Many forms of anxiety are a constant presence on a person’s life. Generalized anxiety disorder is, quite literally, a general feeling of anxiety that a person has all throughout the day. Panic attacks can happen at any time, and panic disorder typically implies that a person fears panic attacks every waking hour. OCD can be so consuming, it becomes almost an identity that a person needs to address.
Phobias a little different.
When you have a phobia, like a fear of spiders, you probably don’t think about it very often unless you encounter a spider or are in a situation where you expect to find one. Fear of flying typically only matters when you travel. Fear of snakes barely comes up at all.
And yet…
Phobias are absolutely something that people should treat. People may sometimes joke about them or treat them as simple preferences, like disliking spiders or avoiding airplanes. But phobias are not the same as casual fears. They are persistent, intense, and irrational responses that can interfere with daily life in ways that most people do not realize.
They’re also treatable – very treatable. And so, while a person *can* live with *some* phobias in theory, the truth is they are often affecting your life more than you realize, and not necessarily for a good reason when they respond so well to treatment.
The Impact of Untreated Phobias
Phobias are more than uncomfortable feelings. They can have measurable effects on health, relationships, and decision-making. For example:
- Avoidance Behaviors – When a person goes to great lengths to avoid their phobia, it can change routines, travel, work, and social activities.
- Heightened Stress Response – Repeated exposure to triggers, or even the fear of encountering them, keeps the body in a heightened state of anxiety.
- Interference With Daily Life – Some phobias are easy to avoid, but others, like driving or medical phobias, can make everyday responsibilities difficult or impossible.
- Risk of Additional Anxiety Disorders – Untreated phobias can contribute to generalized anxiety, panic disorder, or depression, especially if they prevent someone from living fully.
Something to understand is that an experience of severe fear can be traumatic, and puts the body through considerable stress. A person that has a severe anxiety attack in the presence of a snake is putting their body through the same stress as if they encountered a hungry lion. People do not often shrug those experiences off, and phobias act much in the same way.
The Benefits of Treating a Phobia
Not only do phobias cause these feelings of severe stress, but they also do so unnecessarily. You *can* live with some phobias, but you do not *need* to. Psychotherapy for phobias is very effective.
Treatment is not just about reducing fear in the moment. It is about regaining control over life and reducing the long-term effects of anxiety. When you’ve addressed the phobia, you can enjoy:
- Improved Quality of Life – Therapy reduces avoidance behaviors, allowing people to participate in activities they once feared.
- Better Physical Health – With less stress and anxiety, the body spends less time in fight-or-flight mode, improving sleep, energy, and overall health.
- Stronger Coping Skills – Through treatment, individuals learn techniques to manage fear responses, which can be applied beyond the phobia itself.
- Reduced Risk of Escalation – Addressing a phobia early prevents it from worsening or leading to additional anxiety conditions.
Phobias can impact relationships as well, as they can interrupt vacations or make it harder to enjoy some things as a couple.
Phobias respond well to therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and more. Treatment is often shorter than people expect, and many find significant improvement after only a few sessions.
Phobias may feel manageable when avoided, but avoidance comes at the cost of freedom. Treating a phobia means gaining back the ability to make choices without fear dictating the outcome. Let’s treat your phobias today. Contact me and let’s get started.