A specific phobia is an intense fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.   It isn't just extreme fear; its an irrational fear of a particular thing.

While adults with phobias realize that these fears are irrational, they often find that facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared object or situation brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety.

General Facts about specific phobias:

• Affect 6.3 million adult Americans
• Are twice as common in women as in men
• Usually first appear during childhood or adolescence
• Persist into adulthood