Specific Phobia

Everyone gets scared sometimes but if you find yourself having intense fear of something you know likely won’t hurt you, and it throws your daily life out of order, you might have a phobia. The good news is, you don’t have to endlessly suffer. Effective specific phobia treatments are available here at the CCT.

What is a phobia?

A specific phobia is a strong and senseless fear of something that is harmless. Some common phobias include:

• Fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia)
• Fear of heights (acrophobia)
• Fear of highway driving
• Fear of water (aquaphobia)
• Fear of flying (aerophobia)
• Fear of blood
• Fear of needles (trypanophobia)
• Fear of specific animals or insects

Understanding Your Phobia

Phobias can start early in life. This can stick around for many years and while you may know your fear doesn’t make sense, facing it can feel impossible.

You might find yourself going to great lengths to avoid things that trigger your phobia, and even thinking about it can make you feel panicked. Unfortunately, avoidance makes it worse over time. Common symptoms include:

• Immediate and intense fear or panic
• Rapid heartbeat, sweating, or difficulty breathing
• Strong urge to escape the situation or object
• Feelings of dizziness or faintness
• A sense of impending danger or doom

Potential Phobia Causes and Risk Factors

Many people are unable to recall what caused their phobia in the first place so the exact cause isn’t always clear. However, understanding the possible causes and risk factors can be the first step towards seeking phobia treatment. These include:

• A frightening or traumatic event, like an animal attack
• Genetics
• Learned behavior
• Those who are sensitive, reserved, or have a negative outlook face a higher risk.

Specific Phobia Treatment

Two effective treatments for specific phobias are Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Therapy.

Exposure therapy involves exposing yourself to the thing you fear in a safe and controlled environment through gradual exposure, where you start small and work your way up, or full exposure, which involves diving right in.

Cognitive therapy might be best for you if you are motivated to confront your fear. This helps you understand how your thoughts contribute to your fear. By changing your thinking patterns, you can reduce anxiety and feel more confident facing your phobia.

Source: American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787