Signs and Symptoms of Phobias

Phobias are an extreme fear response to an item, place, or experience that is not actually dangerous. While the person with the phobia may know (on a thinking-level) that there is nothing to fear, their whole body responds with extreme and overwhelming fear, even triggering a panic attack, and often leaves the person trying actively to avoid the feared thing to manage their responses.

There are many specific things that a person may have a phobia about, but the general categories are:

  • Animal Phobias
    • Can include things like spiders, snakes, birds, dogs, ants, etc.
  • Nature and Natural Environments
    • Swimming in deep water, thunder/storms, heights, etc.
  • Blood, Injury, or Medical
    • Examples are: going to the dentist, blood, doctor’s offices, specific injuries, vomit, etc.
  • Specific Situations
    • These include things like speaking in front of a large group, being in tight or small spaces, feeling trapped, etc.
  • Social Phobia
    • This can look like inability to speak, fear of being watched or judged

While the list provides examples, there are many things that can produce a phobia response. For some, their phobia may be activated by only one thing, while for others it may be activated by multiple things or situations.  

How does Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy help?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy helps by gradually facing the feared object or situation gradually and staying present with it to relieve the discomfort. This is done in a compassionate space that is supportive of each person's own treatment plan. Treatment plans often include creating a gradual exposure list and confronting them while learning to manage distress and avoidance. They're often ranked from least distressing to most distressing, and exposures begin with the least distressing. This approach is practiced over time in session, and regular check-ins about practice are encouraged.

How does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help?

ACT helps by building strategies and tools that change how you respond to your thoughts and feelings. This is done by practicing skills that increase acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings, aligning with values and the behaviours that support those values. It includes seeing difficulty with increased mindfulness, self-compassion and acceptance. With phobias, you become more familiar with sensations you experience and build tolerance skills to help you rely on avoidance less often. This helps manage phobias by reducing their strength over time, and their intensity so you can spend more time on the things you enjoy, rather than checking if the feared object or situation is there.