A phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by an irrational and intense fear of a specific object, situation, or activity. Phobias often develop from early unpleasant experiences and can cause withdrawal, high anxiety, and inability to function when exposed to the feared stimulus. Common phobias include agoraphobia (fear of places from which escape may be difficult), social phobia (fear of appearing foolish in front of others), and specific phobias (fear of objects like insects or situations like flying). Therapeutic nursing management of phobias focuses on systematic desensitization through gradual exposure to reduce fear and improve functioning in the presence of the phobic stimulus.

1. Phobias
Definition
A phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessive, irrational, and intense fear of
a specific object an activity, or a physical situation.
The fear, which is out of proportion to reality, usually results from early painful or
unpleasant experiences involving a particular object or situation.
A phobia may arise from displacing an unconscious conflict on an object that is
symbolically related.
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Types of Phobias
1. Agoraphobia
o Fear of being in places or situations from which escape may be difficult or help
may not be readily available.
2. Social Phobia
o Also called Social Anxiety Disorder
o Characterized by persistent fear of appearing shameful, stupid or inept in the
presence of others.
3. Specific Phobia
o Also called Simple Phobia
o A persistent fear of a specific object or situation, other than of two phobias
mentioned above.
o Sub-categories:
1. Injury-blood-injection
2. Situational
3. Natural environment
4. Animals
5. Other (fear of costumed character, space, etc)
RiskFactors
1. Learning theory
o The belief that phobias are learned and become conditioned responses when the
client needs to escape an uncomfortable situation.
2. Cognitive theory
o Phobias are produced by anxiety-inducing self-instructions of faulty cognitions.
3. Life experiences
o Certain life experiences, such as traumatic events, may set the sage for phobias
later in life.
Signs and Symptoms
1. Withdrawal
2. High levels of anxiety
3. Inability to function and meet self-care needs
4. Inappropriate behavior used to avoid the feared situation, object or activity
5. Dysfunctional social interactions and relationships
Nursing Diagnoses
1. Anxiety
2. Powerless
3. Ineffective individual coping
4. Impaired verbal communication
5. Altered thought processes

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6. Self-esteem disturbance
7. Impaired social interaction
8. Risk for injury
Therapeutic Nursing Management
1. Systematic desensitization
o This process of gradual exposure to phobic object or situation aimed at decreasing
the fear and increasing the ability to function in the presence of phobic stimulus.