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Created page with 'File:lighterstill.jpgright|frame *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century 1786] ==Definition== 1: an exaggerated usually inexp...'
[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Fear-phobia-scared_-_Version_2.jpg|right|frame]]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century 1786]
==Definition==
1: an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical [[fear]] of a particular object, class of objects, or situation
==Description==
A '''phobia''' (from the [[Greek]]: φόβος, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobos_(moon) Phóbos]]'', meaning "[[fear]]" or "morbid fear") is, when used in the [[context]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_psychology clinical psychology], a type of [[anxiety]] disorder, usually defined as a [[persistent]] fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual [[danger]] posed, often being recognized as irrational. In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will [[endure]] the situation or object with marked distress and significant [[interference]] in [[social]] or occupational activities.
The terms distress and impairment as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-IV-TR DSM-IV-TR]) should also take into account the [[context]] of the sufferer's [[environment]] if attempting a [[diagnosis]]. The DSM-IV-TR states that if a phobic [[stimulus]], whether it be an object or a [[social]] situation, is absent entirely in an environment — a diagnosis cannot be made. An example of this situation would be an individual who has a [[fear]] of mice ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suriphobia Suriphobia]) but lives in an area devoid of mice. Even though the concept of mice causes marked distress and impairment within the individual, because the individual does not encounter mice in the environment no actual distress or impairment is ever [[experienced]]. Proximity and the degree to which [[escape]] from the phobic stimulus is impossible should also be considered. As the sufferer approaches a phobic [[stimulus]], [[anxiety]] levels increase (e.g. as one gets closer to a snake, fear increases in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophidiophobia ophidiophobia]), and the degree to which escape of the phobic stimulus is [[limited]] has the effect of varying the [[intensity]] of fear in instances such as riding an elevator (e.g. anxiety increases at the midway point between floors and decreases when the floor is reached and the doors open).
Finally, a point warranting [[clarification]] is that the term phobia is an [[encompassing]] term and when discussed is usually done in terms of specific phobias and social phobias. Specific phobias are nouns such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnophobia arachnophobia] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrophobia acrophobia] which, as the name implies, are specific, and social phobia are phobias within social situations such as public speaking and crowded areas.
Psychologists and psychiatrists classify most phobias into three categories and, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-IV DSM-IV]), such phobias are considered to be sub-types of [[anxiety]] disorder. The three categories are:
*1. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_phobia Social phobia]: fears other people or [[social]] situations such as performance [[anxiety]] or fears of embarrassment by scrutiny of others, such as eating in [[public]]. Overcoming social phobia is often very [[difficult]] without the help of [[therapy]] or support groups. Social phobia may be further subdivided into
:*a: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorder generalized social phobia] (also known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorder social anxiety disorder] or simply social anxiety).
:*b: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_social_phobia specific social phobia], in which anxiety is triggered only in specific situations. The [[symptoms]] may extend to psychosomatic manifestation of physical problems. For example, sufferers of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paruresis paruresis] find it difficult or impossible to urinate in reduced levels of privacy. This goes far beyond mere preference: when the condition triggers, the person physically cannot empty their bladder.
*2. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_phobia Specific phobias]: fear of a single specific [[panic]] trigger such as spiders, snakes, dogs, water, heights, flying, catching a specific illness, etc. Many people have these [[fears]] but to a lesser degree than those who suffer from specific phobias. People with the phobias specifically avoid the [[entity]] they fear.
3. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraphobia Agoraphobia]: a generalized fear of leaving [[home]] or a small familiar '[[safe]]' area, and of possible panic attacks that might follow. It may also be caused by various specific phobias such as fear of open spaces, social [[embarrassment]] (social agoraphobia), fear of [[contamination]] (fear of germs, possibly complicated by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive-compulsive_disorder obsessive-compulsive disorder]) or PTSD ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_traumatic_stress_disorder post traumatic stress disorder]) related to a [[trauma]] that occurred out of doors.
