Exposure to the feared object provokes an anxiety reaction.
The anxiety and discomfort is out of proportion to the real threat of the feared object.
The person may experience excessive sweating, poor motor control, or rapid heart rate.
The person comes to avoid situations in which contact with the feared object or animal may occur -- for example, avoiding driving through tunnels, if tunnels are the subject of the specific phobia. This type of avoidance can interfere with job and social functioning.
The person may feel weak or cowardly and lose self-esteem when avoiding the object of the phobia.
Description of behavior from family, friends, and affected person
Review Date: 12/1/2004
Reviewed By: James W. Dilley, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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