Let’s Talk About Phobias

Let’s talk about PHOBIA. “It’s just a bee, you don’t need to hide and scream!” “It’s ridiculous, you know how to swim, no one is scared of the sea!” “Don’t get the clown, it freaks him out!”. These are (insensitive) reactions that people may have when someone has a phobia; an irrational fear reaction

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The fear causing a sense of dread and panic can be triggered by a certain place, situation, or object. Unlike general anxiety disorders, a phobia is usually connected to something specific

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What are the causes? Genetic and environmental factors. So, if a close relative has some sort of anxiety, you are at risk of developing a phobia. Environmental factors refer to the person’s exposure to distressing events (nearly drowning, car accident, confined spaces, extreme heights, or insect bites)

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What are the symptoms? The most common and disabling symptoms of phobia is a panic attack. But keep in mind that you don’t need to have a panic attack to be diagnoses with a phobia

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Is there a treatment? YES! Psychotherapy was proven to be effective in overcoming phobias. It is also useful to combine talking therapies (such as CBT) with medication but definitely consult a mental health professional (not Dr. Google)

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most commonly used therapeutic treatments for phobias. Virtual reality technologies are employed to expose individuals with their phobias while keeping them in a safe and contained space.