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1. Name the Mental Illness you will research?

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1. Name the Mental Illness you will research?

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The Mental Illness that I research was PHOBIA.

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Sweating

Trembling

Hot Flushes or Chills

Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing

Pain or Tightness in the Chest

Rapid Heartbeat

a Sensation of Butterflies in your Stomach

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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3.  List known causes of Phobia.  If they don’t know what specifically causes it, list anything they’ve thought it could be.

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3.  List known causes of Phobia.  If they don’t know what specifically causes it, list anything they’ve thought it could be.

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Past incidents or traumas. Certain situations might have a lasting effect on how you feel about them.

Learned responses from early life. Your phobia may develop from factors in your childhood environment.

Genetic Factors

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4.1 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

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4.1 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

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Treatment - Self-help techniques

How effective is it? - Lifestyle Changes/using exposure therapy to overcome your fear

Negative side effects: Some of the negative effect are “feed” anxiety and depression

https://www.proactivehm.com.au/negative-self-talk-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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4.2 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

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4.2 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

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Treatment - Talking Treatment

How effective is it? - Exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy

Negative side effects: Some of the negative effects are normal to occasionally feel bad or worse after therapy

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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4.3 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.subject
4.3 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.body
Treatment - Antidepressants(Medication)

How effective is it? - This medication is usually prescribed. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Negative side effects: Some of the common side effect for antidepressant is Nausea, headaches, sleep problems, upset stomach

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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4.4 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.subject
4.4 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.body
Treatment - Tranquillisers(Medication)

How effective is it? - A group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. Including medication like diazepam. So this is effective

Negative side effects: Some of the noeffective thing about this is forgetting lots of thing or just losing your memory

https://www.healthline.com/health/sedatives

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Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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5. What percentage of the U.S. and world have this mental illness?

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5. What percentage of the U.S. and world have this mental illness?

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U.S Percentage - The estimate percentage is 9.1%
Link - https://www.verywellmind.com/prevalence-of-phobias-in-the-united-states-2671912#:~:text=An%20estimated%209.1%25%20of%20Americans,more%20than%20one%20specific%20phobia.

World Percentage - The estimate percentage of the World is 15%

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Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders, but the subcategory
of specific phobias has not been well studied. Phobias involve both fear and avoidance.
For people who have specific phobias, avoidance can reduce the constancy and severity
of distress and impairment. However, thes…

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4.5 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.subject
4.5 - List any treatments for this mental illness.  List the treatment, how effective it is, and if there are any negative side effects:

# data[].attributes.body
Treatment - Beta-Blockers(Medication)

How effective is it? - Beta-Blockers are used to treat cardiovascular conditions. Beta-Blockers are very effective and just slow down your heart rate + decrease your blood pressure to try to relive the phobia.

Negative side effects: Some of the side effects from taking a beta-blocker are stomach problems, cold fingers, tiredness, sleep problems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.
However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

Talking treatments

Talking treatments, such as counselling, are often very effective at treating phobias. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness have been found to be very effective for treating phobias.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It can be used to develop practical ways of dealing with your phobia.

One part of the CBT treatment process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to your fear, so you feel less anxious about it. This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

For example, if you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), your therapist may start by asking you to read about snakes. They may later show you a picture of a snake. They may then arrange for you to visit the reptile house of your local zoo to look at some real snakes. The final step would be for you to hold a snake.

Exposure therapy works by gradually increasing the level of exposure to your fear, which allows you to gain control over your phobia. As the treatment progresses, you should begin to feel less anxious about your phobia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't recommend the use of computerised CBT to treat specific phobias in adults.

Medication

Medication isn't usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don't have any side effects. However, medication is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety.

There are 3 types of medication recommended for treating anxiety:

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder. These can include:

escitalopram (Cipralex)

sertraline (Lustral)

paroxetine (Seroxat)

Venlafaxine (Efexor), a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may also be prescribed for anxiety.

Common side effects of these treatments include:

They may also, initially, make your anxiety worse and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that's licensed to treat phobias. Side effects include:

Moclobemide (Manerix) is a type of antidepressant from the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) group of antidepressants. It's sometimes prescribed to treat social phobia.

Moclobemide interacts with certain types of food, so if you're prescribed this medication, read the information leaflet that comes with it to find out which foods to avoid.

Other possible side effects of moclobemide include:

sleep problems

dizziness

stomach problems

headaches

restlessness

agitation

If you're prescribed antidepressants, it's very important that you don't suddenly stop taking them. Suddenly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms. See your GP, who can gradually lower your dose.

Tranquillisers

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:

stomach problems

cold fingers

tiredness

sleep problems

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many people with a phobia don't need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem. However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

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6. List any factors that might put a person more at risk for this illness. 

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6. List any factors that might put a person more at risk for this illness. 

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Your age. Specific phobias can first appear in childhood, usually by age 10, but can occur later in life.

Your relatives. If someone in your family has a specific phobia or anxiety, you're more likely to develop it, too.

