They may quit a job in a highrise office to work on the ground floor because they fear elevators. They may become so fearful of leaving their homes that they live like hermits. It begins in late childhood or early adolescence. Simple phobia is the fear of specific objects or situations that cause terror . The condition can begin at any age.
Examples are fear of snakes, fear of flying, or fear of closed spaces.
Some of these phobias are often normal in early childhood. The illness can begin any time from late childhood through early adulthood and, left untreated, worsens with time. Panic Disorders Panic disorders afflict 1.5 million Americans during any six-month period. Victims suddenly suffer intense, overwhelming terror for no apparent reason. Often, people suffering a panic attack for the first time rush to the hospital, convinced they are having a heart attack.