Specific Phobia  

Specific phobias are defined as a marked fear or anxiety  relating to a specific object or situation, which  would be considered disproportionate or irrational to the stimuli. Due to the level of anxiety experienced specific phobia sufferers will tend to avoid the situation/object and for some who have a heightened level of suffering, the anxiety reaction may occur just in anticipation or even the mention of the feared stimuli. Although individuals recognise there is little or no danger to themselves they often feel unable to control their fear.

Examples of specific phobias: 

• Emetophobia: Fear of vomit

• Claustrophobia: Fear of enclosed or small spaces 

• Haemophobia: Fear of blood

• Aichmophobia: Fear of injections / sharp objects

• Traumatophobia: Fear of injury  

• Arachnophobia: fear of spiders

• Aerophobia : Fear of flying

• Agoraphobia: fear of going outside

Who is  impacted and why?

Specific phobia tends to develop during early childhood, however it is possible for sufferers to develop a phobia at any age as there is no telling at what point during an individual’s life that the traumatic event that triggers the phobia developing will occur    

Treatment for Specific Phobia

Many individuals will be unable to identify a specific event that led to their phobia developing, however Cognitive Behavioural Therapy will focus on how the phobia is maintained and works with clients to overcome their fear by using graded exposure alongside other techniques such as mindfulness, tolerance to uncertainty and cognitive restructuring.