Specific phobias are sometimes considered to be less life-limiting than other types of phobia. Nonetheless, the nature of the phobia and how often the sufferer comes into contact with the feared situation will determine the seriousness of the phobia. Each person is different, but specific phobias commonly progress in the following way:
- Early Warning Signs: A negative encounter with a specific object or situation.
- Age at First Onset: Childhood. Most specific phobias develop from frightening situations in early childhood. However, symptoms may not become severe and life-limiting until much later. Many specific phobia sufferers are not diagnosed until they are adults.
- Progressive Effects: An untreated specific phobia often leads to avoidance of the feared situation. If the situation is common in the sufferer’s daily life, then this avoidance can cause social and professional difficulties.
- Concurrent Disorders: Over a lifetime, those with specific phobias appear likely to develop another anxiety disorder or major depression.
- Prognosis: Untreated specific phobias generally become chronic. The impact on daily life depends on how common the feared situation is. Treatment for specific phobias tends to be quick, with a high rate of success.
Sources:Epidemiology of Anxiety Disorders. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Psychiatry. http://psychiatry.healthse.com/psy/categories/C19/
The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America. National Institute of Mental Health. February 15, 2008. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america.shtml#KesslerPrevalence
