Specific Phobia (SP) is the irrational, intense fear of a specific object or situation. There were five types of SPs: blood, injection, injury (B-I-I), animal, natural environment, situational, and other. What are the symptoms of specific phobia? Common responses to triggers of SP include:        increased heart rate        fainting        chest pains        sweating        shaking SP can significantly impact daily life, especially for those with a fear of injection or blood injury. These patients may go as far as to avoid medical treatment or drop out of medical school. Children with natural environment phobia are less satisfied with life, while adults find that they interfere with social functioning. What causes specific phobia? While there are no clear genetic risk factors for SP, it is noted that individuals with SP typically have close relatives with the same SP. Some individuals with SP have also had a traumatic experience related to their fear. Who is more likely to be affected? The prevalence of B-I-I is approximately 3 to 5%. The most common SPs are natural environment 8.9-11.6% such as a fear of heights, or storms.  Animal phobia ranges between 3 and 7%. Situational phobia ranges from 5 to 8%. These types include flying, enclosed areas and driving.

Selective mutism is when an individual does not speak in situations in which he or she would be expected to speak, such as among friends; despite no hearing, speaking, physical or mental impairments. Speech is normal around family members and in the home. What causes selective mutism? While the cause of selective mutism is unknown, there are several theories – one of which is that it is potentially a means of punishing one’s parents. Selective mutism is an extreme form of social anxiety ; a distrust of the outside world resulting from a strong attachment to parents, a response to trauma, or a way to prevent the sharing of past traumas with others. Who is more likely to be affected? It is more likely to occur in girls than in boys. When does selective mutism develop? Selective mutism typically develops between the ages of three and six but is not diagnosed until the child attends school. What other conditions commonly occur with selective mutism? Nearly 40% of children with this disorder also have language and speech disorders. A majority of individuals (68%) will also experience developmental delays, and over 70% will also experience anxiety disorders. Despite the low incidence of Asperger’s in the general population, nearly 7% of individuals with selective mutism also have Asperger’s disease.

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is the feeling of extreme anxiety in response to or in anticipation of separation from someone with whom there is a strong attachment, such as a parent or guardian. While some anxiety related to separating from a major figure in a child’s life is expected, in the case of SAD the anxiety is excessive, lasts for extended periods of time (over 1 month) and may interfere with daily life. What are the symptoms of separation anxiety? The anxiety is accompanied by worries of being abandoned, becoming ill or being kidnapped. Some individuals with SAD may even experience physical effects such as nausea, vomiting, headaches and stomach aches. Children with SAD attempt to avoid situations in which they would be separated from the significant figure, such as avoiding going to school, sleeping alone or visiting a friend’s home. They may also respond in hostile ways, such as throwing a tantrum, screaming, begging and making threats. What causes separation anxiety? Symptoms of SAD can develop in response to a traumatic event, a fear of being harmed, or gradually develops over time. Guardians may exacerbate the condition by placating to children when situations arise that trigger the symptoms, such as having a nightmare or wanting to avoid being around unfamiliar people.

With so many potential causes, it is not surprising that there are many risk factors for the development of anxiety disorders . Traumatic experiences such as domestic or sexual abuse, witnessing a traumatic event, or experiencing a traumatic event can significantly increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder. Because traumatic events can happen at any time, anxiety disorders can develop at any time as well. Stress-related to a health condition or another mental illness can often lead to the development of anxiety disorders. Thus, many anxiety disorders are linked to specific illnesses. Experiencing stress for a long period of time, or having it build up over time due to one escalating problem, or the combination of several smaller stresses can cause anxiety. Some of these events include financial concerns, work-related stress, or a significant life change. Drug and alcohol use or withdrawal can significantly increase anxiety, to the point of the development of a disorder. An individual’s personality can also be more prone to develop anxiety than others. With genetic factors playing a role in development, being related to someone with anxiety also increases the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.

The causes of anxiety disorders can be attributed to the following: Changes in the brain When conditions that evoke anxiety are experienced by those with the disorder, they typically see hyperactivity in the amygdala – a region of the brain responsible for fear and related emotional processes, including fear conditioning, reward learning, and processing of emotional events. This region is not only more active but responds faster to anxiety-provoking situations in individuals with anxiety disorder. Other regions of the brain may also contribute to anxiety disorders. The anterior cingulate cortex and the insula, also known as the “fear network”, contributes to the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders .  The anterior cingulate cortex is important in fear avoidance, while the insula processes emotions and awareness of internal distress. In the case of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for forming memories, demonstrates low activity during exposure to PTSD triggers. Changes in the structure of the hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex  (a brain region involved in decision making)  have also been observed. Environmental Stress There are numerous environmental factors that can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. One of the most common is stress, especially stress for a long period of time, due to a major traumatic life event such as an unhealthy relationship or a highly stressful job.