What is the best treatment for phobias?
What types of therapy can help with a phobia?
- Exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is a type of behavior therapy. ...
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) often incorporates the same systematic desensitization methods used in exposure therapy.
- Mindfulness training. Mindfulness techniques can help reduce the level of stress you feel. ...
What are the goals of therapy for phobia?
In November 2019, the FDA granted Fast Track designation to the BNC210 development program for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related and stressor-related disorders.
What are phobias and how are they treated?
Demand for support was so high that Hanson hoped the collaboration would bridge the treatment gap in ... founder Adam Hutchinson said they were keen to work with more health professionals to help people overcome their fear of needles alongside other ...
Is hypnosis the best therapy for phobias?
You may also feel physical symptoms of fear and anxiety, such as:
- dizziness/lightheadedness
- sweating
- fast heartbeat and/or palpitations
- nausea
- shaking
- an upset stomach
What is the best therapy for phobias?
Many therapeutic approaches to phobia treatment involve slowly exposing a person to the thing they fear and addressing underlying beliefs that may be contributing to the phobia. Exposure therapy , also known as systematic desensitization, has been shown to be an effective phobia treatment method.
How to deal with a phobia?
It it often the case that the object of a phobia might present itself without warning. In these instances, there may not be time for a person to seek professional help, and it may be necessary for them to use relaxation techniques in order to cope and avoid escalating their fear response. Coping strategies people may use when forced to expose themselves to a phobia include: 1 Focusing on or slowing down breathing. 2 Learn about your phobia. Sometimes, education about the object of a phobia may help slow down the fear response associated with it. 3 Progressive muscle relaxation. Practice tensing up and relaxing different muscle groups, focusing all attention on that activity.
How to overcome a phobia?
Hypnotherapy may help some manage and overcome a phobia. Most often led by a therapist, hypnotherapy involves taking the person with a phobia through the process of guided visualization. They may imagine they are encountering the object of their phobia and then practice self-soothing techniques. Eye movement and desensitization ...
What is Claudia's phobia of hot water?
Addressing phobia of hot water in therapy: Claudia, 23, enters therapy, reporting an extreme fear of being burned by hot water. Her phobia is such that she experiences extreme anxiety when showering, doing dishes, or washing her hands because she worries the water will suddenly become hotter and burn her.
What is content vs phobia?
Contents v. Phobias. Treatment for Phobias. Types of Phobias. A phobia is a fear related to certain objects or situations. When a phobia is so severe that it interferes with a person’s ability to function, a therapist or other mental health professional may be able to help them address and explore ways to overcome fear, anxiety, ...
Can phobias present themselves without warning?
It it often the case that the object of a phobia might present itself without warning. In these instances, there may not be time for a person to seek professional help, and it may be necessary for them to use relaxation techniques in order to cope and avoid escalating their fear response.
Does Claudia remember her phobia?
The therapist asks Claudia if she remembers when the phobia began, but she cannot tell him. It takes some time in therapy, but eventually Claudia is able to recall several instances from early childhood—the memories of which she had buried—of her mother punishing her by holding her hands under running water.
What is the best medication for phobias?
Beta blockers, including Tenormin (atenolol) and Inderal LA (propranolol), are sometimes prescribed as a short-term treatment to help control trembling, sweating, and other physical symptoms of phobia-related anxiety. While medication is helpful for some, others find the benefits aren't worth the side effects.
How can a phobia be cured?
This model favors psychotherapy as a preferred treatment. Many people who live with phobias are best treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
What is the medical model of phobias?
The medical model places emphasis on the genetic and brain chemistry components of phobias. Medications are prescribed to reduce the symptoms associated with phobias. Studies show that in phobias, cognitive behavioral approaches tend to be more effective long-term than medication approaches.
What causes phobias in 2020?
The latest studies show that there is likely a complex interaction of factors including genetics, brain chemistry, environmental triggers, and learned behavior.
What is exposure therapy?
Exposure therapy is often part of a cognitive behavioral treatment program, but can also be incorporated into your daily life.
Can you get help for a phobia?
Getting help for your phobia may feel uncomfortable and anxiety-provoking—but you can take comfort in the fact that you are taking the best first step to alleviate your anxiety, manage your phobia, and start enjoying your life.
Is phobia a first line treatment?
Increasingly, mental health professionals and patients are turning to alternative treatments to augment traditional means of treating phobias, but these options are not considered first-line treatments and often come with their own set of side effects.
5 Types of Therapy for Phobia Treatment
People with specific phobias (a type of anxiety disorder) are aware of their condition. Most recognize their fears as being irrational or disproportionate; however, that recognition doesn’t necessarily translate to less fear or anxiety. Therapy provides action-based solutions for change.
3 Medication-Based Phobia Treatments
Some health professionals prescribe psychiatric medication for treating phobias. Medication is often used in conjunction with therapy, as it helps reduce anxiety symptoms. You must have a prescription to take these medications, so discuss your options with your primary care physician or a psychiatrist.
9 Ways to Cope With Phobias
It’s possible to cope and live a meaningful life despite your phobia. The first step is to recognize the problem. Ultimately, you may benefit from a combination of professional therapy, medication, and individual lifestyle changes. Keep in mind that being proactive in your treatment can make a significant difference in your recovery.
Final Thoughts on Specific Phobia Treatment
Phobias may feel like they’re life-threatening, but you can learn how to cope with this anxiety. If you are struggling, consider reaching out for support from a therapist and/or loved one. Phobias are treatable, but you must commit to taking positive action towards change.
