Specific Phobias[1]

A phobia is a consuming fear of a specific object or situation, often accompanied by extreme anxiety symptoms. It is different than just having an aversion (even a powerful one) to a certain place or thing.

With a phobia, the signs usually are:

You may come up with elaborate ways to avoid the object or situation.

You dread the next possible encounter.

You become aware that the fear is excessive or out of line, but you feel unable to control or modify it.

Merely thinking about the thing you fear makes you anxious.

Don’t be concerned that you hate, say, snakes, or crowds, or heights. The key is how powerful these feelings can become over your ability to make choices, and how you handle them.

If you want further information and assistance, please check our related topics. Also, you can contact a GHE HealthCare, Inc. counselor via our Call Center toll free at

1(866)-443-3277.

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[1]“The Science of Anxiety” , Time, June 10, ’02 46