By: Samantha Dewitt
Updated May 06, 2021
Medically Reviewed By: Whitney White, MS. CMHC, NCC., LPC
Fears are a perfectly normal part of life, but when they start to become overwhelming or to interfere with your daily life, they may be indications of a more serious issue. Specific fears may indicate a phobia. There are treatments available for all types of phobias.
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What Is Phobia?
A phobia is defined as an irrational fear or an aversion to something, and it could refer to anything. You could be afraid of insects or afraid of death, afraid of a number or afraid of natural disasters. Some fears are more widely accepted and some that are less known, but the thing about phobias is that whatever you're experiencing is interfering with your life and in some way causing you harm.
In general, there are three different types of phobias that someone could have.
Specific - These are things that have a very specific trigger, such as seeing a spider, or the color blue.
Social - Being afraid of public humiliation or judgement or even social gatherings is considered a social phobia or social anxiety.
Agoraphobia - This is a fear of being in a place that you can't escape from. Some of the symptoms might include a fear of enclosed spaces, but this is not the only aspect of this fear.
People with any of these types of phobias may experience uncontrollable anxiety when they're faced with their fear. They may do everything that they can to avoid what it is that they fear at all times in their life. They may not even be able to function or react when they are faced with whatever it is they fear. In general, these individuals can fully admit that their fear is completely irrational or exaggerated, but they still can't stop the feelings.
Panic, anxiety, fast heartbeat, staggered breathing, hot flushes, trembling, dry mouth and a whole lot more are all symptoms that might occur when faced with fear. Nausea, dizziness, headache and chest pains are also possible as are full blown panic or anxiety attacks. All of these things can result in a very strong interference in the individual's life.
What Is Systematic Desensitization?
Systematic desensitization is about exposing the individual to whatever it is that they are afraid of. At the same time, however, there is a relaxation exercise used or the individual is engaged in some type of activity that causes them to relax. These two things combined help the individual to stop associating whatever they are afraid of with fear.
The process is quite extensive, especially when the fear is more intense or has been going on for a very long time. Systematic desensitization is a process that starts slowly and is facilitated by a therapist trained in this sort of therapy.
Laying It Out
The therapist will generally start by teaching relaxation techniques to the client that they can use when faced with a fearful situation, or at any time. Meditation may be taught and practiced as well. Learning to relax the muscles and breath is helpful with breaking the link between the feared thing and the reaction the mind and body have to it.
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Once relaxation techniques are learned, the therapist may help the client discuss their fears in detail. This may involve listing out phobias and things related to them. A fear indicting thing is listed and with it, specific aspects that induce fear in that situation or with that object are listed to create a hierarchy of fears.
For someone afraid of dogs, the first and least fear-inducing aspect may be looking at a picture of a dog. Seeing a dog on a TV show or in a movie may be next and that may progress to being outside a fence where there are dogs, followed by being in the same yard as a dog, and then actually petting the dog. Each of these things builds a little on the step before it and brings the individual closer to the initial fear, being very close to a dog.
It's the job of the therapist to help encourage them and to push them to reach slighlty beyond their comfort zone but pushing them too far and too fast could backfire in trying to overcome the phobia. This is why the relaxation techniques are learned and why the therapist will encourage their use, throughout the process. Learning to relax while looking at a picture of a dog would be part of that first step, then learning to relax while watching that dog on the TV and so on.
Why You Need It
You may wonder why you even need this type of treatment, or you may wonder what's so bad about having a phobia. Everyone is afraid of something, right? That's true, but most people have what are considered fears, rather than phobias. That means the fear doesn't interfere dramatically with their everyday life. A fear of spiders means the individual does not like them and doesn't want to be around them, but if they see a spider, they can react more rationally.
Someone with a phobia does not have a rational response when exposed to their fear. They may take extreme steps to avoiding even the potential for exposure to spiders by insisting their clothing is stored in vacuum bags or is just fresh from the washer or dryer prior to putting it on. They may require their home to be sprayed for insects many times more than is necessary.
