Phobic disorders

A person with a phobia avoids or restricts certain activities or situations due to overwhelming fear. This fear is persistent, excessive and unreasonable in relation to the circumstances in which it is occurring. 

There are currently three recognised types of phobic disorders:

1. Agoraphobia—involves avoidance of situations due to fear of a panic attack. Some people avoid certain specific situations while others avoid leaving their home altogether and can remain indoors for years.
2. Social phobia (or social anxiety disorder)—the fear of public scrutiny and worrying about behaving in a way that is embarrassing or humiliating.  
3. Specific phobias—these involve specific situations such as fear of spiders or heights. Specific phobias tend to have less of an impact on a person's life than agoraphobia or social phobia.

Symptoms and characteristics

Typical symptoms of phobic disorders include:

• avoidance of situations such as leaving the home, crowds/public places, speaking in public, travelling on buses, trains or planes
• unrealistic and/or excessive fear and worry
• mind racing or going blank
• decreased concentration and memory
• indecisiveness, irritability, impatience, anger and confusion
• restlessness, feeling 'on edge' or nervousness.

For more information on some of these symptoms and characteristics, follow this link:

• panic disorder

Statistics

1.1 per cent of Australian adults experience agoraphobia which represents 1.5 per cent of the female population and 0.7 per cent of the male population. 

2.7 per cent of Australian adults experience social phobia which represents 3 per cent of the female population and 2.4 per cent of the male population (Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Mental Health Council Inc. and ORYGEN Research Centre 2006).

Workplace adjustments and solutions

In the workplace there are various factors that would greatly assist people with a phobic disorder better manage their symptoms.  These include:

• flexible work arrangements, including working from home
• restructuring the work environment to reduce high anxiety situations, for example using privacy screens and other means of reducing contact with others, reducing work related travel
• a good support network.

There are other solutions and adjustments available for the following job requirements

• attention and memory
• handling stress 
• managing emotions at work
• problem solving and decision making.

References

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Mental Health Council Inc. & Kitchener, B., A. & Jorm, A., F. at ORYGEN Research Centre, University of Melbourne 2006, Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace—an e-learning course, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra.