Phobias & Fear

Fear is a normal feeling that every person experiences from time to time.  For example, you might have a fear of snakes.  You dislike them.  They scare you if you see one or come into contact with one.  You do not choose a snake as your pet.  So how do mental health providers distinguish a normal fear from a phobia?  Well, phobias are more intense and persistent, and the anxiety one feels is usually irrational to the extent that it interferes with that person’s day-to-day activities, work and relationships.  It causes immense stress resulting in avoidance of situations that might create an interaction with the source of the fear.  Using our example of a fear of snakes, a person with a phobia might panic even seeing a photo of a snake, begin having intense dreams about snakes, or panic at objects that look similar to a snake. This person might stop taking walks through woods, local parks, or might possibly not even venture out to his or her own backyard.

Although phobias are common, they do not always cause considerable distress or significantly disrupt your life.  If your phobia doesn’t really impact your life that much, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about. But if avoidance of the object, activity, or situation that triggers your phobia interferes with your normal functioning or keeps you from doing things you would otherwise enjoy, it’s time to seek help.  Some symptoms to consider are as follows:

• It causes intense and disabling fear, anxiety, and panic.
• You recognize that your fear is excessive and unreasonable.
• You avoid certain situations and places because of your phobia.
• Your avoidance interferes with your normal routine or causes significant distress.
• You’ve had the phobia for at least six months.

These kinds of fears do not typically resolve without some intentional intervention.  Through therapy you can learn to understand your fears and gain skills to deal with the intense emotions you experience.  Renew Counseling Center wants to be a trusted resource for helping you or a loved one find healing from this kind of intense and real pain.