Is it possible to overcome phobia

Try to avoid drinking too much tea and coffee, as caffeine can increase anxiety levels. If you are religious or spiritual, this can give you a way of feeling connected to something bigger than yourself. Faith can provide a way of coping with everyday stress, and attending church and other faith groups can connect you with a valuable support network.

Talking therapies, like counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, are very effective for people with anxiety problems, including Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which takes you through a series of self-help exercises on screen. Drug treatments are used to provide short-term help, rather than looking at the root of the anxiety problems. Drugs may be most useful when they are combined with other treatments or support.

You can learn a lot about managing anxiety from asking other people who have experienced it. Our website offers information on mental health, mental health problems, self-help and how to get help. Email: [email protected]. Dialogues Clin Neurosci, 4 , — Haviland-Jones Eds.

Handbook of emotions 2 nd Ed. New York: The Guilford Press. Lewis, J. Feldman Barrett Eds. Handbook of emotion s 3 rd Ed. In: C. Spielberger Ed.

Academic Press: New York, pp. What is Anxiety? The Psychology of Fear and Stress 2 nd ed. Cambridge University Press: New York. They include medicines such as diazepam Valium and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Like antidepressants, benzodiazepines should be stopped gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure hypertension. They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations irregular heartbeat. Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure.

Propranolol Inderal is a beta-blocker that's commonly used to treat anxiety. Possible side effects include:. Page last reviewed: 26 October Next review due: 26 October Treatment - Phobias.

The main treatment types are: self-help techniques talking treatments medication Talking treatments Talking treatments, such as counselling , are often very effective at treating phobias. Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT CBT is a type of counselling that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

Video: psychological therapies for stress, anxiety and depression Animated video explaining self-referral to psychological therapies services for stress, anxiety or depression. More Information Fear of public speaking: How can I overcome it? Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Anxiety disorders. Arlington, Va.

Accessed Sept. Specific phobias fact sheet. National Institute of Mental Illness. Gabbard GO, ed. Specific phobia. In: Gabbard's Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders. Specific phobic disorders. Merck Manual Professional Version. Flooding may be difficult to do, but it's worth a try. If you're about to go into a situation that scares you — such as a crowed mall — think about requesting the company of a friend.

If you afraid of walking alone through the masses, have your friend walk a certain distance ahead of you, and then wait for you to catch up. Gradually you'll work up to walking longer distances alone. And ta-da! This type of fear can be pretty much solved. Support groups help you realize you aren't alone , or weird, or crazy, and knowing this can go a long way in getting past a fear. Plus, being around like-minded people who all want to get better increases your chance of recovery.

So go find a meeting, or a chat group online, and start working on your issues together. It's wonderful if you can feel better on your own. But it's also perfectly OK to help your recovery along with medication, if your doctor sees fit. According to WebMD, there are three types of drugs that work well with phobias. The first are beta blockers, which block the stimulating effects of adrenaline in the body. Then there are antidepressants to help alter your mood.

And finally sedatives, like Xanax, which can help lessen the feeling of anxiety. Ask your doctor which kind would be best. This is a good one for people who don't have the time or the cash for fancy therapy sessions.