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SPECIFIC PHOBIAS

A specific phobia can be described, not only as an extreme fear, but as an irrational one of a particular thing. Such individuals may have no problem sky diving but may have extreme difficulty going down an escalator. A specific phobia can be defined as an intense fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Though individuals experiencing these phobias may be aware that the fear they feel is irrational, they often find that facing the said fear causes severe anxiety or may even cause a panic attack. Examples of some of the more common specific phobias include the following:

Closed-in places
Heights
Escalators
Tunnels
Highway driving
Water
Flying
Dogs
Injuries involving blood

	Quick Facts			People with Specific Phobias

	Symptoms			Treatment

An individual with a specific phobia, in addition to the usual symptoms anxiety may cause (See Anxiety), may also rearrange his or her life in order to avoid the specific phobia. This can result in the individual missing many career and social opportunities throughout his or her life. In relation to this, it is noted that forming relationships can cause some difficulty for individuals with specific phobias because they go to extremes to avoid encountering the phobia.

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