Specific Phobias: Symptoms and Treatment
It is not uncommon to have a fear of things like heights or spiders. However, some people experience these fears to such a degree that it impacts the quality of their life. People with Specific Phobias limit their activities in fear of being exposed to their feared object or event so much that they are unable to fulfill their regular daily activities and responsibilities.
Common Specific Phobias
- Vomit (Emetaphobia)
- Animals such as dogs, cats, monkeys etc
- Germs or contaminants
- Insects such as spiders, fleas etc (Entomophobia)
- Elevators or confined spaces (Claustrophobia)
- Heights (acrophobia)
- Driving (sometimes specifically highways, freeways or off/on-ramps)
- Public Transportation (airplanes, trains, buses etc)
- Medical Procedures (needles, blood, Doctors, Dentists, medication etc)
Because of the severity of anxiety and panic attack symptoms, people will often go to great lengths to avoid having to experience panic again.
Phobia Treatment and Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the leading treatment modality for treating Specific Phobias. Treatment involves learning how to identify distorted thoughts and restructuring them into more reasonable and rational thoughts, a process commonly called Cognitive Therapy. Treatment also heavily emphasizes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is a component of Behavioral Therapy used to help a client to desensitize to their specific phobia. Using a hierarchy (created by the client), the client will slowly expose themselves to their fear and slowly return back to daily activities while tolerating their discomfort. They will also learn mindfulness tools to manage anxiety and other emotions that they experience, instead of doing compulsive behaviors (Read more about Mindfulness here).
