who suffer from panic disorder typically have lower temporal lobe volumes. These attacks can occur unexpectedly or by a trigger. 



Panic Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by a persistent and relatively continuous state of excessive, uncontrollable, and often pointless worry and apprehension. Individuals with this disorder typically worry about routine, everyday matters, such as health, finances, or the safety of family members, without any justified reason. For a diagnosis, this diffuse worrying must occur more days than not for a period of at least six months, not be attributable to another disorder, and be accompanied by at least three of the following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep difficulties.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Very Well Mind. Retrieved June 30th, 2023 from https://www.verywellmind.com/

Very Well Mind

This disorder refers to an increased amount of anxiety that stems from alcohol, drug, or medication usage. This diagnosis would go beyond the anxiousness or panic during intoxication/withdrawal. The anxiety causes distress and impariment.

Substance / Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder

When someone's physical health condition is the direct cause for symptoms of anxiety or panic.

Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition

MSD Manual, Professional Version. Retrieved July 2nd, 2023 from https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional

MSD Manual, Professional Version

For the past eight months, David has experienced a near-constant state of worry. He feels anxious about his performance at work, the health of his parents, and his financial situation, despite there being no specific or immediate threats in these areas. He reports feeling restless, easily fatigued, and has significant muscle tension in his neck and shoulders. His condition is best described by which of the following?

Social anxiety disorder, which was previously known as social phobia, is defined by an intense and persistent fear of social situations where an individual might face negative judgment from others. This anxiety leads to the avoidance of such situations.

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