As seen with other anxiety disorders, Specific Phobia is typically accompanied by a host of avoidance behaviors. For example, individuals with claustrophobia may avoid elevators and take stairs instead. Individuals with a fear of flying may skip an important family wedding across country. Those with a fear of needles may avoid doctors altogether.
What is Specific Phobia (SP)?
Specific Phobia (SP) is a common psychiatric problem that varies considerably in theme from person to person. Common examples include a fear of heights (i.e., acrophobia), enclosed spaces (i.e., claustrophobia), flying (i.e., aviophobia), dentists (i.e., dentophobia), animals (e.g., cynophobia – dogs), insects (e.g., arachnophobia – spiders), needles and injections (i.e., trypanophobia), water (i.e., aquaphobia), vomiting (i.e., emetophobia), and crossing bridges (i.e., gephyrophobia).
Many people are scared of objects or situations. However, individuals with SP present with a distressing and impairing pattern of fear when confronted with the feared object or situation, or exhibit avoidance behavior that significantly hampers quality of life and functioning.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold-standard psychological treatment for SP. It consists of psycho-education, exposure exercises, cognitive restructuring, and more. CBT can work for the full range of different phobias.
Therapy for Specific Phobia
Contact us to learn more therapy for Specific Phobia, or feel free to request a session.