Phobias are classified as anxiety disorders and need to properly diagnosed in order to be treated. The diagnosis of phobias is not particularly easy for a general practitioner who is unfamiliar with the patient, but if your doctor is well versed with your history and has been acquainted with you for a considerable period of time, he/she should be able to recognize the symptoms. It would be best to seek advice from health professionals who are more familiar with such disorders, like, mental health professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.
People who we surround ourselves with every day, like family members and friends are able to spot behavioral changes much more effectively than doctors who would rely on the patients narrating the symptoms, although most mental health professionals are finely attuned to any abnormalities or discrepancies in behavior. The observations of any family members and friends who have noticed changes in behavior could however help your health care provider reach a more accurate diagnosis.
In most cases a diagnosis is only arrived at after a thorough investigation of the case, through interrogation of the patient. People who have been through trauma or life-altering events are often monitored for the development of such phobias. Such people even exhibit symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).
Sometimes, the phobia may be a representation of another behavioral disorder so health professionals need to keep that in mind. Routine laboratory tests are not enough and detailed behavior examination is also required to make a proper diagnosis of correct phobias.
Questionnaires and surveys may also help to illuminate the nature of the phobia and help you figure out if you do suffer from one, if unsure. To this end it may help to try some online diagnostic tests. Keep in mind that any tests and surveys of this nature are simply meant to help you figure out the possibility or likelihood of a phobia, rather than help with any kind of diagnosis.
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Test
PHOBIA TEST - OCD Center of Los Angeles