When To Call A Professional

Make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you are troubled by fears or anxieties that are disturbing your peace of mind, interfering with your personal relationships, or preventing you from functioning normally at home, school or work.

Prognosis

The outlook is very good for people with specific phobia or social phobia. According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, about 75% of people with specific phobias overcome their fears through cognitive-behavioral therapy, while 80% of those with social phobia find relief from medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy or a combination.

When agoraphobia occurs with panic disorder, the prognosis is also good. With appropriate treatment, 30% to 40% of patients become free of symptoms for extended periods, while another 50% continue to experience only mild symptoms that do not significantly affect daily life. Only 10% to 20% of patients do not improve.

Additional Info

American Psychiatric Association 1400 K St., NW Washington, DC 20005 Toll-Free: (888) 357-7924 Fax: (202) 682-6850 http://www.psych.org/

National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Blvd. Room 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 Phone: (301) 443-4513 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

Anxiety Disorders Association of America 8730 Georgia Ave. Suite 600 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: (240) 485-1001 Fax: (240) 485-1035 http://www.adaa.org/

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) 11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway Leawood, KS 66211-2672 Phone: (913) 906-6000 Toll-Free: (800) 274-2237 http://www.familydoctor.org/

American Psychological Association 750 First St., NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 Phone: (202) 336-5510 Toll-Free: (800) 374-2721 TTY: (202) 336-6123 Fax: (202) 336-5500 http://www.apa.org/

National Mental Health Association 2001 N. Beauregard St., 12th Floor Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone: (703) 684-7722 Fax: (703) 684-5968 Toll-Free: (800) 969-6642 TTY: (800) 433-5959 http://www.nmha.org/

Freedom From Fear, Inc. 308 Seaview Ave. Staten Island, NY 10305 Phone: (718) 351-1717 Fax: (718) 667-8893 http://www.freedomfromfear.org/

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Colonial Place Three 2107 Wilson Blvd. Suite 300 Arlington, VA 22201-3042 Phone: (703) 524-7600 Toll-Free: (800) 950-6264 http://www.nami.org/

Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy 305 Seventh Ave. 16th Floor New York, NY 10001 Phone: (212) 647-1890 Fax: (212) 647-1865 http://www.aabt.org/