A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear, which can interfere with the ability to socialize, work, or go about everyday life, that is brought on by an object, event or situation.

Just about everyone is afraid of something—an upcoming job interview or being alone outside after dark. But about 18% of all Americans are tormented by irrational fears that interfere with their daily lives. They aren't "crazy"--they know full well their fears are unreasonable--but they can't control the fear. These people suffer from phobias.

Phobias belong to a large group of mental problems known as "anxiety disorders" that include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Phobias themselves can be divided into three specific types:

• Specific phobias (formerly called "simple phobias")
• Social phobia
• Agoraphobia.

As its name suggests, a specific phobia is the fear of a particular situation or object, including anything from airplane...