The onset usually occurs during the 20's, and women are affected more often than men. People with this disorder may become house bound for years, with resulting impairment of social and interpersonal relationships. There may be a history of phobias , or the health care provider may receive a description of typical behaviors from family, friends, or the affected person. The goal of treatment is to help the phobic person function effectively. The success of treatment usually depends upon the severity of the phobia.
Systematic desensitization is a behavioral technique used to treat phobias .
It is based upon having the person relax, then imagine the components of the phobia, working from the least fearful to the most fearful. Graded real-life exposure has also been used with success to help people overcome their fears. Antianxiety and antidepressive medications are sometimes used to help relieve the symptoms associated with phobias. Dependency on the medication is a possible side effect of this treatment. Phobias tend to be chronic and resistant to treatment.