Sources

"Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Case Studies." The Anxiety Network International Home Page. Web. 19 May 2011. .
"Phobias and Fears: Symptoms, Treatment, and Self-Help." Helpguide.org: Expert, Ad-free Articles Help Empower You with Knowledge, Support & Hope. Web. 19 May 2011. .
The Phobia List. 23 Sept. 1995. Web. 19 May 2011. .

Treatment

There are a few treatments available to help a person overcome their phobias. One way is through Virtual Reality (Imagery Exercise) to desensitize people to the thing they're most afraid of. Virtual Reality uses the most sophisticated computer technology to recreate the sights and sounds of a fear-provoking situation in a “virtual” environment. Patients enter this simulated environment by putting on a head-mount display -- like those used in virtual reality games. The therapist uses a computer keyboard to control everything patients see and hear. For instance, a patient afraid of spiders will be in simulations where they see a spider so the therapist can take notes on how the handle the situation. After a number of exposures, the fear will theoretically dwindle.


Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is another way to treat phobias. This allows patients to challenge their dysfunctional thoughts/beliefs by being mindful of their own feelings with the aim that the patient will realize their fear is irrational. This treatment has been proven as the most successful with a 90% success rate. It does, however, cause the patient to endure some mild discomfort.

Case Study

There was a case presented about a man named Jim who had sociophobia--He was very afraid of social situations, so he always had his wife be his social crutch and she was essentially his voice. When they ordered takeout, she'd make the call. Whenever anyone called the house, she'd be the one that answered. She basically helped him avoid all social interaction, except at his job. For awhile, he didn't have to say much, but he was eventually stuck up front where he had to interact with customers, which he dreaded. He and his wife decided he needed therapy.
Eventually the therapy helped him learn how to handle himself better in social situations. He's still sort of shy but he isn't afraid to speak anymore.

DSM-IV-TR Definition

A. Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation (e.g., flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood).

B. Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed Panic Attack.
Note: In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging.

C. The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. Note: In children, this feature may be absent.

D. The phobic situation(s) is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety or distress.

E. The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.

F. In individuals under age 18 years, the duration is at least 6 months.

G. The anxiety, Panic Attacks, or phobic avoidance associated with the specific object or situation are not better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g., fear of dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (e.g., avoidance of stimuli associated with a severe stressor), Separation Anxiety Disorder (e.g., avoidance of school), Social Phobia (e.g., avoidance of social situations because of fear of embarrassment), Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, or Agoraphobia Without History of Panic Disorder.

Specify type:
Animal Type
Natural Environment Type (e.g., heights, storms, water)
Blood-Injection-Injury Type
Situational Type (e.g., airplanes, elevators, enclosed places)
Other Type (e.g., phobic avoidance of situations that may lead to choking, vomiting, or contracting an illness; in children, avoidance of loud sounds or costumed characters)

Variations

Some variations are more common than others, but here's an A-Z list of ones you may or may not know.
Agateophobia-fear of insanity.
Belonephobia-fear of pins/needles.
Cathisophobia-fear of sitting.
Disposophobia- Fear of throwing stuff out. Hoarding.
Epistemophobia- Fear of knowledge.
Frigophobia- Fear of cold or cold things.
Graphophobia- Fear of writing or handwriting.
Hippopottomonstrossesquippedaliophobia-fear of long words.
Ideophobia- Fear of ideas.
Judeophobia- Fear of Jews.
Kleptophobia- Fear of stealing.
Logizomechanophobia- Fear of computers.
Motorphobia- Fear of automobiles.
Nostophobia- Fear of returning home.
Ophthalmophobia- Fear of being stared at.
Pharmacophobia- Fear of taking medicine.
Rupophobia- Fear of dirt.
Siderodromophobia- Fear of trains, railroads or train travel.
Theophobia- Fear of gods or religion.
Wiccaphobia: Fear of witches and witchcraft.
Xyrophobia-Fear of razors.
Zoophobia- Fear of animals.

Symptoms and Causes

Symptoms of having a phobia versus just a mild discomfort towards something are extreme anxiety, sweating, increased heart rate and breathing, and frenzied behavior. Phobias can be caused by bad experiences with certain things; this can come about by holding onto bad memories in the form of fear or seeing something that makes you anxious and having that anxiety build to the point where it becomes irrational.

What is a Phobia?

A phobia is an intense fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual danger. A few common phobias include claustrophobia (fear of tight spaces), belonephobia (fear of needles/pins), and arachniphobia (fear of spiders). Sometimes these fears can go so far as to make the person's day-to-day life full of anxiety for running into things they're afraid of.
Most people realize their fear is disproportioned, but they just can't help it. People with certain fears sometimes even change their lifestyles because of their phobias. If someone is claustrophobic, they may turn down a job offer because they have to ride the elevator to get to their office.