Overcoming a phobia can be extremely important to your life because it lets you do the things that you enjoy without having to plan around that fear. Someone with a phobia of dogs, for instance, must plan their entire life around trying to avoid dogs. It can greatly influence the things that you want to do, like taking your children to the park or visiting certain family members. Overcoming that phobia allows you to live the life you want to live.
Online Therapy
If you find yourself struggling with a phobia and you're not sure what to do, the first thing is to reach out for professional help. You can find a therapist who is ready and willing to help you. You just have to know where to look. Searching online will help you find therapists in your area, and if traveling to an office isn't something you want to do, you can find therapists who practice online.
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BetterHelp is a great option for professional mental health help online. BetterHelp has a team of licensed professional therapists who can connect with you via text, phone, and video to help you address any issue you may be having.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does counseling help phobias?
The word phobia suggests an intense and often irrational fear of a specific object or situation, individual or experience, to the point that it affects their mental health relationships. A medically reviewed report by the National Institute of Mental Health states that approximately 12.5 percent of adults in the United States will experience a phobia at some point in their life.
Phobias are almost impossible to deal with alone and very difficult to resolve, even with family and friends' support. Phobias can lead to side effects that are damaging to a person’s mental health. The side effects include panic attacks, anxiety, poor mental health, mood disorders, addiction adhd bipolar disorder, and even a temporary spike in blood pressure. These can cause an imbalance in overall health relationships.
However, medically reviewed papers show that counseling is highly effective in treating phobias. Psychotherapy is a highly potent way of treating phobias and is more effective than any other method available today. It is even more effective than trauma-informed resource therapy. A trained therapist can use various strategies to help people living with a phobia change their beliefs about the experience, person, object, or situation they fear. Counseling helps individuals dealing with simple phobias and specific phobias or a panic disorder manage their emotional response to the thing they fear and regain their mental health.
There are two main treatment options that counselors use for phobias. The most popular are:
Exposure therapy is a type of behavior therapy and is one of the best treatment options for phobias. It typically starts with a therapist guiding you through various relaxation techniques. These techniques are helpful for dealing with stress/anxiety-inducing episodes. It is important for your mental health to be secure before proceeding. They are instrumental in situations where you have to face your fears, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. Eventually, the therapist will train you to be able to use these relaxation techniques on your own. A qualified therapist will help you understand that a phobia induced response is not bad behavior but a coping mechanism with adverse effects.
Once the therapist feels confident in your mental health and ability to use relaxation techniques, they will start the process of systematic desensitization. Systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing you to situations that will trigger your phobia. The process is broken down from the least frightening phobia-triggering situations to the most frightening phobia-triggering situations. Throughout this experience, your therapist will continue to help you protect your mental health and stay relaxed in these situations. A key detail is that your therapist will ensure that every step you take is taken voluntarily.
The aim of this is not to eliminate your fear; rather, it is meant to build up your courage and confidence in your ability to deal with your phobia. By helping you increasing your competence, you subconsciously begin to let go of your fear, and confidence begins to set in. This method of treating phobias involves gradual desensitization.
· Cognitive behavioral therapy
While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) usually uses the same methods of systematic desensitization used in exposure therapy and resources therapy. CBT is more concerned with the beliefs a person holds in relation to the phobia they experience. It attempts to dismantle any thought patterns you may have developed around your phobia that do not stem from reality. This is one of the most effective treatment options for phobias.
An excellent example of this is the tendency for individuals dealing with phobias to imagine the worst-case scenario. In reality, there is little to no chance of the imagined scenario ever occurring. This has the effect of throwing the person into a spiral of anxiety that can have crippling effects, including but not limited to a spike in blood pressure. These are referred to as cognitive distortions.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you identify cognitive distortions and replace them with thoughts that are based on reality.
What are the top 3 phobias?
- Agoraphobia: This has to do with the fear of crowded places or open spaces such as markets, banks, or just the outdoors in general. In some cases, agoraphobia is so extreme that it evolves into a social phobia, and the person may not be able to leave their house. The symptoms and diagnosis of agoraphobia are straightforward because of how specific this panic disorder is.
- Zoophobia: This is an umbrella term used to describe intense fear of certain animals. Common types of zoophobia are Arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders, and Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes.
