A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no real danger. - Excerpted from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Phobias
A phobia is a fear which is caused by a specific object or situation. The fear can be caused by the actual presence of or by the anticipation of the presence of that object or situation. Anxiety, triggered by the fear, can approach the intensity of panic. Learn more...
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a situation where one might experience anxiety or panic and where escape from the situation might be difficult or embarrassing. To avoid the anxiety associated with these situations they refrain from putting themselves into such situations. Learn more...
Social Phobia
Social phobia, also called social anxiety, is a disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school - and other ordinary activities. Learn more...
Social Phobia’s Traumas and Treatments
Social phobia is far different from the run-of-the-mill nervousness associated with stressful situations. It's the intensity of the fear that distinguishes the condition from the almost inevitable butterflies that most people feel when they are about to give a speech or go to an interview or even a party. Learn more...
Fighting Phobias The Things That Go Bump in the Mind
A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear of an object, an event, or a feeling. An estimated 18 percent of the U.S. adult population suffers from some kind of phobia, and a person can develop a phobia of anything--elevators, clocks, mushrooms, closed spaces, open spaces. Exposure to these trigger the rapid breathing, pounding heartbeat, and sweaty palms of panic. Learn more...
Clinical Hypnosis: Understanding Clinical Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a method of communication that induces a trance or a trance-like state. Hypnosis can be conducted by one individual addressing another, or it may be conducted with the self (self-hypnosis). Trance is a naturally occurring state in which one's attention is narrowly focused and relatively free of distractions. Examples of trance states are daydreaming and some forms of meditation. Learn more...
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders affect millions of American adults each year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event, such as speaking in public or a first date, Anxiety Disorders last at least 6 months and may worsen if they are not treated. Learn more...
Anxiety FAQs
Anxiety is a feeling of tension associated with a sense of threat of danger when the source of the danger is not known. In contrast, fear is a feeling of tension that is associated with a known source of danger. Learn more...
Putting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Work for You: Combat Depression, Anxiety and Other Problems
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy used to treat depression, anxiety disorders and other problems such as anger, fears, procrastination as well as improve confidence and relationships. It involves recognizing distorted or negative thinking and learning to replace it with more realistic, positive thoughts or beliefs. Learn more...