Definition: I like the Cleveland Clinic’s definition – a phobia is when something causes you to feel fear or anxiety that’s so severe it consistently and overwhelmingly disrupts your life.
Phobias are more common than you would think. Around 10-15% of people experience a phobia at some point in their life.
Women are more likely than men to have a phobia.
There are 3 categories of phobias – specific phobias (animals, natural environment, situations, medical treatment), social phobias (being in situations where someone might be judged or embarrassed), and agoraphobia (extreme fear of being in places where escape is difficult).
The most common phobias include arachnophobia (spiders), ophidiophobia (snakes), glossophobia (public speaking), acrophobia (heights), and social phobia (fear of social interactions).
Phobias can develop at any point in someone’s life but often begin in childhood.
Severity can range from mild to debilitating.
Symptoms can include anxiety, panic attacks, chest tightness, increased heart rate, dizziness, shaking, nausea, etc.
There is no single cause for developing a phobia. Some are caused by a traumatic event while others are learned. Some people are more predisposed to develop one based on genetics or by having other mental health conditions such as OCD, depression or PTSD.
Frequently Asked Questions
A normal fear is a rational fear response when a threat is perceived. The fear typically dissolves once the threat is gone. A phobia is an irrational (extreme, persistent) fear response that can continue long after the threat is gone. People with a phobia often go to great lengths to avoid their fear.
Some people do “outgrow” their phobias but the majority do not resolve without intervention.
There are many different paths to decrease your phobia anxiety! Some people mistakenly think that exposure therapy is the only option. While exposure therapy can have great results, some phobics aren’t ready to for exposure. Cognitive behavior therapy is also an option. Non-traditional treatments like hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and EFT tapping can also help with phobias. There are techniques you can do on your own to help decrease your anxiety. The purpose of this website is to empower you to take charge of your mental health and find your path to greater freedom.
This is an important question and I have a section in my book, Phobia Freedom: At-home Techniques to Reduce Your Anxiety, that gives some tips. Here is some of the information included in the book:
Do:
Stay calm yourself. Your nervous system can help regulate theirs.
Validate their feelings without reinforcing the fear (“I know this feels uncomfortable right now, and I’m here with you”).
Respect their pace if they’re working through different techniques to reduce their anxiety.
If they are open to it, help them with the techniques in this book (breathing techniques, Havening, EFT, etc.).
Encourage small wins and celebrate progress, even if it seems minor.
Don’t
Take their phobic behavior personally; they are not consciously choosing to offend anyone.
Minimize or mock their fear, even if it seems silly to you.
Force them into situations they’re not ready for.
Expect them to change quickly.
Over-accommodate to the point that the fear grows stronger or spreads to other areas (for example, completely rearranging your life to avoid the feared thing).
