Many People Ask The Question - Can Phobias be Cured?

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Many People Ask The Question - Can Phobias be Cured?

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

25 Year Phobia Of Snails And Crabs Cured

Phobias are a family of disorders, and not some sort of sickness, so phobias must be dealt with as disorders, not diseases. Because of advances in our knowledge of phobias, many treatment options are available, and it is possible to end a phobia once and for all. However, while medication can be helpful when dealing with some phobias, therapy is necessary for making a phobia go away completely.

Phobias are irrational disorders and cause a person to be overly frightened of a thing or situation. Many times the person with the phobia realizes how ridiculous their phobia is, but because it is an irrational disorder, they are powerless to resist the effect of their phobia. As a treatment for phobias, therapists attempt to break the link between the source of the phobia and the anxiety it causes. Therapy can be made easier if the cause of the phobia is known, like a bad childhood experience or something that the patient has come to believe and fear. Ultimately, most phobias can be cured or controlled by dealing with the cause of the phobia in a controlled setting.

There are many ways therapists combat phobias, including a technique called ‘flooding,’ which is essential facing one’s fears in a controlled environment. Flooding helps end phobic reactions by severing the mental link between the phobic trigger and the phobic response. Once a person can deal with the trigger without having an episode, they are on the way to curing themselves of their phobia. In many cases, the person cannot actually confront their fear at the first session, and must instead imagine their phobic trigger. However, some people are phobia free after one session of flooding.

Counter conditioning is another way therapists help patients control their phobic reactions. Counter conditioning is based on replacing fearful reactions with relaxation techniques. This requires self awareness and control to be successful, but therapists have found counter conditioning effective if taught under controlled conditions. Relaxation can be achieved through breathing exercises and maintaining mental focus and perspective. Therapists who use counter conditioning also use desensitization to help patience rid themselves of their phobias. The therapist and patient determine a hierarchy of things or situations that cause the phobic reaction, and confront the least frightening stimuli first and work towards confronting the most frightening thing or situation.

In some people, particularly those who experience social phobia, anti-anxiety medication can help reduce phobic symptoms and keep their phobia under control. This is most useful in patients who suffer from panic attacks because of their phobia.

Phobias can be overwhelming and require a psychologist to conquer the phobia, although some can overcome a phobia without much outside help. Some phobias can be ended by confronting whatever triggers the phobic reaction, but this is far too uncomfortable for some people.

For a great deal more informational value go here: Panic Attack Drugs and go to Panic Attacks In Social Situations similarly Panic Attack Symptoms

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