Can you read this with ease: Clowns, Cockroaches, Balloons, Airplanes.

Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder that can be extremely debilitating. Sometimes it’s enough just to see the word and you get the heebyjeebiez going down your spine, your toes curl and palms sweat. Phobias can make everyday situations seem impossible to handle, and can severely impact your quality of life. 

How Does Cognitive Therapy Work for Phobias? 

Cognitive therapy is an evidence-based treatment for phobias. It is often used in conjunction with exposure therapy, a type of therapy that gradually exposes individuals to the things they fear in a safe and controlled manner. 

In cognitive therapy, you are helped in identifying your negative thoughts and beliefs about the phobia.  Once these thoughts and beliefs are identified, they will bel challenged with questions like, "Is there any evidence to support this belief?" or "Is this belief realistic?" 

For example, if an individual has a fear of flying, the therapist might help them challenge their negative thoughts about flying by asking them to consider the statistics of airplane safety or reminding them of the positive aspects of traveling. 

Exposure therapy is a form of behavioral therapy that helps individuals confront and overcome their fears and phobias. It works by gradually exposing you to the feared object or situation in a controlled and safe environment, with the goal of reducing your anxiety response over time. 

How Does Exposure Therapy Work for Phobias?

 Assessment: 

We will begin by doing thorough assessment of the specific phobia. We will gather information about the triggers, severity, and impact of the phobia on the your life. 

Building a fear hierarchy: 

Together, we will create a fear hierarchy, which is a list of situations or objects related to the phobia, ranked from least to most anxiety-provoking. This hierarchy helps guide the exposure therapy process.

Gradual exposure: 

It begins by confronting the least anxiety-provoking item on the fear hierarchy. For example, if someone has a fear of flying, the first step might be looking at pictures of airplanes or reading about plane travel. 

Systematic desensitization:

Through repeated and prolonged exposure to the feared stimuli, the person gradually becomes desensitized to the anxiety response. They learn that their fear diminishes over time, and they build confidence in their ability to cope with the phobic situation. 

Exposure techniques:

We may use various exposure techniques depending on the person's phobia. These may include imaginal exposure (mentally imagining the feared situation), in vivo exposure (directly facing the feared object or situation), or virtual reality exposure (using virtual simulations to recreate the phobic scenario).

Relaxation techniques: 

Alongside exposure therapy, you are also taught relaxation techniques to help manage their anxiety during the process. Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness techniques are commonly used to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety during exposures.

Maintenance and relapse prevention:

Once the exposure therapy is completed, we will work to develop strategies for maintaining your progress and preventing relapse. This may involve creating a plan for handling potential triggers or providing ongoing support and guidance. 

Overall, exposure therapy combined with cognitive therapy helps individuals confront their fears in a safe and controlled manner, gradually reducing their anxiety and enabling them to live a more fulfilling life free from the limitations of their phobias.