What does research indicate is the best treatment for phobias?

What does research indicate is the best treatment for phobias?

The best treatment for specific phobias is a form of psychotherapy called exposure therapy. Sometimes your doctor may also recommend other therapies or medication. Understanding the cause of a phobia is actually less important than focusing on how to treat the avoidance behavior that has developed over time.

What is the psychology behind phobias?

Phobias are thought to be learned emotional responses. It is generally held that phobias occur when fear produced by an original threatening situation is transferred to other similar situations, with the original fear often repressed or forgotten.

Why is it important to research phobias?

However, dysfunction in fear processing can lead to psychiatric disorders in which fear outweighs the danger or possibility of harm. Although recognized as highly debilitating, pathological fear remains insufficiently treated, indicating the importance of research on fear processing.

When does a fear become a phobia in need of treatment?

A fear becomes a phobia when the anticipation, or anxiety, as well as the mental and physical response is so great that is it debilitating and interferes with everyday life.

Which therapy is used for treating phobia?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often the first-line of treatment for phobia. It can help you overcome the negative automatic thoughts that lead to phobic reactions, teaching you to gradually change the way you think to help you overcome your fear.

What causes phobias to develop?

Many phobias develop as a result of having a negative experience or panic attack related to a specific object or situation. Genetics and environment. There may be a link between your own specific phobia and the phobia or anxiety of your parents — this could be due to genetics or learned behavior. Brain function.

Who claimed that phobias can be learned?

Ivan Pavlov pioneered the learning theory by showing that dogs could be trained to salivate when a bell was rung. 1 Since then, numerous psychologists have built on Pavlov’s work to develop more complex theories of human behavior.

What part of the brain is responsible for phobias?

The fear response starts in a region of the brain called the amygdala. This almond-shaped set of nuclei in the temporal lobe of the brain is dedicated to detecting the emotional salience of the stimuli – how much something stands out to us.

Is there a study of phobias?

Researchers are using neuroimaging techniques to delve into the neurobiological underpinnings of phobias, with a view to improving treatments. Comment: More than 10 million adults in the United States suffer from some sort of phobia, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

How do different factors cause certain phobias?

Genetic and environmental factors can cause phobias. Children who have a close relative with an anxiety disorder are at risk of developing a phobia. Distressing events, such as nearly drowning, can bring on a phobia. Exposure to confined spaces, extreme heights, and animal or insect bites can all be sources of phobias.

What are some examples of irrational fears?

Irrational fear : is fear when there is no reason to be afraid. Example : spiders (the harmless ones) when someone freaks out for a spider, this is irrational.

Are fears genetic?

Fear and anxiety are influenced by many genes; there is no such thing as a simple “fear” gene that is inherited from one generation to the next. The genes controlling neurotransmitters and their receptors are all present in several different forms in the general population.