A phobia is characterised by extreme and irrational fears or aversions to something.
These things can include a fear of flying, animals, inanimate objects and visiting the Doctor or Dentist. In extreme cases these fears can interfere with work, personal relationships and school, and can have a major impact on being able to enjoy life. Many people have approached me feeling embarrassed about what they consider is a “silly fear”. Please be reassured; no fear or phobia is silly…we will just work to shift it. I’ve worked with fear of holes (trypophobia), fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of falling, fear of spiders (arachnophobia), fear of road sweepers, fear of flying (aero phobia), fear of childbirth (tokophobia), dental phobia, fear of leaving the house (agoraphobia), fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) and a fear that wasn’t even disclosed…
Studies have found:
- 5% of children are affected by phobias
- 16% of 13 to 17-year olds are affected by phobias
- 3 to 5% of adults are affected by phobias
- women tend to have more phobias than men
Types of Phobia
- Animal phobias (for example, dogs, birds, snakes, spiders, rodents)
- Natural environment phobias (such as heights, storms, water)
- Blood-injection-injury phobias (such as fear of blood or getting a blood test)
- Situational phobia (such as aeroplanes, lifts, driving or enclosed places)
- Other phobias (such as clowns, avoiding loud noises)
Causes of Phobias
Most phobias are developed between the ages of 7 and 11, although they can develop at any age. They can be triggered by traumatic events, such as being bitten by a dog, but many people are unable to determine, or remember, what triggered their phobia.
Symptoms of Phobias include:
- A racing heart
- Difficulty breathing
- Trembling
- Dry mouth
- Sweating
- overwhelming feelings of anxiety or fear
- feeling powerless
- fear of losing control
- feeling an intense need to escape
I will work with you to identify whether your phobia is a simple phobia, such as a fear of spiders, or a complex phobia, such as a fear of falling. A simple phobia can be treated with a Rewind and Reframe package of sessions, while a Complex phobia can be treated in the same way, but you would probably benefit from a few sessions for reducing anxiety before addressing the phobia.
Take away Tip
Square breathing is very effective for dealing with anxiety. Breathe in for a count of 8… hold for a count of 8… breathe out for a count of 8… hold for a count of 8…