The 8 types of Phobias: causes, symptoms and treatment

Phobias are characterized by showing excessive and disproportionate fear and avoidance behavior or the presence of intense discomfort.. There are different types of phobia depending on the feared stimulus or stimuli.

We can differentiate three types of phobias. The specific phobia, which shows a fear of a particular and concrete stimulus, these in turn can be divided into animal type, situational type, environmental type, blood or wound type or other types. For its part, agoraphobia is described as an intense fear of two or more situations, linked to the possibility of showing a panic attack or disabling symptoms and not being able to flee or receive help.

Finally, social phobia is related to excessive fear of social situations, the subject shows fear of being negatively evaluated by his environment. In this article we will talk about phobias, how this pathology is defined and which ones with the different types that exist, highlighting its most characteristic features.

• We recommend you read: "The 20 strangest phobias of the human being"

What is a phobia?

There are a number of characteristics that are typical of phobias that make them differ from other concepts such as fear. Phobias are defined as a disproportionate fear associated with an anxiety disorder, if we compare it with the intensity of the threat, generating a much more intense reaction than expected; and an avoidance behavior is shown before the possible appearance of the stimulus or it is supported but with great discomfort.

Note that before also highlighted as characteristic the presence of awareness of irrationality on the part of the subject, although in the latest version of the Diagnostic Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM 5), this criterion is removed. Now that we know better the main features of the term, we will mention some of the different types that exist.

How are phobias classified?

We must bear in mind that there are phobias for any type of stimulus, that is, any situation, object or living being that produces the aforementioned reactions in the subjects can be classified as a phobia. It is very important to emphasize that in order to make the diagnosis of a disorder, the alteration or fear must cause great discomfort in the individual and have repercussions on their functionality.

We mean that, if you are afraid of the plane but this fact does not prevent you from leading a normal life, since it is not necessary for you to take it, we will not really talk about a phobia. The multitude of phobias that we can name can be divided into three categories: specific phobias, agoraphobia and social phobia.

1. specific phobia

The specific phobia, apart from fulfilling the characteristics of a phobia, we observe that excessive fear is directed at a specific object or situation, present or anticipated. It is considered the least incapacitating type of phobia, given its specificity, and it is the one that usually shows up with the greatest frequency in the population, although on many occasions the severity is medium or low and does not affect the subject. It is usually comorbid and presents with another type of anxiety disorder and usually shows up early between 7 to 11 years of age.

The DSM 5 apart from the already mentioned features of intense and disproportionate fear, appearance of avoidance behavior and discomfort, adds that it is necessary that the criteria are met for at least 6 months. This also gives the possibility of specifying the type of specific phobia.

1.1. Animal-type specific phobia

The animal-type phobia or also known as zoophobia, is usually the one that manifests at the earliest age, usually at 7 years on average. As with most anxiety-related disorders, it is more prevalent in women and has been observed that if one of the parents shows this type of phobia increases the possibility that the child will also Present.

We can refer to as many types of specific animal phobia as there are animals in the world. For example, we call cynophobia when the feared animal is the dog or ailurophobia when it is the cat. Also very typical are those aimed at animals that generate a certain disgust such as snakes or spiders.

1.2. Specific phobia natural or environmental environment

Natural or environmental phobias are linked to an intense fear of stimuli associated with nature, such as storms, heights, also called acrophobia, wind, water, darkness... All stimuli not created by man. As with the previous type, we also observe it more in women, although this case is the most prevalent type of specific phobia in men. As an exceptional feature we see that in the case of acrophobia, mentioned above, the prevalence between affected men and women are similar.

1.3. Specific phobia blood-injections-wounds

The phobia of blood, wounds and injections usually begins after age 9 or early adolescence. Unlike the other types of specific phobia, it is diagnosed in a similar way in both sexes, with a similar prevalence, also observing a high family incidence, which means that if this type of phobia is present in our family, they increase the probability that we will let's show

Characteristic of this type of phobia is the presence of a biphasic pattern linked to the vasovagal response, where an increase in activation is observed. followed by an intense fall, with a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure, thus producing a feeling of dizziness and sometimes even the Fainting. This distinctive response leads to a specific type of treatment consisting of the application of pretension to prevent fainting.

1.4. Situational type specific phobia

Situational phobias, as the name indicates, show intense fear of a specific situation, such as airplanes, closed places, driving or the elevator. Within the category of specific phobia, it is the one that begins later, at ages close to thirty. As we have already mentioned, and it happens with most anxiety disorders, it is more prevalent in women.

1.5. Specific phobia other types

This category of type of phobia includes all those that we cannot classify in any of the above groups. So we can talk about a phobia of vomiting, balloons, people in disguise or being able to suffocate. We must take into account that they not only show fear of a stimulus but they can also feel fear of suffering damage, such as an accident or drowning or by the anxiety reaction itself, that is, the consequences that their phobic behavior can have and what losing the control.

2. Agoraphobia

The DSM 5 presents a new classification mode of agoraphobia, until now, the previous version of the manual, the DSM IV, had classified agoraphobia as a specifier of increased severity of panic disorder. Instead, DSM 5 defines it as a separate diagnostic category, you can meet criteria for agoraphobic disorder without exhibiting panic disorder.

The currently required criteria for diagnosis are intense fear or anxiety of two or more of the following: situations: using public transport, being in open spaces, being in closed places, being alone or surrounded by a lot people. The fear of these situations is linked to the difficulty of being able to escape from the site or to receive help if he suffers a panic attack or any other disabling reaction.

We see how the feared situation generates anxiety in most cases and is tried to be avoided or endured with great discomfort. Criteria must be met for a minimum of 6 months, as we saw in specific phobia.

The age of onset of the disorder is usually in the late teens or early adulthood of 20 to 30 years, showing little prevalence in childhood. Even so, sometimes it is difficult to know the age of onset, since in most cases they ask for professional help, go to a consultation, 5 or 10 years after the onset of symptoms.

If we take into account the characteristics of this disorder, we see it necessary to make a differential diagnosis with other pathologies. For example, in the case of situational-type specific phobia, already mentioned, the feared situations may be the same, but agoraphobia shows fear of a greater number of situations, we see how they ask for at least two to be able to comply criterion.

Regarding the distinction with panic disorder, which can also be shown together, we realize how agoraphobia fears the lack of possibility to escape or receive helpOn the other hand, in panic disorder, the fear is of the reaction of the attack itself, of the consequences that this may entail.

3. Social phobia

Social phobia disorder shows the following criteria: intense fear or anxiety in one or more social situations in which the subject is exposed to other people. These behaviors can be diverse, linked to social interaction such as having a conversation or acting in front of other people, such as making a work presentation. Fear is related to the possibility of being negatively evaluated by the social group, by the environment.

As we saw in the other phobias, the fear is excessive, it is about avoiding the situation and in case of having no choice but to do so, it is endured with a lot of discomfort. 6 months of presence of affectation is also required. The DSM 5 presents as a new and unique specifier "acting only" when the fear is only linked to acting or speaking in public.

This disorder usually begins in adolescence, being observed in children who showed shyness. It is essential to differentiate social phobia, which is considered a disorder, from shyness, which is defined as a normal personality trait. For this reason, social phobia being a pathology, we will observe greater affectation of the functioning of the subject, greater deterioration. On the other hand, shyness will show less deterioration and functional impairment.

In reference to the prevalence according to sex in the general population, yes, we see greater affectation in women but if we look at the clinical population, subjects with a diagnosis, the prevalence is equal and may even be higher in males.