Specific Phobias

Specific phobia is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions. Individuals with specific phobia typically have symptoms for decades and experience increased usage of medical care. Few individuals with this condition seek treatment, however, often choosing instead to suffer in silence and accommodate their lives around their fear—to the detriment of their quality of life. Even so, there are several well-researched and efficacious options available, some taking as little as 3h. In this chapter, we briefly review the phenomenology of specific phobia and its assessment, and then pivot to conceptualization and treatment.