Phobia Treatment in Non-Traditional Venues

For those with ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) or arachnophobia (fear of spiders) there is now a novel place to get help. The Bristol Zoo in England is offering two seminars specifically for those who have a fear of snakes and spiders. The classes will be led by zoo staff and include a counselor who specializes in phobias. These programs allow those with ophidiophobia and arachnophobia the opportunity to face their fears head-on. The zoo also offers a follow-up course for those who have already attended prior spider phobia courses and want a refresher.

On a similar front, the Royal School for Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland has recently begun to offer specialized training specifically for veterinary students who have phobias of exotic animals. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people having exotic animals such as snakes and rats as pets. As a result, there is a rising demand for veterinarians who can provide health care for these animals. However, enough veterinary students have fears of these types of animals that the Royal School now offers this specialized approach to help student vets conquer their phobias.

It is unfortunate that more schools, organizations, and businesses don’t offer programs that address the phobias of their consumer base. For example, a number of airlines used to offer programs to help customers move beyond their aerophobia (fear of flying). American, Delta, and Northwest airlines all had programs for aerophobia, and all were based on the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). One can guess that the financial woes currently being experienced by most airline companies may have played a role in the demise of these offerings.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Phobias

All of the above examples point to how phobias impact peoples’ lives, and how non-traditional treatment venues could utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy principles to help address the phobias of their constituents. The OCD Center of Los Angeles has treated a number of clients over the years with similar phobias who unfortunately did not have such options available to them.

In one case, our client was a medical student with severe emetophobia (the fear of vomit and/or vomiting). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) quickly helped him move beyond this fear and get on with his education and career. Likewise, we treated a student getting a degree in biology who was terrified of rats. The first year of his coursework required close contact with lab rats. Even though the rats were dead, our client was still terrified of them. A short course of CBT quickly led to a significant reduction in the phobia. And we have successfully treated numerous clients with a fear of flying who had previously been unable to travel for years.

One of the unfortunate realities of phobias is that many people go years suffering with a condition that is treatable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is relatively quick, and has been repeatedly found by researchers to be the most effective treatment of phobias and other anxiety disorders. If you are experiencing a phobia, you owe it to yourself to find a Cognitive Behavioral therapist who specializes in the treatment of phobias.

•Tom Corboy, MFT, is the director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, a private, outpatient clinic specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions. He can be contacted director@ocdla.com.

Most people who call us with emetophobia are initially quite surprised to learn that this problem has a name, and often equally surprised to learn that they are not the only person in the world to suffer with it. Often, they have secretly struggled with emetophobia for years.  Some have been misdiagnosed with anorexia or depression, and as a result, have wasted years being inappropriately treated for conditions they don’t have.

While the primary fear in emetophobia seems quite simple (the sufferer is terrified by the possibility of vomiting, and/or the possibility of seeing others vomit), the individual’s response to this fear can become quite complex.  Often the person with emetophobia spends hours every day focused on monitoring and controlling how their gastro-intestinal (GI) tract feels.  As a result, every meal becomes a battle to ensure that they never feel any GI discomfort such as gas, cramps, fullness, nausea, etc.  In practical terms, this often means having very restricted diets because the client is afraid of any food that they believe may possibly lead to any GI distress.  This also often means that restaurants, parties, and family gatherings are simply off limits, as the client may fear eating even “safe” foods any place but home.

In many cases, the client has adopted numerous non-food based avoidant strategies in an effort to ensure they never experience any GI distress.  This can include avoidance of television programs or movies with images they fear will cause GI distress, not driving or flying, and avoidance of socializing with friends whom they associate with the possibility of GI distress.

Unfortunately, family and friends of people with emetophobia are often dismissive of the suffering experienced by the individual with this sometimes crippling problem.  Equally problematic are family members who enable and accommodate the problem, which usually results in a worsening of symptoms.

Fortunately, emetophobia responds extremely well to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  While this treatment requires a strong commitment on the part of the client, the results can be life changing.  If one is willing to challenge their fears, they can, over a relatively short period of time, regain normal eating habits, and put an end to the avoidant strategies so commonly seen in emetophobia.

•Tom Corboy, MFT, is the director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, a private, outpatient clinic specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions.  He can be contacted director@ocdla.com.