Understanding Strong Fears and Phobias

In our Western culture, we often pride ourselves on our individuality. However, when it comes to our fears, we tend to share more similarities than differences.

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Snakes, spiders, and heights have a knack for reducing many of us to quivering masses. Public speaking? It's like an express ticket to the land of perspiration.

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Certain fears resonate amongst us easily, and others less so. Yet, the stronger fear reactions we have, called Phobias, need not remain shrouded in mystery. According to experts, many are rooted in evolution, emerging as protective responses to perceived threats like venomous bites or confined spaces that leave us susceptible to predators. Alternatively, they can be acquired through observation, whether from parental influence or witnessing harrowing events like near-drownings.

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Fears, at their root, generally make good common sense. After all, fears alert us to situations that could potentially expose people to some form of threat or danger. And fears are proportional and make sense this way, as well, meaning that the lower the person’s perception of threat or danger, the less scared they will feel about that thing or situation. And, for the majority of people, fear responses are normal, don’t disrupt our lives, and are oftentimes protective.

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Consider children, who instinctively shy away from a cliff ledge, recognizing the potential for harm. Similarly, the fear of public speaking, capable of humbling even the most formidable prosecutor, arises from the preference to avoid others’ judgment, fearing that scrutiny of what is said may result in someone deciding we are inept, awkward, weird, unappealing, or unintelligent. It makes sense, then, that individuals may sometimes invest extra effort in preparation to ensure their presentation proceeds without a hitch. These responses to fear are adaptive and helpful.

However, for some individuals grappling with irrational or exaggerated responses to feared stimuli, known as phobias, a different breed of anxiety takes hold. Take Dr. Boksman, for example, who once battled a fear of heights for as long as she could remember, rendering her unable to partake in special and memorable family activities, like helicopter rides or visits to the CN Tower, despite her genuine desire to enjoy these experiences. Phobias, she explains, can strike unexpectedly, with panic attacks manifesting suddenly, accompanied by a rush of impending doom, rapid heartbeat, perspiration, trembling, and chest tightness – as if out of nowhere. The fear of experiencing another episode can propel individuals to great lengths to avoid triggers like bridges, or whatever circumstance sparked the initial reaction.

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In Canada, according to the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, approximately 8.7% of the population experiences a phobic disorder. At 40 million people in Canada (or nearly so), this is just under 3.5 million Canadians who are significantly impacted in some way by their phobias! If this is also you, you're in good company. Notably, those who experience one phobia often find themselves contending with additional fears, as well.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of anxiety disorders appears to be on the rise, according to Dr. Robert Leahy, the director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy. Shockingly, Leahy notes that the average child today experiences anxiety levels comparable to those experienced by psychiatric patients in the 1950s. The rise in anxiety can be linked to many factors that are different in the fabric of today’s social reality compared to that of 75 years ago - social instability, divorce rates, less engagement in community-based activities, larger education class sizes, and greater exposure to negative events in our social media, to name a few. 

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Fear not! (haha! see what we did there?) There's light at the end of the tunnel. While anxiety disorders may be on the rise, treatment options are plentiful and highly effective. At Limestone Clinic, we offer specialized services tailored to treat fears and phobias, employing cutting-edge techniques like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotional Freedom Techniques, and Brainspotting. These methods have shown remarkable results, even for those who have not responded well to traditional approaches. 

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Therapy can help people live normal lives again. But It isn't easy, as treatment for anxiety often involves discussing, thinking about, witnessing, and in some cases even purposefully being near or DOING the thing you’re most afraid of. Being scared of something and doing it anyway to get over it– just plain takes courage. And, it also makes common sense. After all, to get over your fear of dogs, most people understand that, at some point, being around dogs is probably indicated. You have to be really ready to get these changes accomplished to expect good results in your therapy sessions. This is not a passive treatment -- your engagement in the therapy will determine how well it works, as the therapy will require tapping into that well of motivation to feel and do better since your fears will try to tell you that it is better just to avoid the whole endeavour.

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There are some new reasons to be even more optimistic about phobia treatment than ever before - it is now not always necessary to expose yourself to the feared situations or things to recover from them. “Believe it or not, therapy for phobias is also now possible in some clients, without exposure to the feared thing, through use of Brainspotting.” This is how Dr. Boksman recovered from her very notable and uncomfortable fear of heights. “I used to be so fearful of heights that I couldn’t even watch my children playing Legend of Zelda, as their game characters had to scale large structures, resulting in our television set appearing to represent a very risky situation to the character. I used to be so sensitive to my fear of heights, that watching a video game character on my kids’ TV screen would make my hands and feet sweat, and I had to leave the room because I was so uncomfortable.”

Dr. Boksman found relief for her fear of heights, as well as her snake and (yes! haha!) guinea-pig phobias, in a single session of Brainspotting. The following week, Dr. Kris was able to take a helicopter ride with her son - something she had tried to do, but failed to be able to do, for the past 40 years. “I couldn’t really believe that something that had filled me with terror was something I could enjoy. But I did! The helicopter ride was fun, and I plan to do it again. But the benefits of that session didn’t stop there. The following week, when visiting relatives, I also enjoyed holding a snake and letting it coil around the nape of my neck. I kissed the snake on its snout, and was able to feel a real sense of affection for the creature. I was not at all scared or worried. It was such a refreshing change!”

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With courage and the right guidance, therapy can help individuals reclaim their lives from the grip of anxiety, offering newfound freedom and empowerment. Dr. Boksman's own journey from paralyzing fear to exhilarating freedom stands as a testament to the transformative power of effective treatment, done by experienced and knowledgeable treatment providers (she had a session with a Limestone Clinic staff member!). With the right help, recovery from phobias really is possible.