• Dogs, spiders, insects, birds, rodents

• Needles
• Blood
• Vomiting (emetophobia)
• Doctors, dentists, hospitals
• Seeing or discussing medical procedures

• Heights
• Thunderstorms
• Water or drowning
• Darkness

• Driving
• Flying
• Elevators
• Bridges
• Tunnels
• Claustrophobia

• Fear of choking, fainting, or losing control
• Fear of panic symptoms (interoceptive phobia)

• Balloons
• Costumed characters
• Specific textures
• Holes or clusters (trypophobia—technically not classified but common)

You may be dealing with a phobia if:

• The fear is intense and immediate
• You go out of your way to avoid the trigger
• You experience physical anxiety reactions
• The fear interferes with normal life or responsibilities
• You feel out of control even though you logically understand the fear is disproportionate

Specific phobias are extremely common and can begin in childhood or adulthood. They often coexist with:

• Social Anxiety
• Panic disorder
• OCD
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Medical avoidance

Avoidance

• Rearranging routines to stay away from the feared object or situation
• Avoiding travel, medical care, or necessary tasks
• Exaggerated planning or escape strategies
   

• Rapid heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or nausea
• Sweating or shaking
• Feeling trapped, frozen, or out of control
   

• Fear weeks or months before a future event (e.g., a flight)
• Constant scanning for potential triggers
• Rumination about “what if” scenarios
   

• Bringing someone along
• Avoiding eye contact with the object
• Sitting near exits
• Using distractions or rituals

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy, is an effective treatment that gradually and repeatedly exposes you to the feared stimulus until the fear response decreases.

Exposure-based treatment helps by:

• Reducing sensitivity to the feared object or situation
• Interrupting the avoidance-relief cycle
• Allowing the brain to learn new, accurate associations
• Increasing tolerance for physical sensations linked to fear
   

Exposure methods may include:

Direct, real-life exposure (e.g., sitting in a car, looking at a spider, entering an elevator).

Practicing feared bodily sensations (e.g., dizziness, shortness of breath) to decrease fear of panic symptoms.

Using written or verbal exercises for situations that can’t be easily recreated (e.g., flying phobia, medical procedures).

Building a hierarchy of triggers from least to most distressing and working through them systematically.

Exposure is always planned, collaborative, and done at a pace designed to reduce avoidance—not overwhelm.