Encountering certain obstacles or situations may leave one frightened, such as being afraid of the dark, high heights, or animals. Most of us are able to remain calm, rationalize the situation, and find a way around it, but this doesn’t work everyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 10 million adults live with some kind of phobia.
What is a phobia?
Phobias, according to the American Psychological Association, are intense fears that result in distress and can be intrusive. Individuals with this anxiety disorder have an irrational fear of things that don’t pose any real threat.
Here are a few examples of common phobias:
- Arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders
- Acrophobia, this is the fear of heights
- Agoraphobia, which is the fear of open spaces or being in a situation you can’t escape from
The American Psychiatric Association simplified the symptoms into two points:
- An out-of-proportion reaction that is inappropriate for the age of the individual
- The individual’s capability to behave normally is compromised
Treatment options
- Therapists help treat phobias by using psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. The patients receive CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), where they can learn harness the power of their thoughts to decrease the intensity of their reaction. It is helps to reduce the feeling of overwhelming anxiety and allow the individual to continue to function normally.
- Exposure therapy has also shown to be effective at reducing the severity of phobias
- Medications may also be effective to help patients deal with symptoms.
- Individuals can also learn stress-management techniques, such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, or other holistic approaches.
While one of these methods may work for some, professionals may provide their patients with a combination of these treatments and