Additional Resources
Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for referrals by the companies mentioned below.
What is the first line of treatment for phobias?
The first-line treatment for specific phobia is exposure therapy . Prescription medications are not considered to be effective as the only treatment. But antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and beta blockers might be used in addition to therapy or to treat comorbid conditions.
What is the best medication for anxiety?
Anti-anxiety medication can help rapidly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. The most common of these are called benzodiazepines, which are a type of sedative. These include Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) .
What is the best herbal medicine for anxiety?
The most widely studied herbal medication in relation to anxiety disorders is a compound called kava. This comes from the kava kava plant, which is a member of the pepper family.
What is the most common antidepressant?
Antidepressants are used to treat depression, but they can also be helpful for treating anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are the most common antidepressants used as first-line treatments for anxiety.
Can you avoid phobias?
While avoidance can be useful for some with specific phobia, it can be damaging if it involves changing your life dramatically. Seeking treatment from a medical professional may help you live a healthier and less restrictive life.
Can medications be used for phobias?
As mentioned above, it is believed that medications by themselves are of limited use in the treatment of specific phobias. But there have been investigations into whether some medications might be effective at enhancing therapy treatment of specific phobias when taken alongside, before, or after exposure therapy.
What are the two types of phobias?
There are two main types of phobias: complex and specific. Both can severely impact a person’s daily life and may be improved with the help of a therapist. However, some key distinctions set each type apart. Complex phobias are more likely to have a significant impact on a person’s function. Agoraphobia and social phobia (social anxiety) ...
What is the most common phobia?
Acrophobia is a fear of falling and heights. It is one of the most common phobias. In severe cases, a person may be reluctant to travel above the ground floor of a building or climb an open-faced staircase. Claustrophobia is a fear of being trapped in enclosed spaces.
What is the fear of snakes called?
Ophidiophobia is a fear of snakes. Around one-third of people experience it to some degree. Many evolutionary psychologists have speculated that a fear of snakes has a genetic origin, as the fear of potentially poisonous snakes has benefited people across time.
What is the fear of sharp objects?
Aichmophobia is a fear of sharp objects. These could include knives, scissors, pins, and even sharpened pencils. Some phobias may be less common, but they can still impact day-to-day life for many people. With the help of a therapist, it is possible to overcome even the rarest phobia.
What is the fear of crowded spaces?
Agoraphobia is typically characterized by fear of open or crowded spaces. It may also include the fear of having a panic attack in public or fear of leaving one’s home. Social phobia causes fear of many kinds of social situations. Adult onset is more likely with these phobias.
What is the difference between claustrophobia and aerophobia?
Claustrophobia is a fear of being trapped in enclosed spaces. An individual may be afraid of some small spaces, such as elevators, but be okay with more familiar places like their closet. Aerophobia is a fear of flying in an airplane, helicopter, etc.
What is it called when you are scared of dental work?
Odontophobia is a fear of receiving dental care. It is distinct from dental anxiety, which is a feeling of apprehension from someone who has never had a dental check-up before and doesn’t know what to expect.
What happens at the end of phobia treatment?
Once the patient can imagine a scene in the hierarchy and remain relaxed, the patient moves to the next level in the hierarchy. At the end of treatment , the patient is asked to confront the object of the phobia in real life; the hope is that the patient will not become anxious but will remain relaxed.
Who advocated the "moral treatment" of the mentally ill in place of the harsh, abusive treatment then in place
the 20th century. Philippe Pinel advocated the "moral treatment" of the mentally ill in place of the harsh, abusive treatment then in place. Dorothea Dix championed the "mental hygiene" movement, establishing and reforming many state mental hospitals.
What is ECT therapy?
265.Describe how electroconvulsive therapy and psychosurgery are used in contemporary psychology. While electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used more rarely now than in the past, it is still used in extreme cases of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, especially when medication has not worked.
What are some examples of biomedical therapy?
One example of a biomedical therapy is electroconvulsive therapy , which induces seizures in the brain. Psychological therapies may be divided into insight and behavioral therapies. Insight therapies aim to increase awareness of self and the environment, whereas behavior therapies. focus on changing behavior.
What is the term for the patient's inability or unwillingness to discuss or reveal particular memories, thoughts, or
Resistance. Resistance is the patient's inability or unwillingness to discuss or reveal particular memories, thoughts, or motivations.
What was the first antidepressant?
232.Monoamine oxidase inhibitors were the first antidepressants. 233.The medications Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft were first used in the 1980s. 234.Today's selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have few, if any, side effects. 235.Lithium is a naturally occurring element used as a mood stabilizer.
Is relaxation training a phobic response?
Relaxation training is omitted; the exposure itself allows the phobic response to dissipate or extinguish. Most often, exposure is gradual. A needle phobic might be exposed to a picture of a needle, then to a picture of an injection, then to the sight of an individual undergoing a blood test or an injection.
Therapies
Prescription Medications
Adjunctive Treatment
- Many phobia sufferers are best treated with a combination of medication and therapy. Most psychiatrists do not perform the types of therapy best suited to phobia treatment. Therefore, psychiatrists and therapists often form referral networks to help clients meet both needs. Mental health centers often have a range of mental health specialists on st...
Alternative Treatments
Summary
A Word from Verywell
- As mentioned above, it is believed that medications by themselves are of limited use in the treatment of specific phobias. But there have been investigations into whether some medications might be effective at enhancing therapy treatment of specific phobias when taken alongside, before, or after exposure therapy.