Specific (simple) phobias, which are the most common and focus on specific objects. Social phobia, which
causes extreme anxiety in social or public situations
, and. Agoraphobia, which is the fear of being alone in public places from which there is no easy escape.
The most common specific social phobia are
glossophobia
(the fear of public speaking) and stage fright (the fear of performance). Others include fears of intimacy or sexual encounters, using public restrooms (paruresis), attending social gatherings, and dealing with authority figures.
What is a specific phobia?
Overview. Specific phobias are
an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of objects or situations that pose little real danger
but provoke anxiety and avoidance.
Anxiety disorders, which include generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific (simple) phobias, are more prevalent
in adults than are other mental disorders
.
- worry that others will notice their physical symptoms of anxiety, such as blushing, sweating, and stammering.
- fear of looking stupid, silly, or ridiculous.
- fear of appearing quiet, boring and uninteresting to others.
- fear of being judged as socially inadequate.
What are 3 types of phobias?
There are three types of phobia:
social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia
. Symptoms, or phobic reactions, may be psychological, such as an intense feeling of unease or foreboding; physical, such as crying or gastrointestinal distress; or behavioral, which includes a wide variety of avoidance tactics.
What is the rarest fear?
- Ablutophobia | Fear of bathing. …
- Arachibutyrophobia | Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. …
- Arithmophobia | Fear of math. …
- Chirophobia | Fear of hands. …
- Chloephobia | Fear of newspapers. …
- Globophobia (Fear of balloons) …
- Omphalophobia | Fear of Umbilicus (Bello Buttons)
What causes shyness?
What Causes Shyness? Shyness emerges from a few key characteristics:
self-consciousness
, negative self-preoccupation, low self-esteem and fear of judgment and rejection. Shy people often make unrealistic social comparisons, pitting themselves against the most vibrant or outgoing individuals.
What is the most common specific phobia?
Animal phobias
are the most common specific phobias. Situational phobias: These involve a fear of specific situations, such as flying, riding in a car or on public transportation, driving, going over bridges or in tunnels, or of being in a closed-in place, like an elevator.
The exact cause of social phobia
is unknown
. However, current research supports the idea that it is caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetics. Negative experiences also may contribute to this disorder, including: bullying.
Shyness and social anxiety disorder are two different things. Shyness is a personality trait. Many people who are shy do not have the negative emotions and feelings that accompany social anxiety disorder.
They live a normal life
, and do not view shyness as a negative trait.
GAD and SAD may also occur together
, and having either of these conditions increases the likelihood that a person may experience depression or other anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Is avoidance bad for anxiety?
Effects of Avoidance Behaviors
While in the short run you may experience a temporary sense of relief, in the long run,
avoidance actually leads to increased anxiety
. When avoiding places, people, and events, someone with panic disorder is really trying to escape feelings of anxiety.
Social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) is a mental health condition. It is an
intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others
. This fear can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends.
Does anxiety get worse with age?
Anxiety disorders don’t necessarily get worse with age
, but the number of people suffering from anxiety changes across the lifespan. Anxiety becomes more common with older age and is most common among middle-aged adults.
Social anxiety disorder affects
approximately 15 million American adults
and is the second most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder following specific phobia. The average age of onset for social anxiety disorder is during the teenage years.
