Diagnosis and management of phobic anxiety disorders in primary care

Abstract

Fear or phobia is a common phenomenon, but many people develop specific types of phobic anxiety disorders. The more common ones are agoraphobia, specific phobias and social phobia. Agoraphobia is often associated with panic attacks, while specific phobia is often accompanied by fainting spells. Social phobia is often a neglected topic, but is now becoming more important. Each type of phobia has its own unique features and deserves specific forms of treatment.