A. Phobias

Anxiety disorders characterized by an intense irrational fear and heightened physiological arousal that is out of all proportion to the danger elicited by the object. The intense fear makes the person go to great lengths to avoid the feared object or endure it with intense anxiety if it cannot be avoided.
 

*specific phobias:

Unreasonable, marked, and persistent fears triggered by anticipation of, or exposure to, a specific object or situation (flying, heights, spiders, needles/ blood): formerly called simple phobias.

*social phobias:

Irrational, marked, and continuous fear of performing in social situations.  Affected indiviudals fear that they will humiliate or embarrass themselves.

*agoraphobia:

An anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing if a panic attack or panic-like symptoms (sudden dizziness or onset of diarrhea) were to occur.

Etiology of Phobias