Treatment For Fears And Phobias

Fears and phobias have become more prevalent over the years. The one change that has occurred in recent times is that more and more people who are in the grip of fears and phobias are no longer prepared to put up with the misery of their phobia or fear. They are actively seeking out treatment from a qualified, experienced therapist or counsellor to deal with their issues.

A very common fear is the fear of dogs. This can be bewildering to a person who has a love of all sorts of different animals and birds, yet can’t understand why they have such an irrational fear of dogs.

One such patient came for therapy to finally sort out his irrational fear of dogs. In the course of the therapy a memory that had been long dormant was recovered. When the patient had been a toddler he was out one day with his mother in his push chair. His mother stopped to talk to a neighbour who was out walking her dog, a big friendly German Shepherd.

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Fears & Phobias

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an intense fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual danger. Common phobias and fears include closed-in places, heights, motorway driving, flying insects, snakes, and needles. However, we can develop phobias of virtually anything. Most phobias develop in childhood, but they can also develop in adults.

If you have a phobia, you probably realise that your fear is unreasonable, yet you still can’t control your feelings. Just thinking about the feared object or situation may make you anxious. And when you’re actually exposed to the thing you fear, the terror is automatic and overwhelming. The experience is so nerve-wracking that you may go to great lengths to avoid it — inconveniencing yourself or even changing your lifestyle.

If you have claustrophobia, for example, you might turn down a lucrative job offer if you have to ride the elevator to get to the office. If you have a fear of heights, you might drive an extra twenty miles in order to avoid driving over a tall bridge.

Understanding your phobia is the first step to overcoming it. It’s important to know that phobias are common. (more…)