Phobias

Overview

Symptoms

  • A persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation.
  • An immediate response of uncontrollable anxiety when exposed to the object of fear.
  • A compelling desire to avoid and unusual measures taken to stay away from what you fear.
  • An impaired ability to function at normal tasks because of the fear.
  • Often, the knowledge that these fears are out of proportion with the stimulus.
  • When facing the object of your phobia, an experience of panicky feelings, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, avoidance behavior, difficulty breathing and intense anxiety.
  • In some cases, anxious feelings when merely anticipating an encounter with what you fear.

Treatments From MedLine

Ogranizations and Patient-Centered Sites