As a therapist, one of the most common and often misunderstood issues I encounter in my practice are phobias. These intense, often irrational fears can be overwhelming and often deeply isolating. Phobias are not just “silly fears” or things one can “just get over”. They are real visceral responses to a specific stimuli, whether it’s a fear of heights, spiders, needles, etc. What makes phobia’s unique is the disproportionate nature of those fears. The threat is minimal or even non-existent, but one’s body reacts as if the danger is real and imminent.
Where Do Phobia’s Come From?
Phobias can develop for a variety of reasons. Some phobias arise after a traumatic event (e.g, a dog bite which then leads to Cynophobia or a fear of dogs). Other phobias may in fact be learned in childhood by watching a caregiver’s fearful response to a stimuli. Genetics and temperament also can play a role, in that some people are simply more sensitive to potential threats.
In our next blog post, we will examine how a Phobia actually feels. We will also look at the best type of therapies for Phobias.
Liza Linder, MSW, LCSW, is a therapist with 30 years of experience serving the LGBTQ+ and PLWHIV communities. Liza is in person only, in our Philadelphia offices. For more information about Liza, please click on the therapist’s bios.