Treatment of Phobias | Understanding and Curing Phobic Disorders

What is a Phobia?

A phobia is an intense and persistent fear anxiety triggered by an object, situation, activity, or place. This is the definition use by clinicians around the world to identify phobias. People with phobias go to extreme lengths to avoid the thing they fear. Their fear response might be disproportionate compared to the actual threat and as a result can interfere with their daily life and be difficult to manage.

Some phobias are quite common. Many are afraid of spiders (arachnophobia), heights (acrophobia), or flying (aviophobia). Other phobias can be more specific and unusual, such as fear of clowns (coulrophobia) or irrational fear of buttons (koumpounophobia).

These fears are often so extreme that it is hard for someone to even talk about them, let alone approach the dreaded object or feared situation itself. The ensuing avoidance behaviors can lead to feelings of isolation, making it difficult for individuals to engage in everyday activities.

Too few people seek treatment for phobias. In this article, you will discover effective treatment options, and tips to manage phobias and social anxiety disorder.

Phobia Symptoms and Reactions

People with a phobia may experience physical symptoms and psychological signs. The physical symptoms include:

• increased heart rate,
• rapid breathing,
• sweating,
• shaking,
• nausea,
• and even panic attacks.

People with phobias often feel an overwhelming sense of dread or terror when exposed to the object or situation they fear. They may also go to great lengths to avoid it by actively avoiding certain places or activities.

Phobia Types

There are as many phobias as you can think of objects or events, which would make drawing a list too onerous. But here are the most common phobias:

• Social phobia – fear of social situations or being judged by others.
• Specific phobias – intense fears related to specific objects, such as animals, heights, or needles.
• Agoraphobia – fear of public places or large crowds.
• Claustrophobia – fear of closed-in spaces.
• Acrophobia – fear of heights.
• Hemophobia – fear of blood.
• Aerophobia – fear of flying.
• Glossophobia – fear of speaking in public.

Other phobias include fear of germs (mysophobia), intense fear of clowns (coulrophobia), and extreme fear of thunder and lightning (astraphobia).

These phobias are listed in the diagnosis manual used by clinicians, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Factors that May Play a Role in Phobias

Factors that may play a role in the development of phobic disorders include:

• Genetics – Phobias, panic attacks, anxiety disorder and other mental health disorders can run in families. The influence of gene might make increase your likelihood of developing a phobia when a family member has phobias, anxiety disorders or other mental disorders.
• Environment – Exposure to traumatic events during early adulthood or childhood such as a car accident or a near-drowning can also lead to phobias.
• Brain chemistry – Imbalances in the brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine may be linked to phobic disorders.

What are the Characteristics of Specific Phobia?

Being nervous at the idea of speaking in public or when next to a spider does not mean you suffer from a phobia. You might be wondering: how do I know that I have a phobia? Many debilitating factors are behind such irrational fears. Symptoms of anxiety, mood disorders and behavioral changes can point to the presence of a phobia.

Common characteristics of a specific phobia include:

• intense fear and avoidance of the feared object or situation;
• recognition that the intense fear is irrational or excessive;
• a realistic understanding of the likelihood of danger;
• physical reactions such as sweating, trembling, nausea, and rapid heartbeat in response to confronting the fear trigger.

Treatment for Phobias

Hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are the most effective and commonly used treatments for most phobias nowadays. Psychotherapy might use different methods such as repeated exposure therapy.

Treating Phobias with Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses hypnosis to help people gain insight into their problem and to reframe their reactions and behavior towards it. Hypnotherapy can also be used to reduce anxiety levels when the person is exposed to their fears.

Many case studies have documented the benefits of hypnosis for anxiety disorders and phobias. For example, a 1984 study concluded that hypnosis was an effective adjunct in the treatment of phobias. By acting on the root cause of the phobia and using gradual exposure through the imagination, systematic desensitization can be achieved. The patient who is gradually exposed to the feared object or situation can develop more confidence and let go of a specific fear. This therapy applies to simple phobias as well as complex phobias.

Psychotherapy to Treat Phobias

Psychotherapy is talk therapy during which a mental health professional helps people gain insight into their specific phobias, and learn strategies to cope with them. The therapists can help their clients identify and manage the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to their specific phobia.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ie CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (i.e. CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns related to phobias. CBT helps people identify their irrational beliefs and reactions and replace them with more rational thoughts and behaviors. New alternative beliefs can replace limiting thought patterns.

Desensitization or Exposure Therapy

Desensitization or exposure therapy is a form of behavior therapy helping people confront their fears and learn to manage them in a safe and supportive environment. The therapist will gradually expose the person to their fears using techniques such as role-playing, visualization, and gradual desensitization until they are comfortable with the situation.

Virtual reality exposure therapy is relatively new. The exposure therapy itself is simulated in virtual reality. There is limited evidence to this date about the effectiveness of this strategy. In addition, it might be more difficult to replicate all the factors that lead to some kind of phobias like social phobia.

Medication

In some cases, medication such as antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs), tranquilizers (benzodiazepine) and beta blockers can be used to help manage the symptoms of certain phobias. Depending on the type of phobia, your medical doctor will choose a particular set of medication.

It is important to note that medication should not be used as a substitute for psychotherapy and hypnotherapy. Medication deals with the symptoms and in addition to having side effects, they can be costly. You should always consult your doctor before taking any medication or changing your dosage.

Self-Help Strategies for Phobias and Anxiety Disorders

There are several self-help strategies you can use to cope with your phobia:

• Learn about your phobia and understand how it affects you in real life.
• Use a self-hypnosis app to release irrational fears.
• Develop a plan to confront your fears and have someone support you through it.
• Make lifestyle changes such as getting plenty of sleep and exercising regularly to help manage stress.
• Try deep relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to help reduce significant anxiety levels.
• Seek professional help if needed, especially when a phobia developed in early childhood.

Treatment for Social Phobia

Treating Phobias with Alternative Treatments

While alternative treatments for social phobias have not been proven to cure phobias, they can provide temporary relief for anxiety symptoms. These aids include herbal remedies, biofeedback, yoga, acupuncture and mindfulness strategies. Herbal remedies such as chamomile or passionflower may be used to reduce anxiety levels while biofeedback can help people learn to control their reactions to fearful situations. Yoga and meditation can also be effective in calming the mind and body so that the person can better manage their phobias.

Accessing a Mental Health Professional and Support Groups

It is beneficial to join a support group or talk to others who have experienced similar fears and anxieties. This will help people understand what they are going through and provide them with a sense of communal understanding and validation. It can also be helpful to get professional advice from a mental health therapist or counselor.

Finding Relief through Self-Hypnosis to Treat Phobia

No matter what type of phobia a person is facing, treatments and strategies can help them cope with fears and reduce their impact on their life. With the help of professional guidance and a willingness to challenge their fears, people can overcome their phobias and lead happier lives.

A team of compassionate mental health professionals is behind artfully crafted self-management programs for phobias from UpNow Health. Download the UpNow self-hypnosis app today and enjoy the benefits of self-hypnotherapy.