A phobia is an anxiety disorder in which the affected person experiences an excessive or irrational fear of a specific situation, object or activity that disrupts their ability to function in normal daily activities. Fear occurs when the situation, object, or activity is anticipated or encountered and sometimes triggers a panic attack. Adults with phobias usually realize that their fear is irrational or excessive; however, having this insight is not typical in children with phobias. …showed first 75 words of 2226 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2226 total…have been known to reduce anticipatory anxiety in people with specific phobia. For example, people who are afraid of flying may find that these drugs help control their fear and make flying possible. SSRIs, like Paroxetine®, can be effective in controlling specific phobias. These drugs may be particularly helpful in people whose phobia interferes with their ability to function in normal daily activities, like riding the train to work or speaking in front of groups.