Phobias
A phobia is not a failure of nerve. It is a fear response that has become disproportionate to the actual risk, and it responds well to treatment.
This page is a working draft. It has not yet been reviewed and approved by our clinical team, and it is not indexed by search engines until it is.
What this is about
Flying, needles, dogs, heights, vomiting, lifts, driving: the content varies and the mechanism is the same. Avoidance brings immediate relief, which teaches the brain that the avoidance is what kept you safe, and so the world quietly narrows. Most people know the fear is out of proportion, which is why being told so does not help.
What work here looks like
Graded exposure has strong evidence here. It is done collaboratively and in steps you agree, not by being pushed into the thing you fear.
Nothing on this page is a diagnosis. If you are in immediate danger or worried you might act on thoughts of harming yourself, please contact Tele-MANAS (14416 or 1-800-89-14416, available 24×7 across India) or your local emergency services.
Where this often overlaps.