- Acrophobia:This has to do with the fear of heights or high places. In extreme cases, a person dealing with acrophobia may not climb a stool or a ladder. It may trigger a severe physiological response.
Does Xanax help with phobias?
Xanax can help with certain phobias, though it does nothing to get rid of the phobia. Xanax can be used to treat the anxiety or panic attacks that occur as a result of phobia. Specific phobias such as agoraphobia (the fear of public places) and aerophobia (the fear of flying) can be treated temporarily with Xanax.
(Please consult with your doctor or primary care physician before considering any medication options)
Can a phobia be cured?
Yes, a phobia can be cured using self-exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. This is great news for people living with irrational fears as they have a chance of full recovery.
How do you calm an overactive mind?
Calming an overactive mind might seem impossible for those dealing with it. However, it is possible to calm an overactive mind and slow down racing thoughts.
Here are some steps you calm an overactive mind:
1. Mindful breathing
Taking several intentional and deep breaths while being mindful of your inhales and exhales is one of the most effective ways of calming an overactive mind. This is supported by several medically reviewed studies. By focusing on your breathing, you will take your mind off your racing thoughts and induce calmness. This can be used as improvement inspiration stress management.
2. Recite a mantra
This could be anything from chanting positive words to reciting a reassuring phrase. This will help you replace negative, anxiety-inducing thoughts with positive ones. A simple repeated phrase such as “everything will be fine” can calm your overactive mind.
- Meditation:
You can take time out to sit quietly and focus on a specific thing, whether your breathing, surrounding sounds, a mantra, etc., can be very relaxing. An overactive mind is often a result of pent-up stress; meditation is a powerful way of inducing a relaxed state. Medically reviewed studies insist that meditation is a powerful tool for achieving a calm state of mind. The sort of relaxation that accompanies meditation has a similar nerve calming effects of beta blockers.
- Physical activity
Engaging in intense physical activity can help calm an overactive mind. Going to the gym or even doing some workouts at home is one of the best options for phobias that trigger overactive thought. Running is also a fantastic way to calm an overactive mind and reduce anxiety. Even taking a quiet stroll in nature can be very useful.
- Nature
Going to a park or sitting in a garden and observing nature can have a very calming effect. Medically reviewed papers show that listening to bird sounds in nature can lead to improvement inspiration stress management and induce a relaxed state.
- Journaling
Writing out exactly what you’re thinking can help you safely confront your thoughts. Writing is a form of reasoning supported by numerous medically reviewed articles. You can try writing out your thoughts and separating the fact from fiction. This will help you eliminate the negative thoughts that are making you anxious.
You can pick your favorite tip for a healthy state of mind from the above-mentioned steps.
Does Xanax have side effects?
Yes, numerous medically reviewed papers reveal that Xanax has multiple potential side effects. Side effects include:
- Ataxia
- cognitive dysfunction
- constipation
- difficulty in micturition
- drowsiness
- dysarthria
- fatigue
- memory impairment
- skin rash
- weight gain
- weight loss
- anxiety
- blurred vision
- diarrhea
- insomnia or sleep problems
- decreased libido
- increased appetite
- decreased appetite.
Does Xanax make you lose weight?
Yes, Xanax can cause you to lose weight. However, this is not a certainty. Xanax has been known to cause both weight loss and, like beta-blockers, cause weight gain. Weight loss could also be caused by sleep problems stemming from anxiety.
Can Xanax help mild depression?
Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. It can only help depression if depression is one of the symptoms and diagnosis of an underlying anxiety disorder.
What anxiety does medication cause weight loss?
Medically reviewed papers reveal that anxiety medications that can be categorized as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) could trigger a loss of appetite that can lead to weight loss. However, weight loss could be one of the physical symptoms of anxiety.
A likely cause of weight loss is anxiety-induced sleep problems. Beta blockers can also be used to treat the symptoms of an anxiety disorder and addiction adhd bipolar disorder. Many patients have also complained of weight loss while taking beta blockers.
How long should you take Xanax?
Xanax is only recommended for use for up to six weeks. However, you should strictly adhere to the prescription of your doctor or primary care physician. Studies show that the average time it takes for the effect of this drug to be felt is about 1 hour, which is about the same time as beta blockers.
