How to reduce fear from therapyImage Credit Source: Getty Images
Can phobias be cured forever? Who does not feel afraid? Everyone feels fear, but the fear of someone goes beyond a limit called phobia. Phobia is not a normal fear, this is a mental condition. Sometimes we are very scared of something. Like someone is afraid of height. Some with water, some with darkness and some from the crowd. This fear gradually dominates our life.
Many times we start running away from things to avoid that fear. For example, if someone is afraid of climbing in the lift, he starts climbing the stairs. If someone is nervous in the crowd, then it starts to avoid functions like party or marriage. When this fear starts affecting everyday life, it is called phobia.
Can phobia end completely?
Dr. AK Kumar in Psychiatry Department at District Hospital in Ghaziabad It is said that the roots of this fear are often in our mind. Many times it is associated with any childhood experience and sometimes an accident or bad memory becomes the reason for this. It is not easy to understand and overcome this fear but it is not impossible either. Can a person who is afraid of height can stand on the top of the mountain without panic? The answer is yes, but this requires the right therapy and professional help. And this is where exposure therapy comes here.
What is exposure therapy?
This is a kind of psychotherapy that makes the person aware of his fear slowly and in a controlled manner. Meaning, if someone is afraid of darkness, then he is kept for a while in light darkness. Then gradually the level of time and darkness is increased. This process is so slow that the brain gets time to deal with that fear. And gradually the body learns to accept that fear like a normal state.
Systematic disassementation
- Therapists carry this process forward according to the convenience of the person. In the beginning, only that fear is imagined. Then videos or photos are shown. After this, fear is faced in real situation. This is called ‘Systematic Dysensitization’. The advantage of this is that the brain is explained peacefully that this fear is not really dangerous.
- The most important in exposure therapy is to seek the help of professional. Doing this process by yourself without training can have the opposite effect. Many times people want to face fear in shock, but this can have a bad effect on the brain. Therefore, gradually, this therapy should be done in controlled and professional guidance.
- The effect of this therapy is slowly visible. May be fear in the beginning, but in a few weeks the person starts feeling change. The confidence starts returning and those things that seemed impossible now seem to be normal.
So if you also have phobia from something, whether it is water, height, animal or closed space, there is no need to panic. With the help of scientific technology like exposure therapy, you can beat that fear. It is necessary to take the initiative.