Specific phobia diagnosis according to the DSM IV TR criteria includes questions like presence of marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation.
There should be an immediate anxiety reaction, which might reach the severity threshold of a panic attack on exposure to the feared object or situation.
In children there might be crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging in response to a similar exposure. The patient realizes that the anxiety is excessive or unreasonable. This latter may be absent in children.
The situations or objects are avoided or endured with intense anxiety or distress. This avoidance or endurance with distress interferes significantly with
There should be an immediate anxiety reaction, which might reach the severity threshold of a panic attack on exposure to the feared object or situation.
In children there might be crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging in response to a similar exposure. The patient realizes that the anxiety is excessive or unreasonable. This latter may be absent in children.
The situations or objects are avoided or endured with intense anxiety or distress. This avoidance or endurance with distress interferes significantly with