Phobia-Phobic Disorders
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are present for more than six months.
Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW166
Diagnosis: Phobia-Phobic Disorders
US Patients: 8.7%-18.1% suffer-may not be patients;
World Patients: Specific-6-8% in Western world; 2-4% Asia, Africa & Latin America; Social-7% US; 0.5-2.5% elsewhere; agoraphobia-1.7%
Sex Ratio: M;W2, Phobias are the most common mental illness-challenge among women.
Age Onset: Ages 10-17; During or after the event lasting 6-months to permanently; 75% of those with phobias have multiple phobias.
Brain Area: Insula involved with the autonomic functions; anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal & medial prefrontal cortexes
Symptoms: an anxiety disorder with persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias can be specific, social or agoraphobia-places
Progression: Range from mild concern to panic attacks-lose control over themselves physically.
Causes: Fear conditioning; traumatizing event; observing others who fear; the basolateral amygdala keeps a memory with the hippocampus
Medications: Social phobias-antidepressants, benzodiazepines or beta blockers//EMDR-Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
Therapies: Specific phobias (such as, spiders, snakes, heights)use-exposure therapy; social phobias-systematic desensitization, relaxation
Youtube Video: Phobias? Why Do We Have Them?
Amazon or Library Book: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
Click the book to link or order from Amazon.
Support Group: Facebook-phobiassupportgroup; 609-713-2963 (Phobia Anxiety Support Group)
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- Study protocol of an investigation of attention and prediction error as mechanisms of action for latent inhibition of dental fear in humansby Laura D Seligman on January 26, 2023
BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that dental anxiety and phobia are frequently the result of direct associative fear conditioning but that pre-exposure to dental stimuli prior to conditioning results in latent inhibition of fear learning. The mechanisms underlying the pre-exposure effect in humans, however, are poorly understood. Moreover, pain sensitivity has been linked to dental fear conditioning in correlational investigations and theory suggests it may moderate the latent inhibition effect,...
- The Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Scoping Reviewby Thaer Alhroob on January 23, 2023
Objectives: This scoping review is to investigate the existing literature on the mental health of Healthcare workers, including stress or distress, anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia, and fear or phobia within the different countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We systematically searched to consolidate studies across EMR countries regarding the mental health morbidity studied, the scales, and the methodology used. The review focused on...
- Assessment of Knowledge, Perception, Experience and Phobia toward Corticosteroids Use among the General Public in the Era of COVID-19: A Multinational Studyby Muna Barakat on January 21, 2023
CONCLUSION: Our study highlights that the general knowledge about steroids was satisfactory. However, the phobia toward its use upon indication is high. Therefore, enhancing awareness and providing essential counseling regarding the rational use of corticosteroids may reduce corticophobia.
- A Cross Sectional Study to Identify Traumatic Stress, Medical Phobia and Non-Adherence to Medical Care among Very Young Pediatric Patientsby Amichai Ben-Ari on January 21, 2023
After a traumatic medical event, such as surgery or hospitalization, a child may develop a phobia of medical care, sometimes preventing future medical adherence and impairing recovery. This study examined the correlation of Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress (PMTS) on the development of Medical Phobia (MP) and subsequent treatment adherence. We enrolled 152 parents of children aged 1-6 hospitalized in a surgical ward. During hospitalization, parents completed questionnaires that identified...