What it is
Specific Phobia, is characterized by chronic, excessive fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations. Youth with Specific Phobia tend to actively avoid direct contact with the objects or situations that evoke anxiety. Their fear may also be triggered by both the presence or the anticipation of the feared situation. Specific Phobia, Situational Type refers to specific phobias of such things as small confined spaces (e.g., elevators), modes of travel (e.g., cars, planes, buses, trains), and being afraid of the dark. Such kids have difficulty controlling these specific fears, to the point where they are likely to avoid these situations. If they don’t avoid the situation, they are likely to endure such encounters with the feared situation with intense anxiety or distress. This problem must also be present for at least six months before a diagnosis of specific phobia would be considered appropriate. Some children may recognize that their fear is excessive, or out of proportion to the actual risk in the situation, yet the child may still feel intense distress.
Some children with Specific Phobia, Situational Type may exhibit certain themes to their worry or have certain beliefs about the feared situation. For example, kids that are afraid of enclosed places, such as elevators, may believe that they will run out of air, or that they will be unable to escape. Youth that are specifically afraid of the dark may believe that they are much more likely to be “in danger” when they sleep with the lights off. As a coping mechanism, many children with situational specific phobias will frequently avoid such situations, and might avoid thinking about the possibility of the feared outcome. Unfortunately, this avoidance may only result in short-term relief; these kids are likely to continue avoiding such situations and their distress and negative beliefs about the feared situation are likely to increase.
Avoiding the feared situation brings quick relief, but it keeps the phobia going:
Symptoms
According to DSM, symptoms of specific phobia include:
- Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation (e.g., heights, flying)
- Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response
- The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable
- The phobic situation(s) is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety or distress
Specific phobias commonly focus on animals, insects, heights, thunder, driving, public transportation, flying, dental or medical procedures, and elevators. Although people with phobias realize that their fear is irrational, even thinking about it can often cause extreme anxiety. Physical symptoms of having a specific phobia often include uncomfortable and terrifying feelings of anxiety:
- a feeling of imminent danger or doom
- the need to escape
- heart palpitations
- sweating
- trembling
- shortness of breath or a smothering feeling
How it is treated
For such youth, physical sensations of anxiety are likely to be quite intense when they are exposed to their feared situation, and some youth may experience panic-like symptoms. A therapist and child will work together to identify the physical responses that they experience (e.g., pounding heart, shaking, difficulty breathing), so that the child can learn that this is part of their anxiety response. Therapy may also involve discussion about the risk of being in particular situations, and the likelihood of being hurt. A goal of therapy is to help the child learn to cope and learn that they are capable of enduring their distress. Children may also learn that their feared situation is less dangerous than they initially believed. A therapist will work with the child on challenges that place them in the feared situation for a period of time. Such challenges may involve sitting in a room with the lights off, for a kid that is afraid of the dark. For a child that is afraid of trains, a therapist and child can ride together on a train, or watch videos of bullet trains. The goal of these challenges is for the child to learn that they can cope with their anxiety in the feared situation, and practice mastery over their anxiety.
Free tools
Finding help
Get treatment with our team
The OCD & Anxiety Institute, founded by Dr. Muniya Khanna, offers evaluation and CBT with exposure for kids, teens, and young adults with anxiety and OCD, in person in Berwyn, PA and by video across Pennsylvania.
Find a provider
Looking for care in person or outside of Pennsylvania? Start with a directory below.
Referral NetworkCoping Cat trained clinicians worldwideSearch by location or specialtyFind a clinician →
If you are unable to find a treatment provider through these or other websites, you can:
- Contact the psychiatry department at a local medical school or a university psychology department.
- Contact your county mental health department, a local hospital, or a community mental health center and ask about mental health clinics or staff psychiatrists.
- Search through your insurance company for local behavioral health or psychiatry providers.
- Search the American Psychological Association provider database.
Disclaimer: We do not endorse the references or providers listed. We list available resources as a service.
Books
Books for kids
A reading list for children and teens, organized by age.
Reading level 4 to 8 10 books
- First Day Jittersby Julie Danneberg. Whispering Coyote Press, 2000.
- Wemberly Worriedby Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, 2010.
- Scary Night Visitors: A Story for Children with Bedtime Fearsby Irene Wineman Marcus, Paul Marcus, & Susan Jesche. Magination Press, 1990.
- I Don’t Know Why…I Guess I’m Shy: A Story About Taming Imaginary Fearsby Barbara Cain & J. J. Smith-Moore. Magination Press, 2000.
- Into the Great Forest: A Story for Children Away from Parents for the First Timeby Irene Wineman Marcus. Magination Press, 1992.
