Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Best Treatment For Phobias

February 19, 2022
Rabbia Meer

What is the best treatment for phobias?

The goal of the best treatment for phobias is to improve your quality of life. So that you’re no longer limited by your phobias.

Diagnosis:

Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and take a medical, psychiatric, and social history.

Treatment:

Many people with a phobia don’t need treatment, and avoiding the object of their fear is enough to control the problem.

However, it may not always be possible to avoid certain phobias, such as a fear of flying. In this instance, you may decide to get professional help and advice to find out about treatment options.

Most phobias are curable, but no single treatment is guaranteed to work for all phobias. In some cases, a combination of different treatments may be recommended. The main treatment types are:

  • self-help techniques
  • talking treatments
  • medication
  • therapy

Talking treatments:

During a talking treatment, you’ll talk to a professional about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Your doctor or mental health professional can explain the options available to you. They can help you find the right talking treatment.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to:

  • identify connections between thoughts
  • help develop practical skills to manage phobia

Exposure therapy :

 Your doctor tries to change how you react to what you’re fearful of by gradually exposing you to it. These work well for specific phobias.  At each step, you practice relaxing. Once the anxiety is reduce, you’re ready for actual exposure. Relaxation techniques can help at this stage, too. The support of a trusted friend or family member also helps during this process.
For social phobia, your therapist may suggest gradual exposure to social situations, along with role-playing and rehearsal. They’ll teach you methods to reduce the anxiety you feel and encourage you to be less critical of yourself.With agoraphobia, you move gradually into the places and situations that trigger anxiety. By taking small steps each day — in the company of a trusted person —  you eventually learn to cope with situations that once caused intense fear. Your therapist will also encourage you to be less critical of yourself.

Alternative Treatments:

Medications:

Generally, psychotherapy using exposure therapy is successful in treating specific phobias. However, sometimes medications can help reduce the anxiety and panic symptoms you experience from thinking about or being exposed to the object or situation you fear.

There are 3 types of medication:

  • antidepressants
  • tranquilizers
  • beta-blockers

Antidepressants:  

A class of these drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be especially helpful in the treatment of social phobia.

Tranquilizers:

To reduce severe anxiety, a benzodiazepine tranquilizer may be offered. Severe anxiety means it has a significant impact on your day-to-day life.

Beta-Blockers:

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure.

SELF-CARE FOR PHOBIAS:

Lifestyle changes include:

  1. Healthy meals
  2. Regular exercise
  3. Relaxation, distressing strategies
  4. Sleeping adequately
  5. Reducing or avoiding caffeine

Self-education about the fears and their impact on life as well as the use of self-help books on managing and coping with fears also helps.

A Word From Verywell:

Getting help for your phobia may feel uncomfortable and anxiety-provoking. But you can take comfort in the fact that you are taking the best first step to alleviate your anxiety, manage your phobia, and start enjoying your life.