A phobia is an incoherent and unreasonable fear of something in particular – it may be a situation, a person, a thing, or even an experience. It is not uncommon to have a phobia. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that around 15.5% of American adults will experience some form of phobia in their lifetimes.
If you’ve been suffering from a phobia or you have a loved one who is suffering from the same, you must be wondering what its most effective treatment could be. Psychotherapy is deemed to be an elixir of phobias. This comprises sitting with a therapist who is highly trained in altering your beliefs regarding the fearful situation or object and also tackle your emotional response to that. There are Oklahoma city counseling firms that help you with the best psychotherapists.
Keep reading to get a closer look at the various forms of therapy and how they help in treating a phobia.
When should you rush to a therapist for a phobia?
There are many with bizarre types of phobias. Some may get a chill running down their spine on seeing a spider and some may feel a tightening feeling in their chest as they fasten their seat belts on an airplane. When you confront these situations, there is a sudden burst of anxiety symptoms as following:
- Increased rate of heartbeat
- Sweaty palms
- Rapid breathing
When the phobia has struck you, these symptoms aggravate. When you find yourself averting strictly from few activities or you think that these physical anxiety symptoms are causing an interruption in your life, you should consult a therapist.
The Types of Therapies that help with Phobias
The majority of the expert therapists and professionals are of the opinion that learned behaviors and environmental triggers are two of the surefire causes of phobias. They opine that a phobia is a ‘learned’ response to a specific stimulus and if you can ‘unlearn’ this response, the phobia may get cured.
Here are the best possible therapies used to treat phobias.
CBT or Cognitive Behavorial Therapy
Most often, the first line of treatment chosen by therapists is CBT. Cognitive Behavorial Therapy lets you beat your instant negative thoughts that trigger phobic responses. It is a form of therapy that eventually alters the way you think about that object, person, or experience to finally bid goodbye to your fear.
Exposure Therapy
As the name suggests, exposure therapy will expose you to those specific situations which you fear so that you can gradually desensitize and forget the anxiety related to it. This is sometimes even considered a vital part of the CBT program but it can also be imbibed in your daily life.
Before the therapist starts off with the exposure process, the patient should be taught techniques of relaxation and how to stay calm by overcoming his fears. This can include progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, guided imagery, and visualization. Next, he has to practice these relaxation strategies and start facing the dreaded situation or thing.
Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness techniques assist in reducing the stress level that you feel in such phobic situations. This training process might not stop the rush of anxiety that you feel but it will certainly help you in reducing the extent of your fear.
It is always a great idea to work with a therapist who can teach you the best mindfulness techniques like meditation, muscle relaxation, and deep breathing.
When you look for a therapist to assist you with reducing your phobias, make sure you appoint someone who is licensed to practice in the place you reside. He should also be available to invest his time in treating you as treating a phobia takes time.
