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Child and Adolescent Psychiatric... Oct 2005This article describes specific phobia of childhood and its clinical presentation, discusses issues related to the differential diagnosis of specific phobia, considers... (Review)
Review
This article describes specific phobia of childhood and its clinical presentation, discusses issues related to the differential diagnosis of specific phobia, considers the issue of comorbidity among phobic and anxiety disorders and developmental trends in the manifestation of fears, summarizes the epidemiology, causes, and course of specific phobia, and presents assessment and treatment issues. Finally, a case study is offered that serves to illuminate the major topics outlined in the article.
Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Child; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Male; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 16171704
DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2005.05.004 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2023Although fear plays a vital role in survival, an overly active threat detection system could be maladaptive due to its negative health consequences. Putatively...
Although fear plays a vital role in survival, an overly active threat detection system could be maladaptive due to its negative health consequences. Putatively maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) strategies are a core problem in phobias. In contrast, adaptive ER strategies could help downregulate the emotion elicited by a threatening stimulus and decrease anxiety. Yet, the number of studies directly examining the pattern of ER strategies linked to various phobias is still scarce. Thus, this study sought to map the patterns of adaptive and maladaptive ER strategies linked to the three most common phobias (social, animal, and blood-injection-injury [BII]). A total of 856 healthy participants filled out our survey including self-reported measures of social anxiety, snake-, spider-, BII phobia, and cognitive ER strategies. Structural equation modeling was used to test the effects between the variables. The results show that social anxiety and animal phobia were linked to both adaptive and maladaptive ER strategies, while BII was only associated with maladaptive ones. Further analyses showed that the most prominent ER strategies differed by subtype. This is in line with previous neuroimaging studies claiming that the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying phobias are also different. Theoretical as well as practical implications are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Emotional Regulation; Phobic Disorders; Emotions; Fear; Cognition
PubMed: 37055493
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33395-6 -
The Journal of Family Practice Aug 1995Needle phobia is a recently defined medical condition that affects at least 10% of the population. Because persons with needle phobia typically avoid medical care, this... (Review)
Review
Needle phobia is a recently defined medical condition that affects at least 10% of the population. Because persons with needle phobia typically avoid medical care, this condition is a significant impediment in the health care system. The etiology of needle phobia lies in an inherited vasovagal reflex of shock, triggered by needle puncture. Those who inherit this reflex often learn to fear needles through successive needle exposure. Needle phobia is therefore both inherited and learned. In a family practice, needle phobia can be managed by reassurance and education, avoidance of needles, postural and muscle tension techniques, benzodiazepines, nitrous oxide gas, and topical anesthesia applied by iontophoresis.
Topics: Family Practice; Humans; Needles; Phobic Disorders; Prevalence; Reflex; United States
PubMed: 7636457
DOI: No ID Found -
Learning & Memory (Cold Spring Harbor,... Sep 2017Fear, which can be expressed innately or after conditioning, is triggered when a danger or a stimulus predicting immediate danger is perceived. Its role is to prepare... (Review)
Review
Fear, which can be expressed innately or after conditioning, is triggered when a danger or a stimulus predicting immediate danger is perceived. Its role is to prepare the body to face this danger. However, dysfunction in fear processing can lead to psychiatric disorders in which fear outweighs the danger or possibility of harm. Although recognized as highly debilitating, pathological fear remains insufficiently treated, indicating the importance of research on fear processing. The neurobiological basis of normal and pathological fear reactions is reviewed in this article. Innate and learned fear mechanisms, particularly those involving the amygdala, are considered. These fear mechanisms are also distinguished in specific phobias, which can indeed be nonexperiential (implicating innate, learning-independent mechanisms) or experiential (implicating learning-dependent mechanisms). Poor habituation and poor extinction are presented as dysfunctional mechanisms contributing to persistence of nonexperiential and experiential phobias, respectively.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Fear; Humans; Instinct; Neurobiology; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 28814472
DOI: 10.1101/lm.044115.116 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Sep 1998Social phobia is characterized by a fear of social situations, which are either avoided or endured with intense anxiety or distress. There is a high prevalence of social... (Review)
Review
Social phobia is characterized by a fear of social situations, which are either avoided or endured with intense anxiety or distress. There is a high prevalence of social phobia in the community and the course of the condition tends to be chronic. In spite of the personal impact of social phobia, few sufferers seek professional help. This is due to a lack of awareness about the condition on the part of health professionals and the public. Social phobia demands increased awareness, so that sufferers receive the treatment they need and deserve, so giving them the opportunity to improve their quality of life.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Care Team; Phobic Disorders; Quality of Life
PubMed: 9851572
DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0327(98)00094-9 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Sep 1998The relationship between social phobia and alcoholism is complex. Alcohol problems typically develop secondary to social phobia, with patients reporting that they find... (Review)
Review
The relationship between social phobia and alcoholism is complex. Alcohol problems typically develop secondary to social phobia, with patients reporting that they find alcohol helpful in coping with the symptoms of anxiety. However, excessive alcohol consumption may actually precipitate anxiety symptoms, and thus a vicious circle of anxiety and alcoholism is established. The clinician must consider the possibility of comorbidity in patients presenting with either alcoholism or social phobia. Only when both components of the condition are adequately assessed and treated can the cycle of social phobia and alcohol abuse be broken.
