Anxiety Disorders

Phobias

People who experience phobias tend to have intense, irrational fears of certain things or situations. Exposure to the phobic stimulus provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a panic attack. Phobias are irrational fears and although adults are aware of this, the idea of facing the feared object or situation triggers a panic attack.

There are two types of Phobias: Specific Phobias and Social Phobias or Social Anxiety:
Specific Phobias include: fear of animals such as dogs, fear of heights, of being closed-in places, fears of escalators, tunnels, highway driving, flying, and fears of blood and needles. 

Social Phobias or Social Anxiety include: fear of becoming humiliated in social situations, of being judged, of embarrassing oneself in front of other people. People fear performance in social situation such as talking, speaking, eating, interacting with others. 

Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape
might be embarrassing or difficult or in which help may not be available in the event of having a panic attack.  People fear being outside the home alone, being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a train, bus or car.

Claustrophobia is anxiety about having no escape or being closed-in and often results in panic attack and can be triggered by certain stimuli or situations, for instance being in a crowded elevator, or sitting in an airplane or in a room without windows.

Other Anxiety Disorders

• Panic Attacks
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder