Phobia therapy is a type of therapy that treats anxiety and other symptoms caused by specific phobias, an anxiety disorder that involves intense fear of certain places, situations, or things. When performing phobia therapy, Thriveworks Wilmington therapists work to help people change their perspectives on feared stimuli and live their lives without being inhibited by that fear.
Phobia therapy will most often involve the use of exposure therapy, a therapeutic technique that gradually exposes clients to the subject of their fear in controlled spaces, helping them to see that the consequence they fear is not occurring. This helps them slowly learn to break the association of fear with the feared stimulus and allows them to live their life without having to avoid their fear. Other approaches like CBT may be used to help clients adjust their thoughts and behaviors and establish helpful coping techniques.
Treatment for specific phobias can take just a month or last for over a year, depending on an individual's phobia(s) and levels of anxiety. For those with a single phobia, treatment can tend to take less time, while multiple phobias might take longer to treat, as phobias will be treated one-at-a-time.
Everyone has fears. Whether it is a fear of spiders or a fear of the dark, there are varying situations, places, feelings, objects, or animals that can trigger an unpleasant sensation – an urge to prepare for or altogether avoid the perceived danger. Fear is a completely natural human emotion but, in some people, fears are more pronounced and will manifest as a phobia.
A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear that develops when someone has an exaggerated sense of danger about a certain object or situation. They can be incredibly stressful to live with and, in severe cases, can take a toll on a person’s health, well-being, and overall way of life. Living with a phobia means people are often in constant anguish about whether they may come into contact with what they are afraid of. A phobia, however, goes beyond ordinary fear and may often feature an object or situation that is not typically threatening, such as a ringing telephone.
Phobia Symptoms
- Dizziness, a faint feeling, or shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Trembling, shaking, numbness, or tingling
- Sweating, chills
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations
- Fear of losing control, dying, or fainting
- A feeling that one is detached from one’s body
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Treatment for phobias can help to break this negative spiral and can help to get feelings of anxiety under control. At Thriveworks in Wilmington, we offer convenient appointments with daytime and evening hours and accept most major insurance plans. We understand that it can be frustrating to be afraid of something, especially when it is difficult to explain why. Talking about phobias with a licensed, empathic therapist may help you learn how to manage and reduce the fear caused by a phobia. Call today, and let us help!
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