PHOBIC DISORDER

Simply put, Phobic ideation is a mechanism of "displacement" in which a patient transfers his/her feelings of anxiety from the true object to one that can be avoided. (Anxiety of mother-in-law transferred to Butterfly as MIL is not avoidable). Social phobias are global (all social situations are poorly tolerated) or specific (performance anxiety or well delineated phobias). Agoraphobia (fear of open places and public areas) is frequently associated with severe panic attacks, making a normal lifestyle difficult.