Do You Have a Phobia? Here’s How to Overcome It

Arachnophobia: a popularly referenced phobia

Arachnophobia is the most common specific phobia, affecting nearly eight percent of adults in the United States. Pop culture often references arachnophobia, like Harry Potter’s arachnophobic classmate Ron, and the classic 1990’s horror comedy “Arachnophobia”.

Arachnophobia is an example of a specific phobia. It may seem silly or irrational for someone to be so scared of spiders that they significantly change their daily lives to avoid the possibility of encountering one.

However, phobias are by definition not rational. Instead, the brain has mistakenly learned that the feared object or situation represents a mortal danger.

Fear has a legitimate place in our lives. It helps keep us safe from actually dangerous situations. But sometimes, our fear response overreacts. This is particularly likely to happen after someone has repeatedly avoided a feared situation. 

The reason avoidance can lead to phobias is because the brain has falsely learned that avoiding the fear is working. It’s like the dog who believes that the only reason the mail carrier hasn’t invaded their home is because the dog barks at the mail carrier every day!  

What is Claustrophobia?

Claustrophobia is a fear of being in enclosed spaces, or in situations where you are unable to escape. An aversive experience may trigger the onset of claustrophobia. However, it is also common for people to feel afraid of being trapped in small or enclosed spaces, even without any history of being trapped.

Claustrophobic triggers may also include:

• • Trauma

• • Migraines

• • Spinal cord injuries

• • Neurological disorders

More than with other simple phobias, there seems to be a physical underpinning to the development of claustrophobia. However, treatment for claustrophobia is very similar to treatment for other simple phobias.

Agoraphobia is a complex phobia

Agoraphobia is a complex anxiety disorder. The word agoraphobia comes from the Greek words “agora”, which means “marketplace, and “phobos,” which means “fear.”

Agoraphobia translates roughly as “fear of open spaces” or “place phobia.” However, it typically presents as fear of leaving home, or fear of leaving a limited array of “safe” spaces, like home and work. 

Agoraphobia often involves panic attacks, and avoiding places that might cause panic or severe anxiety. Therefore, it can lead to severe isolation. Someone with agoraphobia is often preoccupied that they will have a panic attack in public if something bad happens.

As with other phobias, avoidance is a central feature of agoraphobia. Someone with agoraphobia avoids going places where they might have a panic attack. Over time, more and more places start to feel unsafe, leading to increased isolation and impairment.

Like Social Phobia, the other complex phobia discussed earlier, Agoraphobia is very treatable in therapy. That said, it does tend to be a more involved road to recovery than simple phobias like the specific fear of one type of animal.

Aerophobia – Fear of Flying

Aerophobia, or fear of flying, is a very common phobia. It is often triggered by a specific event, such as bad turbulence or air sickness. Other times, a general fear of heights or overestimating the risks of flying leads to a fear of flying. 

Aerophobia sufferers are often afraid of their own feelings, like experiencing anxiety when getting on an airplane. The mere anticipation of feeling anxious on a plane leads them to avoid flying.

Sometimes, they are afraid that their fear of flying will cause a plane crash. (It is important to point out that there is no evidence that people with aerophobia are any more likely to be involved in a plane crash than anyone else who travels on airplanes!)

Phobia treatment is available and effective 

It is possible to overcome a phobia, because your nervous system can learn that something is safe.

It does take time and effort, but you can overcome your fears. 

You may want to begin with self-help methods and see if the fear resolves itself. Consider trying some of these steps on your own:

• • See my article “3 Steps to Overcome a Phobia” for a description of how to overcome phobias. The steps in this article are based on Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, which is a scientifically-supported form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that is effective in treating phobias.

• • Practice relaxation techniques and breathing exercises daily. This will reduce anxiety and stress levels and can help you feel more calm in the face of triggers that cause fear or panic attacks.

• • Work on decreasing your avoidance behaviors. Start small, and work towards facing increasingly stressful situations as you master the less anxiety-provoking ones.

• • Understand that your nervous system believes it is in danger when you are exposed to your phobic fear. You may be fully aware that your fear is not rational, but your primitive “survival brain” thinks it is protecting you. Therefore, practice patience as you re-train your nervous system.

• • Realize that many people have overcome similar fears before, so there’s no reason why you can’t as well!

What’s the best treatment for  phobias?

The most effective treatment for a specific phobia involves exposure therapy, which is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of therapy helps you retrain your nervous system by gradually exposing yourself to the object or situation that causes anxiety, while teaching relaxation and stress reduction techniques.

Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) is the best-known type of CBT for people with simple phobias, such as arachnophobia or fear of heights. It involves exposing yourself to increasingly anxiety-provoking stimuli related to your fear.

You implement relaxation techniques to calm yourself at each stage, gradually moving up the “fear hierarchy”. For more discussion on ERP, see my post, “3 Steps to Overcome a Phobia”, which dives into more detail about this very effective exposure therapy.

If you are interested in seeking professional help, look for a therapist whose approach matches your needs. For example, you may prefer working one-on-one rather than in a group, or you may want to confirm that a therapist has experience treating phobias and anxiety. Ask friends for recommendations, and interview two or three therapists before making a decision about which one will be best for you. 

Reach out for help with a phobia

It’s normal to feel anxious or stressed in certain situations. But if your fear is significantly interfering with your life, it may be time to reach out for help. 

It doesn’t matter what you are afraid of — there are treatments available for all types of fears and phobias. An excellent self-help reference is The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne. 

If your condition is severe enough that it is affecting other aspects of your life (such as relationships or work), consider seeking help from a professional therapist who specializes in treating anxiety disorders.

How I Can Help You with a Phobia

I have helped people overcome phobias for over 20 years. Please feel free to reach out to me for help if you have a phobia. It is rewarding for me to work with clients who are struggling with phobias, because when you do the work, you can really get over them! 

I am authorized to treat clients in online therapy in 40 states. Your first step is to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with me here. If we are not able to work together, I can provide you with appropriate resources so that you can find the help you are looking for.

Schedule a Free 15-min. Phone Consult with Dr. Ballard