Knowledge Tree
Specific phobia
Also known as: Specific phobia, Specific phobias
Facts (18)
Sources
The Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treating Anxiety thesupportivecare.com Apr 25, 2025 5 facts
measurementSpecific Phobias affect approximately 19 million adults in the United States, or 8.7% of the population.
claimSpecific Phobias involve intense fear of particular objects or situations, such as heights, flying, or certain animals.
measurementVirtual reality exposure therapy shows equivalent or superior results to in vivo exposure for specific phobias and PTSD, with 70-80% success rates.
measurementExposure therapy alone can reduce anxiety symptoms by 60-90% for specific phobias and 70-80% for social anxiety disorder.
claimBy the 1950s, behavioral therapy approaches had demonstrated success in treating specific phobias and anxiety disorders through exposure therapy and systematic desensitization.
CBT for Anxiety: Evidence-Based Techniques for Lasting Relief revivespokane.com Oct 22, 2025 3 facts
claimCognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective for treating social phobia (social anxiety disorder), panic disorder, and specific phobias.
measurementCognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has success rates of 80-90% for treating specific phobias.
referenceAnxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (persistent and excessive worry), social anxiety disorder (fear of social situations and negative judgment), panic disorder (recurring panic attacks), obsessive-compulsive disorder (unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors), post-traumatic stress disorder (developing after traumatic events), and specific phobias (extreme fear of particular objects or situations).
Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders link.springer.com Dec 19, 2022 2 facts
measurementAmong the classifications of anxiety disorders, specific phobia (10.3%), panic disorders (6%), social phobia (2.7%), and generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) (2.2%) are the most common.
claimThe majority of the 10 studies included in the meta-analysis 'Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders' examined the treatment of PTSD (n = 7 studies), while one study each covered ASD, GAD, and SAD, with no studies covering panic disorder, OCD, or specific phobia.
Anxiety Disorders DSM - 445 Dolley Madison Road crossroadspsychiatric.com 2 facts
referenceThe DSM-IV-TR defines the diagnostic criteria for Specific Phobia (Code 300.29) as a marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by a specific object or situation, which almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response or panic attack, is avoided or endured with distress, interferes with normal functioning, lasts at least 6 months in individuals under 18, and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder.
referenceAgoraphobia involves the avoidance of specific situations, enduring them with marked distress, or requiring the presence of a companion, and the condition is not better accounted for by other mental disorders such as Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or Separation Anxiety Disorder.
Effective Anxiety Management: Evidence-Based Approaches reachlink.com Nov 29, 2025 2 facts
claimMental health providers may utilize exposure therapy instead of broader cognitive-behavioral therapy if a patient communicates that their fears are related to a specific phobia rather than general concerns.
claimSpecific phobias are defined as a severe fear of something specific, such as spiders, closed spaces, or going to the doctor, which can cause significant difficulty in navigating daily life.
Mind and Body Approaches for Stress and Anxiety frontlineerdallas.com 1 fact
measurementA 2018 meta-analysis of 50 studies involving 2,801 participants found that relaxation therapy was less effective than cognitive behavioral therapy for PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorder, though no difference was found between the two therapies for other anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.
Overview of Anxiety Disorders - Psychiatry - MSD Manuals msdmanuals.com 1 fact
referenceThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) lists the following anxiety disorders: Selective mutism; Specific phobia (animal, natural environment, blood-injection injury, situational); Substance-induced/medication-induced anxiety disorder; Anxiety due to another medical condition; and Other specified anxiety disorder (for patients with significant symptoms who do not meet criteria for a specific disorder).
Diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders set out in DSM-IV and ICD ... ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 1 fact
claimPanic attacks are excluded from diagnosis if they are better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as social phobia, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or separation anxiety disorder.
Diagnosis and Management of Generalized Anxiety Disorder ... - AAFP aafp.org May 1, 2015 1 fact
claimA diagnosis of an anxiety disorder requires that the disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or separation anxiety disorder.