Phobics go through immense fear, anxiety, and avoidance in response to their objects of trepidation. In order to be diagnosed, the symptoms should be to a degree that is out of proportion that it disrupts areas of functioning and is significantly persistent (6 months or more).

TYPES
The following are the various types of specific phobias:
• Animal: This involves being irrationally scared of dogs, spiders, birds, insects, and other animals.
• Natural Environment: This covers the abnormal fear of heights, storms, water, lightning, and other elements.
• Blood-injection-injury: Examples include the pathological fear of injections, blood, and other invasive medical procedures.
• Situational: This type involves the irrational fear of enclosed spaces, flying, heights, and other situations.
• Other: The sources of fear in this category include vomiting, loud sounds, costumed characters, etc.

PREVALENCE
According to the United States' prevalence estimate which was conducted for 12 months, specific phobia occurs to seven to nine percent of the population. The statistics in Europe is fairly similar at around six percent. The numbers are lower in Asian, African, and Latin American countries at two to four percent. Regarding age group, most of the affected individuals are teens at 13 to 17 years old (16%), followed by children (5%), and older people (3-5%). Gender wise, females are specifically more affected with  2:1 ratio. However, blood-injection-injury phobia is almost being equally experienced by both genders.

RISKS
The following factors lead to higher risks for someone to develop specific phobia:
• Anxious temperament
• Physical and sexual abuse
• Parental loss and separation
• Relative with an anxiety disorder

COMORBIDITY
• Depression (especially in older adults)
• Other anxiety disorders such as selective mutism and panic disorder.
• Bipolar disorders
• Substance-related disorders
• Personality disorders

FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES
Phobics maladaptive behaviors significantly influence various dimensions of their development. They have difficulties in pursuing their education, career, and interpersonal goals. Individuals with specific phobia also face great challenges in accepting health care services due to medically related anxiety triggers.

TREATMENT
Various techniques have been utilized to help people overcome their fears. The following treatments are commonly employed by therapists:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT involves solution-focused and highly structured methods that seek to facilitate cognitive processes. This psychotherapeutic technique also highlights rational thinking to address maladaptive behaviors and debilitating emotions. CBT is known for its speedy results and inclusion of behavioral strategies such as exposure therapy.

One Session Treatment (OST)
OST , which is a variant of CBT, is a more intensive approach. This involves other methods such as modeling, reinforcement, psychoeducation, and exposure therapy. The single treatment session only lasts for one to three hours.

Exposure Therapy
Patients undergoing exposure therapy are gradually introduced to the objects of their fear. The particular methods under this treatment are systematic desensitization, imaginal exposure, virtual reality, in vivo and interoceptive exposure.

Medication
Anti-anxiety drugs and anti-depressants are prescribed to temporarily relieve symptoms. D-clycoserine has been specially mentioned to be efficient when used with cognitive behavioral therapy.