Phobia

A phobia is an extreme fear of a specific object or activity. While everyone is afraid of something, a phobia becomes a problem when it interferes with work or in usual social situations or if the person is markedly distressed about the problem.

What should I do if I need help?

Contact Centerstone to talk with a therapist about phobias and how we can help.

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an extreme fear of a specific object or activity.

While there are many kinds of phobias, some common phobias include:

  • fear of heights
  • fear of spiders
  • fear of certain animals
  • fear of flying in an airplane
  • fear of certain social situations
  • fear of germs

Social phobia

There are many different kinds of social phobias.

One kind of social phobia is when someone has a constant fear of others being critical of him or her. A person with this kind of social phobia may fear that he or she will do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing.

Physical symptoms of phobias

Specific phobias may also involve fear of losing control, panicking and fainting when met with a feared object.

  • feeling hot or flushed
  • pounding heartbeat, chest pain or elevated blood pressure
  • difficulty breathing or hyperventilation
  • dizziness or feeling lightheaded
  • sweating, tingling or hot/cold flashes
  • racing thoughts
  • dry mouth
  • upset stomach or vomiting
  • faintness or fatigue

Emotional symptoms of phobias

  • overwhelming fear or anxiety
  • feeling panicked or trapped
  • feeling detached or not present
  • feeling powerless
  • feeling out of control
  • feeling death is imminent

How can phobias be treated?

When a phobia begins to control your day-to-day life, it is time to seek professional help. Most experts agree that talk therapy works best for treating phobias.

Centerstone staff are trained to help people with phobias safely face their fears so they can overcome them.

If you need help dealing with phobias, contact us today.

We know that there isn’t one solution that works for everyone, so our treatment options include you in the decision-making process.

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Nashville, TN, 37228 United States
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