- Night Light: A Story for Children Afraid of the Darkby Jack Dutro & Kenneth Boyle. Magination Press, 1991.
- Cat’s Got Your Tongue? A Story for Children Afraid to Speakby Charles E. Schaefer & Judith Friedman. Magination Press, 1992.
- Outsmart Your Worry Tool Kit for Kids, Ages 5-11by Tool Kits for Kids, LLC, 2008.
- Lions Aren’t Scared of Shots: A Story for Children About Visiting the Doctorby Howard J. Bennett. Magination Press, 2007.
- Sometimes I’m Scaredby Jane Annunziata & Marc Nemiroff. Magination Press, 2009.
Reading level 9 to 12 8 books
- Nobody’s Perfect: A Story for Children about Perfectionismby Ellen Flanagan Burns. Magination Press, 2009.
- What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxietyby Dawn Huebner. Magination Press, 2006.
- What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming OCDby Dawn Huebner. Magination Press, 2007.
- Up and Down the Worry Hill: A Children’s Book about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and its Treatmentby Aureen Pinto Wagner & Paul A. Jutton. Lighthouse Press, Inc., 2004.
- I Bet I Won’t Fret: A Workbook to Help Children With Generalized Anxiety Disorderby T.A. Sisemore. New Harbinger, 2008.
- Outsmart Your Worry Tool Kit for Kids, Ages 11-18by Tool Kits for Kids, LLC, 2009.
- Kissing Doorknobsby Terry Spencer Hesser. Laurel Leaf, 1999.
- Blink, Blink, Clop, Clop: Why We Do Things We Can’t Stopby E. Katia Moritz. Weston Press, 2011.
For teens 5 books
- My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panicby Michael A. Tompkins, Katherine A. Martinez, & Michael Sloan. Magination Press, 2009.
- Outsmart Your Worry Tool Kit for Kids, Ages 11-18by Tool Kits for Kids, LLC, 2009.
- Free From OCD: A Workbook for Teens With Obsessive Compulsive Disorderby T.A. Sisemore, 2010.
- Perfectionism: What’s Bad About Being Too Goodby Miram Adderholdt & Jan Goldberg. Free Spirit Publishing, 1999.
- Talking Back to OCD: The Program That Helps Kids and Teens Say "No Way", and Parents Say "Way to Go"by John March, 2006.
Books for parents & caregivers
Books to empower those who support children and teens.
Anxiety 11 books
- The Resilience Recipeby Muniya Khanna & Philip Kendall (2021). New Harbinger Press.
- You and Your Anxious Child: Free Your Child from Fears and Worries and Create a Joyful Family Lifeby Anne Marie Albano, with Leslie Pepper. A Lynn Sonberg Book with Avery/Penguin Press, 2013.
- The Coping Cat: Parent Companionby Philip C. Kendall, Jennifer Podell, & Erika Gosch. Workbook Publishing, 2010.
- The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Themby Elaine Aron. Three Rivers Press, 2002.
- Freeing Your Child from Anxiety: Powerful, Practical Solutions to Overcome Your Child’s Fears, Worries and Phobiaby Tamar Chansky. Broadway Books, 2004.
- Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happinessby Tamar Chansky. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2008.
- Your Anxious Child: How Parents and Teachers Can Relieve Anxiety in Childrenby John Dacey & Lisa Fiore. Jossey-Bass, 2001.
- Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parentsby Andrew R. Eisen, Linda B. Engler, & Joan Sparrow. New Harbinger Publications, 2006.
- The Worried Child: Recognizing Anxiety in Children and Helping Them Healby Paul Foxman. Hunter House, 2004.
- Help for Worried Kids: How Your Child Can Conquer Anxiety & Fearby Cynthia Last. Guilford Press, 2006.
- Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parentsby Ronald Rapee, Susan Spence, Vanessa Cobham, & Ann Wignall. New Harbinger Publications, 2008.
OCD 3 books
- Freeing Your Child from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescentsby Tamar Chansky. Three Rivers Press, 2001.
- OCD in Children and Adolescents: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Manualby John S. March & Karen Mulle. Guilford Press, 1998.
- What to Do When Your Child Has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Strategies and Solutionsby Aureen Pinto Wagner. Lighthouse Press, 2002.
References
Show 2 references
- Albano, A. M., Chorpita, B. F., & Barlow, D. H. (1996). Childhood anxiety disorders. In E.J. Marsh & R. A. Barkley (Eds.), Child psychopathology (pp. 196-241). New York: Guilford Press.
- Ollendick, T. H., Raishevich, N., Davis, T. E., Sirbu, C., Ost, L. (2010). Specific phobia in youth: Phenomenology and psychological characteristics. Behavior Therapy, 41, 133-141.
