Phobias
Therapy in Calgary
What are Phobias?
We all experience fear and anxiety from time to time, for example going to the dentist, getting caught in a thunderstorm, or when faced with a ferocious dog. For people with phobias, there is an intense, overwhelming sense of extreme fear and panic in relation to a specific object, animal, or situation. Although they often realise that their fear is irrational, they feel powerless to control it and work hard at trying to avoid whatever they are afraid of.
How Common are They?
Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder affecting approximately 12.5% of the population in their lifetime. Of those individuals, about three-quarters of them have at least two phobias.
Types of Phobias and Fears
There are 5 types of specific phobias:
- Animal phobias e.g. snakes, spiders, dogs etc.
- Natural environment phobias e.g. heights, storms, water
- Situational phobias e.g. enclosed spaces (claustrophobia) such as elevators, tunnels, fear of flying
- Blood-injection-injury phobias e.g. fear of seeing blood, having blood drawn or having a shot, or other medical procedures including going to the dentist
- Other phobias e.g. fear of choking, vomiting, or getting an illness/disease, and in children, fear of loud sounds and clowns or other costumed characters
So What Causes Phobias?
There are different factors that can contribute to the development of specific phobias, including genetics and the environment. An individual’s genetic susceptibility to developing a specific phobia is increased when an immediate family member has a specific phobia. Furthermore, they are more likely to have the same phobia than any of the other types of phobias. Environmental factors include having something bad happen such as being bitten by a dog or getting stuck in an elevator. A phobia could also develop after learning about something bad happening, such as a plane crash, or seeing someone very scared of something. Other factors may also play a role, including an individual’s temperament, and may explain why not everyone who experiences similar situations, or all family members develop the same fears and phobias.
Signs and Symptoms of Phobias
Depending on how close to the feared object or situation the individual is, the symptoms of a phobia can range from feeling mild anxiety to experiencing a full-blown panic attack. For example, in those who have a fear of the dentist (dentophobia) their fear can be triggered by the sound of the drill, the characteristic smell of the dentist, the sight of the dentist or hygienist, or even just thinking about these situations. Similarly, those with needle and injection phobias typically have similar reactions at the sight of a needle or receiving reminders for immunisation shots, and will avoid travelling abroad if it involves needing shots.
Physical symptoms include racing heart, chest pain or tightness, sweating, hot/cold flashes, shaking or trembling, tingling sensations, difficulty breathing, dry mouth, feeling dizzy or light-headed, churning stomach, nausea
Emotional symptoms include a feeling of overwhelming anxiety or panic, fear that you are going to die or pass out, a feeling of powerless to control and of losing control. You may also feel unreal or detached from yourself and have an intense need to escape.
What Help is There for Phobias?
Most people don’t seek help for their phobias if they are not interfering too much with their lives. For some however, it can make life a misery, stopping them from doing enjoyable activities with family and friends.
CBT is used to treat phobias, in which exposure therapy is the main part of treatment. This involves imaginal or actual exposure to the feared object, animal, or situation, in a gradual manner. A single session of exposure therapy, averaging 2 hours duration, has been found to relieve most phobias, with improvement maintained 4 years later (1).
EMDR is a trauma-focused therapy that is a highly effective approach used to overcome trauma, anxiety, and phobias. EMDR is most effective for phobias which have a traumatic origin or a clear beginning such as blood, injections/needles, injury, and dental phobias and fears. Memories related to the traumatic incident are reprocessed and the fear quickly resolved.
To find out more how Clear Minds in Calgary can help you overcome your phobias, please contact me or call to arrange a free 15 minute brief consultation or to book an appointment.
