A specific phobia can make a particular object, situation, or activity feel overwhelmingly dangerous even when part of you recognizes that your fear is greater than the actual risk.
Phobias can involve fears of animals, insects, heights, flying, driving, needles, medical procedures, vomiting, enclosed spaces, or many other experiences. Simply thinking about encountering what you fear may be enough to bring on intense anxiety or dread.
You may go out of your way to avoid the feared situation, depend on someone else to help you face it, or endure it while feeling extremely distressed. Although avoidance can bring immediate relief, it often strengthens the fear over time and may begin to interfere with travel, healthcare, work, relationships, or everyday activities.
Therapy can help you gradually and safely approach what you fear, build confidence in your ability to handle anxiety, and reclaim experiences that fear may have taken away from you. We’ll work collaboratively and move at a pace that feels challenging but manageable—you won’t be expected to face your biggest fear all at once.
Phobias
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Fear of specific animals or insects, such as dogs, snakes, spiders, or insects.
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Fear of specific natural environments or situations, like heights, water, storms, or the dark.
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Fear related to seeing blood or injury, receiving injections, or undergoing medical procedures.
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Fear of specific situations or activities, such as flying, driving, enclosed spaces, or being in crowds
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Various fears, such as fear of choking, fear of vomiting, fear of loud noises, or fear of specific foods. Really anything!
Common Phobias
What this can look like
Feeling Overwhelmed by Fear
Coming across or sometimes even thinking about the feared object or situation can bring on intense anxiety or fear. You may know the level of fear doesn’t quite match the actual danger and still feel unable to control your reaction.
Going Out of Your Way to Avoid It
You may plan around the fear, avoid certain places or situations, ask others to handle things for you, or make changes to your routine so you don’t have to face it. Over time, avoidance can start limiting what you’re able or willing to do.
Feeling Fear in Your Body
Being near the feared situation or anticipating it may bring on a racing heart, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, or other uncomfortable physical sensations. Sometimes the fear can become intense enough to feel like panic.
Worrying About Facing It Before It Happens
The anxiety may begin long before you actually encounter what you fear. You might spend hours or days worrying about an upcoming situation, imagining what could happen, looking for ways to avoid it, or wondering whether you’ll be able to handle the fear.
Fear Getting in the Way of Your Life
A phobia can begin affecting everyday decisions, relationships, travel, work, school, medical care, or activities you’d otherwise want to do. You may find yourself making choices based on avoiding the fear rather than what actually matters to you.
Fear doesn’t have to decide what you can and can’t do
Avoiding what you fear can bring relief in the moment, but over time it can make the fear feel even bigger and your world feel smaller. Treatment can help you gradually approach what you’ve learned to fear, build confidence in your ability to handle discomfort, and make choices based on what you want to do rather than what anxiety tells you to avoid.