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Blood‐injury‐illness phobia: A review
Author(s) -
Thyer Bruce A.,
Himle Joseph,
Curtis George C.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198507)41:4<451::aid-jclp2270410402>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - phobias , psychology , fainting , population , etiology , anxiety disorder , specific phobia , phobic disorder , clinical psychology , psychiatry , anxiety , medicine , environmental health
The empirical literature that pertains to phobias of blood, injury, or illness (BII) is surveyed. BII phobia is selectively associated with a vasovagal fainting response upon exposure to phobic stimuli, and the clinical entity may represent an exaggeration of a response that is relatively prevalent in the general population. Clinical, demographic and etiological information obtained from a series of 15 BII phobics is presented, and the suggestion is made that this disorder warrants a diagnostic category separate from simple phobia.