Specific Phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense fear or anxiety in the presence of a particular situation or object (phobic stimulus). The four major types of fear are animals, environments, medical procedures, and situations (e.g. - elevators, planes, enclosed spaces).
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objects or situations, and close to 75% of individuals with specific phobia fear more than one object or situation.[5]Marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation (e.g. - flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood – the specific object or situation is called a phobic stimulus).
The phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety.
The phobic object or situation is actively avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.
The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object, or situation and to the sociocultural context.
The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6
months or more.
The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
The disturbance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder, including:
Specify based on the phobia:
Specify if:
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of the following symptoms occur (Note: The abrupt surge can occur from a calm state or an anxious state):Name | Rater | Description | Download |
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Phobia Questionnaire (PHQ) | Patient | The Phobia Questionnaire (PHQ) is a 15-item questionnaire used to measure a person's avoidance to a particular object or situation as a factor of fear.[14] | Link |
Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) | Patient | The SPQ is a 45-item questionnaire designed to assess the extent of fear and interference for a broad range of objects and situations. | Link |
Fear Questionnaire (FQ) | Patient | The FQ isa 24-item scale used to assess the degree of avoidance for phobias. | Link |
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of the agoraphobia situations, then specific phobia, situational, may be diagnosed.2
or more agoraphobic situations are feared, then a diagnosis of agoraphobia is likely warranted.2
agoraphobic situations, (1) “using public transportation” and (2) “standing in line and or being in a crowd”) would be diagnosed with agoraphobia.Cognitive behavioural therapy with exposure is the first line treatment for specific phobias.[17]
Psychological treatment | Phobia |
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Exposure-based treatments | All specific phobias |
Virtual reality exposure | Heights, flying, spiders, claustrophobia |
Computer-based self-help programs | Spiders, flying, small animals |
Applied muscle tension (exposure combined with muscle tension exercises) | Blood-injection-injury type |
Cognitive therapy and exposure | Dental, flying |
Guideline | Location | Year | Website | |
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Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders | Canada | 2014 | - | Link |