Phobia-related disorders
A phobia is an intense fear of—or aversion to—specific objects or situations. Although it can be realistic to be anxious in some circumstances, the fear people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by the situation or object.
People with a phobia:
- May have an irrational or excessive worry about encountering the feared object or situation
- Take active steps to avoid the feared object or situation
- Experience immediate intense anxiety upon encountering the feared object or situation
- Endure unavoidable objects and situations with intense anxiety
Specific Phobias
There are several types of specific phobia-related disorders which we treat. People who we treat come in with a specific phobia or have an intense fear of, or feel intense anxiety about, specific types of objects or situations. Some common examples include the fear of:
- Flying
- Heights
- Specific animals, such as spiders, dogs, or snakes
- Receiving injections
- Blood
People who have fears or phobias will go out of their way to avoid the feared object or situation thinking it will cause them less pain, but this often times leads to an even greater cost; usually at a great cost to living their life in the way they really want. Exposures with phobias may trigger extreme anxiety and even panic attacks, but it is ultimately one of the major steps of treatment. Although some phobias may be caused by unexpected reasons or events, many phobias are caused by some specific life events, and can occur at ant time for people. Many times, phobias lead to hopelessness and feeling a sense of “losing my mind,” as the phobias appear out of the blue, don’t make sense, and don’t respond to common techniques that worked previously. When people try to suppress, talk back to or avoid their fears, and many people experience shame and embarrassment about them.
If you or a loved one has a specific phobia or co-occurring anxiety disorder that you need expert treatment for, and you would like to learn more about how we can help treat your phobias, contact us today at Denver Emotional Health. Phobias require more than traditional talk therapies, and we are trained counselors and therapists who will provide individualized, evidence-based treatment for your phobia.
Learn more about legal psychedelic-assisted therapies we offer that can help you with your struggles.