Topics: Adult; Alcoholism; Comorbidity; Female; France; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 9851575
DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0327(98)00089-5 -
Praxis Jun 2018CME: Fear of Flying and Flying Phobia Abstract. Fear of flying and flying phobia are very common in the general population and can lead to substantial distress. Symptoms... (Review)
Review
CME: Fear of Flying and Flying Phobia Abstract. Fear of flying and flying phobia are very common in the general population and can lead to substantial distress. Symptoms and diagnosis of fear of flying and flying phobia will be described. Severe fear of flying can be diagnosed as specific phobia or alternatively as agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure in vivo has been shown to be the most effective treatment. The treatment with benzodiazepines is the main priority for the general practitioner and will be subsequently discussed. The treatment of flying phobia and agoraphobia will be described based on two examples.
Topics: Adult; Agoraphobia; Air Travel; Aircraft; Anxiety Disorders; Benzodiazepines; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis, Differential; Fear; Female; Humans; Implosive Therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 29871581
DOI: 10.1024/1661-8157/a002980 -
Harvard Review of Psychiatry 1998The literature on social phobia is reviewed in this article. Social phobia has undergone considerable diagnostic evolution to reach its present form in DSM-IV. Its... (Review)
Review
The literature on social phobia is reviewed in this article. Social phobia has undergone considerable diagnostic evolution to reach its present form in DSM-IV. Its differential diagnosis includes panic disorder with agoraphobia, avoidant personality disorder, depression, and "shyness." Cross-cultural issues are important to consider because the disorder may manifest differently in different cultures and social settings. It is common, with a lifetime prevalence of 13.3% in the United States according to recent epidemiological studies. Underrecognition of social phobia remains an issue of concern. Comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, including other anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol abuse, and personality disorders, frequently occurs. Current conceptualizations of the etiology of social phobia reflect psychodynamic theories and evidence from family and genetic studies, neurobiological research, and neuroimaging. Drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and beta3-adrenergic blockers have proven to be efficacious, as has cognitive-behavioral treatment, including group approaches.
Topics: Cross-Cultural Comparison; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Phobic Disorders; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
PubMed: 9493947
DOI: 10.3109/10673229809000308 -
Australian Family Physician Sep 1997Social phobia, the avoidance of social situations for fear of humiliation and embarrassment, has historically been under-recognised. Today, social phobia is the third... (Review)
Review
Social phobia, the avoidance of social situations for fear of humiliation and embarrassment, has historically been under-recognised. Today, social phobia is the third most common psychiatric disorder that, left untreated, has been shown to have a marked impact upon the quality of life and success of sufferers. Specific pharmacotherapy and psychological therapies used simultaneously or alone, have been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of this disorder.
Topics: Anxiety; Australia; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Phobic Disorders; Prognosis; Social Behavior Disorders
PubMed: 9382721
DOI: No ID Found -
Srpski Arhiv Za Celokupno Lekarstvo 2005The contemporary integrative theoretical and therapeutic concepts of social phobia in developmental period have been presented in the study. Besides current... (Review)
Review
The contemporary integrative theoretical and therapeutic concepts of social phobia in developmental period have been presented in the study. Besides current neurobiological theories, a very important hypothesis about behavioral inhibition has been represented as a predisposition of social phobia. The cognitive-behavioral theories of social phobia are dominant among psychological theories. The integrative concept of social phobia is the most realistic approach to this disorder and the bridge between biological and psychological theories. The interaction between biological and psychological etiological factors is represented through different therapeutical approaches to social phobia. Therapy of social phobia is integrative and involves different therapeutical modalities in different phases of therapy. In integrative psychotherapy, we use cognitive-behavioral therapy, dynamic oriented supportive psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and phenomenological-existential psychotherapy. The cognitive-behavioral therapy yields the best results. The medicaments in use are the following: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, high-potency benzodiazepines, new antiepileptic drugs and rarely beta-blockers. The combination of integrative psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is the most optimal therapeutic approach to social phobia. This integrative and to patient adapted treatment will produce the best results in management of children's and adolescent's social phobia.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Humans; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 16053184
DOI: 10.2298/sarh0502086k