Phobias vary in severity among [[individuals]]. Some individuals can simply avoid the subject of their [[fear]] and suffer relatively mild anxiety over that fear. Others suffer full-fledged [[panic]] attacks with all the associated disabling [[symptoms]]. Most individuals understand that they are suffering from an irrational fear, but they are powerless to override their initial [[panic]] [[reaction]].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobia]
[[Category: Psychology]]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century 1786]
==Definition==
1: an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical [[fear]] of a particular object, class of objects, or situation
==Description==
A '''phobia''' (from the [[Greek]]: φόβος, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobos_(moon) Phóbos]]'', meaning "[[fear]]" or "morbid fear") is, when used in the [[context]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_psychology clinical psychology], a type of [[anxiety]] disorder, usually defined as a [[persistent]] fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual [[danger]] posed, often being recognized as irrational. In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will [[endure]] the situation or object with marked distress and significant [[interference]] in [[social]] or occupational activities.
The terms distress and impairment as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-IV-TR DSM-IV-TR]) should also take into account the [[context]] of the sufferer's [[environment]] if attempting a [[diagnosis]]. The DSM-IV-TR states that if a phobic [[stimulus]], whether it be an object or a [[social]] situation, is absent entirely in an environment — a diagnosis cannot be made. An example of this situation would be an individual who has a [[fear]] of mice ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suriphobia Suriphobia]) but lives in an area devoid of mice. Even though the concept of mice causes marked distress and impairment within the individual, because the individual does not encounter mice in the environment no actual distress or impairment is ever [[experienced]]. Proximity and the degree to which [[escape]] from the phobic stimulus is impossible should also be considered. As the sufferer approaches a phobic [[stimulus]], [[anxiety]] levels increase (e.g. as one gets closer to a snake, fear increases in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophidiophobia ophidiophobia]), and the degree to which escape of the phobic stimulus is [[limited]] has the effect of varying the [[intensity]] of fear in instances such as riding an elevator (e.g. anxiety increases at the midway point between floors and decreases when the floor is reached and the doors open).
Finally, a point warranting [[clarification]] is that the term phobia is an [[encompassing]] term and when discussed is usually done in terms of specific phobias and social phobias. Specific phobias are nouns such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnophobia arachnophobia] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrophobia acrophobia] which, as the name implies, are specific, and social phobia are phobias within social situations such as public speaking and crowded areas.
Psychologists and psychiatrists classify most phobias into three categories and, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-IV DSM-IV]), such phobias are considered to be sub-types of [[anxiety]] disorder. The three categories are:
*1. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_phobia Social phobia]: fears other people or [[social]] situations such as performance [[anxiety]] or fears of embarrassment by scrutiny of others, such as eating in [[public]]. Overcoming social phobia is often very [[difficult]] without the help of [[therapy]] or support groups. Social phobia may be further subdivided into
:*a: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorder generalized social phobia] (also known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorder social anxiety disorder] or simply social anxiety).
:*b: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_social_phobia specific social phobia], in which anxiety is triggered only in specific situations. The [[symptoms]] may extend to psychosomatic manifestation of physical problems. For example, sufferers of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paruresis paruresis] find it difficult or impossible to urinate in reduced levels of privacy. This goes far beyond mere preference: when the condition triggers, the person physically cannot empty their bladder.
*2. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_phobia Specific phobias]: fear of a single specific [[panic]] trigger such as spiders, snakes, dogs, water, heights, flying, catching a specific illness, etc. Many people have these [[fears]] but to a lesser degree than those who suffer from specific phobias. People with the phobias specifically avoid the [[entity]] they fear.
3. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraphobia Agoraphobia]: a generalized fear of leaving [[home]] or a small familiar '[[safe]]' area, and of possible panic attacks that might follow. It may also be caused by various specific phobias such as fear of open spaces, social [[embarrassment]] (social agoraphobia), fear of [[contamination]] (fear of germs, possibly complicated by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive-compulsive_disorder obsessive-compulsive disorder]) or PTSD ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_traumatic_stress_disorder post traumatic stress disorder]) related to a [[trauma]] that occurred out of doors.
Phobias vary in severity among [[individuals]]. Some individuals can simply avoid the subject of their [[fear]] and suffer relatively mild anxiety over that fear. Others suffer full-fledged [[panic]] attacks with all the associated disabling [[symptoms]]. Most individuals understand that they are suffering from an irrational fear, but they are powerless to override their initial [[panic]] [[reaction]].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobia]
[[Category: Psychology]]