Overcome Your Battle Against Phobias With Online Therapy

Are you dealing with a phobia that is severely holding you back in your life? Are you avoiding certain situations due to a fear you feel you can’t control?

It is no secret that phobias of all types have the ability to limit the things you do during your daily life and they can cause severe anxiety and depression putting you into a state of panic.

Find out more about how we can help you overcome your phobias.

FAQs.

What causes phobias?
There is no particular cause of phobias, but there are several factors that might play a key role:

Particular incidents or traumas. For example, someone who experiences a lot of turbulence on a plane at a young age might later develop a phobia about flying.

Learned responses, picked up in early life. Factors in the family environment, such as parents who are very worried or anxious, can have an effect on the way you cope with anxiety in later life. You might develop the same specific phobia as a parent or older sibling.
Genetics. Some research suggests that some people are more vulnerable to developing a phobia than others.

Responses to panic or fear. If you have a strong reaction (or panic attack) in response to a particular situation or object, and you find this embarrassing or people around you react strongly, it can cause you to develop more intense anxiety about being in that situation again.

Long-term stress can cause feelings of anxiety and depression, and reduce your ability to cope in particular situations. This can make you feel more fearful or anxious about being in those situations again and, over a long period, could lead to you developing a phobia.

How do I know if I have a phobia?
A person is diagnosed with a major depression when he or she experiences at least five of the symptoms listed below for two consecutive weeks. At least one of the five symptoms must be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
Symptoms include:
  • Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities most of the day, nearly every day
  • Changes in appetite that result in weight losses or gains unrelated to dieting
  • Changes in sleeping patterns
  • Loss of energy or increased fatigue
  • Restlessness or irritability
  • Feelings of anxiety
  • Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or hopelessness
  • Inappropriate guilt
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or attempts at suicide
How common are phobias?
Phobias are more common than you might think: they are the most common type of anxiety disorder.
  • It is estimated that in the UK alone, 10 million people have phobias
  • They can affect anyone, regardless of social background, sex and age
  • The top ten most common phobias in the UK are debatable and each study has a different answer, however, among those that appear in most lists are: Arachnophobia – spiders, Claustrophobia – closed spaces, Emetophobia – vomit, Agoraphobia and social phobias.
How do I treat my phobia?
The good news is almost all phobias can be successfully treated and cured. The old school treatment of simple phobias was called ”systematic desensitisation”, in which people were exposed to their fear in a hierarchical way (a step by step approach increasing one’s exposure to the fear), ending the exposure once the person became anxious and then start all over again, going one step further.
Nowadays, with the introduction of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), the treatment becomes more intense. Not only the person gets exposed to the fear, but when he/she becomes anxious, the exposure doesn’t end and instead he/she gets taught how to deal with those feelings.
Treating complex phobias often involves:
  • Talking therapies such as counselling
  • Psychotherapy
  • CBT as mentioned above.
  • Medication is occasionally prescribed to help sufferers cope with their anxiety, but is not routinely prescribed as a treatment for phobias.
This treatment can take some time and often has a focus on the root cause of the fear and underlying anxiety.
What are the most common phobias?
The top 10 most common phobias in the UK are believed to be the following:
  1. Heights (Acrophobia)
  2. Public speaking (Glossophobia)
  3. Snakes (Ophidiophobia)
  4. Flying (Aerophobia)
  5. Spiders (Arachnophobia)
  6. Crowds/Being outside (Agoraphobia)
  7. Vomit (Emetophobia)
  8. Enclosed spaces (Claustrophobia)
  9. Mice and rats (Musophobia)
  10. The dark (Nyctophobia)
How long should I use your services?

This really depends on the severity of your mental health. However, we recommend our clients meet with their therapist for a minimum of six sessions in order to uncover some of the valuable lessons and teachings that you can begin to use in your day to day life that will help you to deal with your mental health for the rest of your life.

Can I choose my own therapist?
Of course! You get to choose your therapist at the time of booking, and if you decide that you would like to change at any point, you can simply switch to a new therapist whenever you choose.
Does online therapy really work?

Absolutely! There are a wide selection of studies that prove online therapy is just as effective, if not more effective, than traditional face-to-face therapy. Our therapy provides you with the information, tools and guidance that you need to overcome your problems, with the help of your therapist.

How do I speak to my therapist?

You will communicate with your therapist via a secure, encrypted, online video call. The software we use is called Zoom which is really simple and easy to use. If at any point you would like to speak to somebody, you can contact us through our website and we’ll be on hand ASAP.

Is my information secured & confidential?

Yes! All of the information you provide is saved anonymously on our secure system that has been approved by the National Care Guidelines. Only you and your therapist will know what has been discussed. If you would like any information to be deleted or kept “off-record” simply let your therapist know and they’ll ensure everything is deleted straight away.