Decide to face your fears this Halloween using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

October 31, 8:13 AMHealth and Science ExaminerP. Elizabeth Anderson

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Fear of clowns is a common phobia. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Halloween. No better time to talk about phobias. Snakes, spiders, heights, closed spaces, clowns, needles, birds…. oh my.  

Try to stay with me.  Reading this article will be tough for many of you, but just relax and breathe as you scroll down the photos.  You can do it!

We love a good scare, but a phobia goes beyond healthy fear or fright for fun. A phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of something that poses no actual threat or danger.   Phobias are actually a type of anxiety disorder, which are fundamentally a fear, and quite common. Phobias are in the same class as post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder.

Face your fear of spiders, like this Golden Orb. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Although phobias pose no threat, a person with a phobia can put himself or herself in harm’s way to avoid the object of their phobia. When a fear interferes with daily functioning, it is considered a phobia.

Some people have simple phobias, which means they are afraid of one object or activity, say spiders or crossing bridges. People with complex phobias have several anxieties, such as fear of planes, social phobias, and public speaking. Sorry, am I making you sweat? The list of things that can cause anxiety are endless.

Typically, anxieties do not disappear on their own and may worsen without treatment. No need to be embarrassed about phobias. More than 10 million Americans suffer from some sort of phobia, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. One of the best things you can do is face your fears. Easier said that done, I know.

Snakes, the #1 phobia on many lists. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety disorders, including phobias. CBT focuses on changing your response to the object of your fear. You gain confidence as you confront the fear without consequence. That which does not kill you really does make you stronger.

For instance, I am not crazy about spiders. Using CBT and exposure techniques, I progressed from carrying a book with a picture of a spider in the trunk of my car to holding in my palm a clear glass jar containing a spider. Now, I’m sweating. I’m still not crazy about spiders, but my fear is controlled.

Treatment of phobias is moving into another realm as researchers are using neuroimaging techniques like positron-emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to understand what happens in the brain when a person encounters a phobia, as well as during treatment. This will lead to even more sophisticated treatments.

Findings indicate that the amygdala (uh-MIG-Duh-La)—a small, almond-shaped structure in the middle of the brain's temporal lobes--is involved. The amydgala is associated with arousal and autonomic (involuntary) responses to fear, so it makes sense that it would be involved.

Source: Winerman, APA Monitor, Volume 36, 7, 2005