Facts on Specific Phobias
Specific
phobias affect an estimated 6.3 million adult Americans and are twice as common in women as in men.
Possible Causes of Specific Phobias
The causes of specific
phobias are not well understood, although there is some evidence that these phobias may run in families.
Specific phobias usually first appear during childhood or adolescence and tend to persist into adulthood.
Treatment for Specific Phobias
If the object of the fear is easy to avoid, people with specific phobias may not feel the need to seek treatment. Sometimes, however, they may make important career or personal decisions to avoid a phobic situation, and if this avoidance is carried to extreme lengths, it can be disabling.
Specific phobias are highly treatable with carefully targeted psychotherapy.
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