Facing a Phobia Alone
Many people are able to overcome a fear without the help of a therapist. The key is an interest and curiosity about learning the process of behavioral therapy, says Wilson. There are three aspects of overcoming a phobia that need to be emphasized: frequency, intensity and duration.
Wilson suggests writing a list of the things you find most threatening about your fear in order of most anxiety-filled to the least. For example, if you are afraid of spiders, arachnophobia, finding a web in your house may cause only a little sense of panic, while encountering a tarantula may send you running in terror. After this list is compiled, stand up to what you dread.
"Confront your fear and allow yourself to be distressed, then hang out in the distress, and pull back when you want," advises Dr. Wilson.
It is normal to be moderately stressed at first. For a fear of spiders, you could first look at photographs, then venture to your basement where a few spider webs may hang. Eventually you'll be able to take a trip to a zoo to see spiders behind glass and even hike through the woods, looking for the eight-legged creatures.
The key is persistence. Once you start confronting a phobia, keep taking tiny steps towards reaching your goal: a life not crippled by anxiety and worry.
"If you just begin to chip away at your fear, you'll be surprised how far you might get," says Dr. Wilson.
