Specific Phobias

As the name suggests, a person with a Specific Phobia experiences intense fear in response to an object or situation. For example, fear of blood or needles, fear of enclosed places, and fear of flying are common Specific Phobias, with fear of spiders, fear of snakes, and fear of heights being most common. While many people describe being very afraid of certain situations or things, they may not be bothered by their fear or it may not stop them from doing things because they do not worry about being faced with the feared situation or object. For example, for a man who lives in New York City, a fear of snakes may not be very concerning to him and it likely does not get in the way of him doing things he needs to do. In this case, the fear would not necessarily be considered a Specific Phobia and he probably would not have a need for treatment.

Screening:

Do you feel very afraid of, or feel a need to avoid, any of the objects or situations below? If you answered “yes” and have found that the fear or avoidance of one or more of these situations is getting in your way, you may consider speaking with your physician or mental health professional about your concerns.

___Animals (such as snakes, spiders, dogs, insects)	___Driving
___Heights, storms or water	___Enclosed places (such as elevators)
___Blood or needles	___Air travel
___Some other object or situation

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