Specific Phobias

This means that you tend to experience extreme anxiety under very specific circumstances. You may well try to avoid those circumstances, even if you realise that your fear is excessive and unreasonable. Common examples are planes, enclosed places; bridges; bugs and spiders, reptiles, injections and the sight of blood; vomiting. Some things are more common than others, but anything can become the object of a specific phobia. In fact there are over 375 listed different types of phobia, each with its own label!

Social Phobias

This means that you tend to panic in social and performance situations. Generally speaking, there is a fear of public humiliation, rejection, or disgrace. If you have a social phobia you may experience panic in the following circumstances:

• Public speaking
• Meetings
• Playing sports for an audience
• Eating in a restaurant
• Using public conveniences
• Playing a musical instrument / acting / singing for an audience
• Writing a cheque or form filling in front of others

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