Phobias
A phobia is an intense, irrational fear of or aversion to a specific object or situation. Although the person may recognize their fear as irrational, they continue to experience severe anxiety even at the thought of facing the feared object or situation. Usually, the person will go to great lengths to avoid their fear or endure it with intense discomfort or anxiety. When exposed to their fear, they may experience physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or sweating.
Examples of Common Phobias:
Animals (ex. dogs, spiders, insects, birds, snakes)
Natural environment (ex. heights, storms, water)
Blood-Needle Injury (ex. needles, invasive medical procedures, blood, injections, dentist)
Situational (ex. airplanes, elevators, enclosed places, public speaking )
Emetophobia (fear of vomit)
Treatment
Through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, with a stronger focus on exposure therapy, the client and therapist collaborate to create a hierarchy of situations or scenarios associated with the phobia, ranked from least to most anxiety-inducing. The aim is to confront their fears rather than letting the phobia hinder their daily activities.