Specific Phobia
Specific Phobia Symptoms
and Signs
Individuals
with specific phobia can display slightly different
symptoms according to the type of phobia they suffer
from. However, the main symptoms include:
Intense, irrational fear
Individuals with specific phobia experience intense and unreasonable fear
when anticipating or encountering a specific object, living being, or
situations that poses little or no real threat. The fear is limited to
the phobic stimulus and focuses on the anticipated harm that can be caused
by some aspects of the feared object or situation. For example, an individual
with dog phobia experiences marked distress and fear when in the presence
of a dog due to their concern of being bitten or attacked.
Anxiety
When encountering the phobic stimulus,
individuals with specific phobia immediately
experience anxiety. The intensity level of the
anxiety response can be influenced by two
factors: (1) the proximity of the phobic stimulus
(when the phobic stimulus is in the near
proximity the anxiety tends to increases), and
(2) whether a potential escape is possible or not
(the anxiety increases when the individual cannot
escape the situation). The somatic (bodily) signs
of anxiety are: palpitation, tremor, sweating,
gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, muscle
tension, blushing, confusion. In some cases, the
anxiety response can take the form of a panic
attack. The somatic (bodily) signs of a panic
attack include: palpitations, sweating, chills or
hot flashes, trembling or shaking, sensation of
shortness of breath, sensation of choking, chest
pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal
discomfort, dizziness or lightheadedness,
tingling sensations. |
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Avoidance
behavior
Individuals with specific phobia deliberately avoid the
phobic stimulus and/or situations where it can occur. The
purpose of the avoidance behavior is to prevent the
anxiety response triggered by the presence of phobic
stimulus.
Other
symptoms
Individuals with blood-injection-injury phobia
experiences slightly different symptoms. When exposed to
blood, individuals experience fear and disgust. Also, the
body's first reaction is to increase the heart rate and
blood pressure, which is immediately followed by a quick
drop causing nausea, dizziness, and fainting.
Article by Alina Morrow
MS Psychology
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com
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