Phobias and how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help
We've all heard of phobias and many of us reading this, might even experience one (or a few) for ourselves. For some of us, it might even be holding us back from living life to the full, as we adapt our lives to avoid the very thing that we are afraid of.
But it is possible to overcome that fear, and with the right treatment, experiencing a phobia isn't something you have to live with.
In this blog, we'll take a closer look at phobias and ultimately how a phobia can be cured with our help.
What are phobias?
A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. People with phobias go to great lengths to avoid a perceived danger, which is often harmless. Phobias are more than just intense fears though; they are a type of anxiety disorder that can significantly disrupt a person's life. Unlike general anxiety disorders, a phobia is usually connected to something specific such as a place, situation, or object.
How common are phobias?
Phobias are quite common, affecting a significant proportion of the population. In fact, the NHS estimate that around 10 million people in the UK have a phobia. Phobias can develop at any age, but they often start in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood.
Types of Phobias
Animal phobias - such as dogs, spiders, snakes, or rodents
Environmental phobias - such as heights, deep water, and germs
Situational phobias - such as visiting the dentist or flying
Bodily phobias - such as blood, vomit or having injections
Sexual phobias - such as performance anxiety or the fear of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
Social phobias - such as social situations, being watched and judged by others
Some of the most common phobias include:
Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders
Acrophobia - Fear of heights
Aviophobia - Fear of flying
Ophidiophobia - Fear of snakes
Claustrophobia - Fear of confined spaces
Agoraphobia - Fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult, or help wouldn't be available if things go wrong. This often involves a fear of open spaces, public transportation, or being outside alone.
Social phobia - Fear of social situations where one might be embarrassed or judged negatively. It can make everyday activities, such as attending school or work, extremely challenging.
People with phobias will often avoid their triggers, but for some these are often unavoidable.
Phobias can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the severity of the phobia.
Symptoms may include:
Nausea
Sweating
Increased heart rate or palpitations
Shortness of breath
Trembling or shaking
An upset stomach
The impact of phobias
Phobias can significantly impact our life and mental health. Experiencing a phobia can lead to:
Avoidance - going to great lengths to avoid the source of the fear, which can disrupt daily routines, work and relationships.
Physical symptoms - phobias can cause physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath.
Mental health issues - phobias can lead to other mental health challenges, including depression, poor sleep, overwhelm and other anxiety disorders.
Quality of life - experiencing a persistent fear and the continual avoidance can impact our quality of life.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - an effective treatment
Wellbeing Suffolk offer free Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which is a highly effective treatment for phobias. CBT helps to understand and change the negative thought patterns and behaviours associated with phobias.
CBT can help with:
Identifying unhelpful thoughts
CBT helps to identify the irrational and unhelpful thoughts that trigger their phobic reactions. By recognising these thoughts, we can start to challenge and change them.
Gradual exposure
One of the key components of CBT for phobias is gradual exposure. This involves slowly and systematically exposing a person to the source of their fear in a controlled way. Over time, this can help reduce the fear response.
Developing coping strategies
CBT teaches coping strategies to manage the anxiety experienced as a result of a phobia and to reduce avoidance behaviours. Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness and relaxation exercises can be very effective.
Breaking the cycle
By addressing both the thoughts and behaviours associated with the phobias, CBT helps break the cycle of fear and avoidance. This can lead to lasting changes and a significant reduction in phobia symptoms.
Trudy's story - overcoming a fear of heights
Trudy works for Wellbeing Suffolk and wanted to share her story about how a CBT exposure treatment involving Virtual Reality (VR) has enabled Trudy to conquer a fear of heights:
I have been fearful of heights most of my life. I would only endure being anywhere high if I absolutely had to, and often with my eyes closed. Mostly, I just successfully avoided being anywhere or doing anything that involved being high up.
As we were trialling the use of Virtual Reality (VR) equipment in the treatment of phobias in our service, I volunteered to be a test case! My colleague who is a CBT therapist offered me two sessions on a fear of heights.
I was asked to wear the VR goggles whilst the therapist was downloading different scenes all depicting views involving heights into the screen. It was quite a strange experience as I had never played any VR games so wasn't quite prepared for how real it felt!! Instant jelly legs my brain was telling me that I was in danger whereas I also knew rationally that I was in a therapy room and quite safe.
I stayed with the scene until I felt calm, and then a more challenging scene was introduced, and eventually I was virtually sitting on top of a skyscraper admiring a New York landscape!
I thought the whole experience was quite amazing, and since the treatment, I have been much braver with heights in everyday life. Simple things like being able to take the stairs (those see through ones) instead of a lift, and it feeling much better than before.
We are hoping to buy a licence for VR for the service so that we can start offering this treatment for wider public - we'll keep you posted on our social media and website as and when we know more - and then I will definitely ask for a couple more top-up sessions!!
Our support
Phobias are a common and challenging mental health issue, but they are entirely treatable. At Norfolk and Waveney Talking Therapies, we can help if you have a phobia - no matter how severe or not you think it might be. We offer CBT that can help break free from the unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that phobias create, leading to a more fulfilling and less fearful life. If you or someone you know is struggling with a phobia, seeking professional help from us could be the first step towards recovery.
All of our services are free and available if you aged 16 or over and registered with a Norfolk or Waveney GP.
To discuss if CBT would be right for you, you can self-refer to our service by completing the online form here or by giving us a call on 0300 123 1503. Alternatively, your GP or any other healthcare professional can refer you.
Phobias can cause feelings of stress and anxiety and learning to manage these feelings can be a positive step in overcoming a phobia. We have lots of free online workshops where you can learn helpful techniques and coping mechanisms for managing a phobia, such as our Relaxation Station and Introduction to Mindfulness.
Our workshops are easy to book via our website - choose the workshop you'd like to join, select a suitable date, complete the short form and we'll send you a joining link.
You can view our full range of online Workshops here