Your temperament.

A negative experience.

Learning about negative experiences.

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Overview

Specific phobias are an extreme fear of objects or situations that pose little or no danger but make you highly anxious. So you try to stay away from these things. Unlike the brief anxiety you may feel when giving a speech or taking a test, specific phobias are long-lasting. Without treatment, specific phobias tend to last a lifetime.

Phobias can cause strong physical, mental and emotional responses. They also can affect how you act at work or school, or in social situations.

Specific phobias are common anxiety disorders. Overall, they happen more often in females. Not all phobias need to be treated. But if a specific phobia affects your daily life, several types of therapies are available to help you work through and conquer your fears - often forever.

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Symptoms

A specific phobia involves a strong, lasting fear of a certain object or situation that's much greater than the actual risk. There are many types of phobias. It's common to have a specific phobia about more than one object or situation. Specific phobias also can happen along with other types of anxiety disorders.

Common types of specific phobias are fears of:

Situations, such as airplanes, driving, enclosed spaces or going to school.

Nature, such as thunderstorms, heights or the dark.

Animals or insects, such as dogs, snakes or spiders.

Blood, shots or injuries, such as needles, accidents or medical procedures.

Others, such as choking, throwing up, loud noises or clowns.

Each specific phobia has a name. Phobia comes from the Greek word "phobos," which means fear. Examples of more common names include acrophobia for the fear of heights and claustrophobia for the fear of confined spaces.

No matter what specific phobia you have, you may:

Feel intense fear, anxiety and panic right away when exposed to or even thinking about what causes your fear.

Know that your fears are not reasonable or not as big as you think they are, but you cannot control them.

Have anxiety that gets worse as the situation or object gets closer to you physically or in time.

Do everything possible to stay away from an object or situation or face it with extreme anxiety or fear.

Have trouble with daily activities because of your fear.

Have physical reactions and feelings, including sweating, rapid heartbeat, tight chest or trouble breathing.

Feel like throwing up, or you get dizzy or faint, especially around blood or injuries.

Children may have tantrums, or they may cling, cry or refuse to leave a parent's side or approach their fear.
When to see a doctor
An extreme fear can make life hard - for example, taking long flights of stairs instead of an elevator. But it is not a specific phobia unless it seriously disrupts your life. If anxiety negatively affects the way you act at work or school, or in social situations, talk with your doctor or another health care professional, or a mental health professional.

Childhood fears, such as fear of the dark, monsters or of being left alone, are common. Most children outgrow them. But if your child has an ongoing, strong fear that interferes with how they act at school or work daily, talk to your child's doctor.

The right therapy can help most people. And the sooner you ask for help, the more likely that therapy will be effective.

Causes

Much is still not known about what causes specific phobias. Causes may include:

Bad experiences. Many phobias start because of a bad experience or panic attack related to a specific object or situation. Sometimes even seeing or hearing about a bad experience can be enough to trigger a phobia.

Genetics or learned behavior. There may be a link between your specific phobia and the phobia or anxiety of your parents. This could be due to a blend of genetics and learned behaviors.

Brain function and structure. Those with specific phobias trigger certain parts of the brain, while a person without these phobias does not have the same response in the brain. Also, a person with a specific phobia can have a different brain structure than a person without that specific phobia.

Risk factors

These factors may increase your risk of specific phobias:

Age. Specific phobias can first appear when you're a child, typically by age 10. But they can occur later in life too.

Your relatives. If a family member has a specific phobia or anxiety, you're more likely to develop it too. This could be something passed down to you from a blood relative. Or children may learn specific phobias by watching how a family member reacts to an object or a situation.

Your temperament. Your risk may increase if you're more sensitive to anxiety or you're more reserved or negative than what's typical.

A bad experience. A specific phobia can start when something distressing happens to you, such as being trapped in an elevator or attacked by an animal.

Learning about bad experiences. Hearing about bad experiences, such as a plane crash, can cause a specific phobia to start.

Changing your behavior. Avoidance is the most common way people cope with phobias. By doing so, their anxiety typically gets worse.

Complications

Although specific phobias may seem silly to others, they can be distressing and damaging to the people who have them. These phobias can cause problems that affect many areas of life.

They can result in:

Social isolation. Staying away from places and things that are feared can cause problems at work or school, or in connections with others. Children with these disorders are at risk of problems at school and loneliness. They also may have trouble in social situations if their behaviors are very different from their peers.

Mood disorders. Many people with specific phobias have depression and other anxiety disorders.

Substance misuse. The stress of living with a severe specific phobia may lead to misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Suicide. Some people with specific phobias may be at risk of suicide.

Strain on loved ones. To try to keep from feeling anxious, people often rely too much on being reassured by others. Sometimes this leads to others becoming too protective over the person with anxiety. For example, a parent may become too protective of a child, resulting in more stress for the parent.

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These are extreme fears of objects or situations that pose little or no danger. There is no reason for these fears, but you stay away from these things.