Phobias
What is a phobia?
Phobias are an anxiety condition usually characterised by an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal.Â
Phobias are more pronounced than a natural feeling of fear. fears. They develop when an individual has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object. If a phobia becomes very severe, an individual may organise their life around avoiding the thing that’s causing them anxiety.Â
As well as restricting their day-to-day life, it can also cause a lot of distress. In many cases, treatments like therapy can help individuals manage their phobias and even overcome them.
When to seek treatment for Phobias
You should consider treatment for your phobias when:
You experience debilitating distress because of the phobia.
The phobia and response to it (e.g., avoidance of triggers of the phobic response) are getting in the way of you living day to day life.
You are avoiding certain things or places because of the phobia.
When you come into contact with the source of your phobia you may experience bodily symptoms such as unsteadiness, dizziness and light-headedness, nausea, increased heart rate, shortness of breath and shaking.
What treatments do Onebright offer for phobias?
We offer a range of counselling and therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for phobias, as there is a good evidence base to suggest this is one of the most effective treatments available.
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Benefits of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for phobias
CBT is an evidence-based, goal-oriented and collaborative psychological therapy approach that focuses on understanding the past and present connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (termed the ‘formulation’). It also offers powerful tools, strategies, and techniques to identify, challenge and reframe unhelpful thought patterns and associated feelings and behaviours, helping to significantly improve mental health and quality of life.
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Get started by answering some simple questions below or call 020 8175 4908
Begin your journey with phobia treatment
Onebright's client liaison team are available Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm (excluding bank holidays).
You must be aged 18 years or above to access our therapy services.
You must be aged 18 years or above to access our therapy services.
Phobia FAQs
Phobias are generally categorised into specific phobias, which are triggered by a single object, animal, or situation, and more complex phobias, which involve several interlinked fears.
Examples of common specific phobias include spiders, heights, needles, flying, and enclosed spaces.
Examples of common complex phobias include social phobia and agoraphobia, which is the fear of going outside.
Examples of common specific phobias include spiders, heights, needles, flying, and enclosed spaces.
Examples of common complex phobias include social phobia and agoraphobia, which is the fear of going outside.
There is no single cause of a phobia. It is thought that a phobia can be developed as a result of a mix of factors, including:
- Going through a stressful or frightening experience related to the specific object or situation you have a phobia of.
- Learned behaviours as a result of growing up alongside a parent, sibling, or friend with the same phobia.
- Having a genetic tendency towards anxiety.
- Going through a stressful or frightening experience related to the specific object or situation you have a phobia of.
- Learned behaviours as a result of growing up alongside a parent, sibling, or friend with the same phobia.
- Having a genetic tendency towards anxiety.
Yes, many individuals see significant improvements in their phobias when they have access to the right treatment or support. Professional counselling and therapy can be helpful if you are trying to overcome a phobia, as is practising self-help techniques.
Alongside professional treatment or therapy for phobias, individuals can manage day-to-day symptoms by practising self-help techniques. Examples include:
- Breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques
- Talking to someone you trust about your phobia
- Participating in guided self-help, such as workbooks and written exercises
- Connecting with others through online or in-person self-help groups
- Being mindful of searching for information online, as you might see triggering images or increase anxiety levels
Techniques like these can help individuals manage the symptoms of phobias. However, they are not usually recommended as a substitute for professional support, particularly if your phobia is significantly impacting your daily life.
- Breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques
- Talking to someone you trust about your phobia
- Participating in guided self-help, such as workbooks and written exercises
- Connecting with others through online or in-person self-help groups
- Being mindful of searching for information online, as you might see triggering images or increase anxiety levels
Techniques like these can help individuals manage the symptoms of phobias. However, they are not usually recommended as a substitute for professional support, particularly if your phobia is significantly impacting your daily life.
There are a range of treatments for phobias available, including:
- Talking therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Guided self-help
- Medication, if prescribed by a GP
Many phobias respond well to treatment, though it is important to note that no single approach is guaranteed to work for everyone.
- Talking therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Guided self-help
- Medication, if prescribed by a GP
Many phobias respond well to treatment, though it is important to note that no single approach is guaranteed to work for everyone.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is widely considered one of the best types of therapy for phobias. CBT teaches people to understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours work together and how they can replace unhelpful, negative thoughts with more realistic ones.
Sometimes, CBT can include graded exposure (or desensitisation), which introduces an individual to the source of their phobia slowly, intending to reduce the anxiety response over time.
Sometimes, CBT can include graded exposure (or desensitisation), which introduces an individual to the source of their phobia slowly, intending to reduce the anxiety response over time.
There are many different types of phobias that individuals can develop. Most phobias are triggered when an individual comes into contact with the object or situation that causes them anxiety. Common examples include:
- Animals or insects such as dogs, spiders, and snakes
- Bodily fluids such as blood and vomit
- Situations like flying, going to the dentist or doctor, getting an injection, or being in a confined space
Other phobias can have a wider, more debilitating impact on your life, such as agoraphobia (a phobia of going outside) and social phobia (a phobia of talking to or interacting with other people). These kinds of phobias might cause individuals to avoid leaving the house or isolate themselves from others.
- Animals or insects such as dogs, spiders, and snakes
- Bodily fluids such as blood and vomit
- Situations like flying, going to the dentist or doctor, getting an injection, or being in a confined space
Other phobias can have a wider, more debilitating impact on your life, such as agoraphobia (a phobia of going outside) and social phobia (a phobia of talking to or interacting with other people). These kinds of phobias might cause individuals to avoid leaving the house or isolate themselves from others.
- Feeling faint, dizzy, or lightheaded
- Severe anxiety and worry
- Increased heartrate
- Tightness in your chest
- Shortness of breath
- Trembling or shaking
- Sweating
- Nausea or an upset stomach
- Catastrophising
- Being unable to sit still or concentrate
- Being snappy or irritable
- Severe anxiety and worry
- Increased heartrate
- Tightness in your chest
- Shortness of breath
- Trembling or shaking
- Sweating
- Nausea or an upset stomach
- Catastrophising
- Being unable to sit still or concentrate
- Being snappy or irritable
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
- Negative self-talk
- Feeling helpless or out of control
- Dissociation
- Depression
- Negative self-talk
- Feeling helpless or out of control
- Dissociation
