Descriptive Psychopathology: The Signs and Symptoms of ...

218 Section 3: Examination domainsTable 8.7. Specific phobiasAcarophobia: fear of itching from infestationAchluophobia: fear of the darkAichmophobia: fear of needles or pointed objectsAcrophobia: fear of heights; being on a ladderAstraphobia: fear of lightningAnthropophobia: fear of being with a group of people (Enochlophobia: fear of crowds)Aviophobia: fear of flyingClaustrophobia: fear of closed in spaces (elevators, closets, public vehicles)Gephyrophobia: fear of being on a bridgeHydrophobia: fear of waterHemophobia: fear of bloodMonophobia: fear of being aloneMysophobia: fear of being contaminatedPyrophobia: fear of fireThanatophobia: fear of death or dyingZoophobia (animal phobia): defined by specific animal (e.g. Ailurophobia: fear of cats;Arachnophobia: fear of spiders, Acarophobia/parasitophobia: fear of bugs, Cynophobia: fear ofdogs or of rabies; Herpetophobia: fear of reptiles or “creepy, crawly things”)for specific phobia and commonly identify the following phobias: animals, beingalone, closed places, heights, storms, water, blood, injuries and injections, flying,elevators (lifts), driving, physical exams, doctors, vomiting. 77 Terms for somephobias are listed in Table 8.7. 78Specific phobic disorder is defined as a circumscribed, unrealistic fear. Whilepersons with a specific phobia may be anxiety-free at other times, they are morelikely to also have other anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders, and experiencenon-melancholic depression. 79 About 15% will have more than one phobia. 80The phobic fear-response can be mild or severe, the terror-stricken patientattempting to flee the phobic situation. Patients often go to great lengths to avoidthe phobic situation. Animal phobias emerge before puberty. While many mild tomoderate phobias gradually resolve through repeated exposure, some phobiasbecome chronic, waxing and waning in intensity over decades. 81While most phobic patients have co-morbid anxious–fearful personality traits,some late onset phobic conditions are associated with metabolic disorders andtoxic states. 82Chronic anxietySome persons experience continuous anxiety that cannot be attributed to a mooddisorder. These patients are said to have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).