A phobic disorder characterized by a marked persistent, excessive, and unreasonable fear caused by the presence of a specific object or situation (e.g., flying, heights, animals, injections, blood). Exposure to the phobic stimulus provokes immediate ANXIETY similar to PANIC DISORDER (DSM-IV). VASOVAGAL SYNCOPE may also occur and is common with blood-injection-injury phobia. Simple phobias may have a genetic component, as some may aggregate in families and most are not associated with a previous traumatic event with the phobic stimulus. Evidence suggests a linkage to chromosome 14. OMIM: 608251
