Specific Phobias
Avoidance of a specific object or situation, or endurance of the feared stimuli with extreme discomfort, characterizes a specific phobia. Persistent fears of animals, elevators, heights, flying, needles, and natural disasters are common. Depending upon the phobic stimulus, the impairment caused by the phobia may vary. For example, a fear of elevators may cause more distress than a fear of needles if you have an elevator in your office but only occasionally visit the doctor.