Phobias & Fears: An In-Depth Guide to Overcoming Them

A fear is a widely recognised and common experience. However, phobias are irrational fears that exceed the boundaries of a typical fear response. This comprehensive guide provides in-depth insights and practical steps to address these intense fears.

In this article, the term ‘phobias’ will be used to refer to fears, as they are closely related and often overlap in meaning.

What are fears and phobias?

Fears are a natural response to perceived danger. They act as a natural protective mechanism to help individuals avoid situations that may harm them. For example, a fear of heights may prevent someone from getting too close to the edge of a cliff. Fear serves a fundamental purpose in human survival but it varies in intensity from person to person.

Phobias, however, are intense, irrational fears of specific objects, situations, or activities. Unlike general fears, phobias often trigger overwhelming anxiety and over-the-top reactions, leading to avoidance behaviours that disrupt daily life. Common examples include arachnophobia (fear of spiders), acrophobia (fear of heights), and claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces).

What is the difference between a fear and a phobia?

The key difference between a fear and a phobia lies in their intensity and impact. Fear is a natural, temporary emotional response to a real or perceived threat, typically subsiding once the threat passes. This reaction is normal and often plays a protective role.

A phobia, however, is an excessive and persistent fear, usually triggered by something that poses little or no actual danger. Phobias cause significant distress and can disrupt daily life. For instance, someone with a phobia of flying may refuse to board an aeroplane, even at the cost of missing a crucial event.

At Radiant Flow, we further differentiate between fears and phobias with an important distinction: a fear usually has a known origin, such as a traumatic experience like a drowning incident, while a phobia often lacks a logical origin and usually emerges at a very young age.

Is it normal to have a phobia?

Fears are much more common than phobias, which are less frequent. A phobia should not be considered normal, as it can greatly disrupt a person’s life, depending on its nature. For instance, someone with severe claustrophobia might entirely avoid lifts, posing a significant challenge for them if they live in a city.

However, it is important to recognise that phobias are a legitimate and treatable condition within the field of mental health.

Is a phobia a mental illness?

Yes, a phobia is classified as a type of anxiety disorder; a recognised mental health condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a specific phobia.

While phobias are indeed a form of mental illness, they vary in severity and impact. Many individuals with phobias lead healthy, productive lives, particularly when they seek treatment and support.

What are the symptoms of phobias?
Symptoms of phobias can manifest both physically and psychologically as the following symptoms when exposed to the phobic stimulus:

• Intense anxiety or panic
• Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating or trembling
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Nausea or gastrointestinal distress
• An overwhelming need to escape or avoid the feared object or situation
• A sense of losing control or impending doom
• Uncontrollable crying

Such symptoms can be debilitating, making it difficult for individuals to function normally in situations where they might encounter their phobia.

How to diagnose or test for a phobia?

Diagnosing a phobia usually requires a thorough evaluation by a mental health professional, though it does not involve lab tests. The evaluation process may include:

• A detailed discussion of symptoms and their impact on daily life
• A review of medical and psychological history
• Questionnaires or assessment tools to determine the severity of the phobia
• Observation of behaviour in situations that trigger fear

While a formal diagnosis can provide clarity, it is not always necessary for developing an effective treatment plan. Awareness of the symptoms often suffices, particularly in therapeutic settings such as hypnotherapy. In these cases, understanding the symptoms is often enough to ensure a successful therapy session.

What causes a phobia?

The general consensus across numerous authoritative websites is the exact cause of phobias is unclear. These contributing factors are normally highlighted:

• Genetic predisposition: A family history of anxiety disorders may increase the likelihood of developing a phobia.
• Traumatic experiences: A frightening or traumatic event, especially in childhood, can trigger the onset of a phobia.
• Environmental influences: Learned behaviours from parents or peers, such as a parent’s fear of dogs, can influence the development of phobias.
• Brain chemistry: Imbalances in brain chemicals that regulate mood and anxiety may also play a role.

Radiant Flow therapists believe that everything in life has an origin. Since phobias lack a clear present-day cause, we may need to look further back in time for answers, particularly to past lives.

In the paper “Phobias in Children Who Claim to Remember Previous Lives”, Dr Ian Stevenson explores the possible connection between phobias and the manner of death in a previous life. He notes,

In a series of 387 children who claimed to remember a previous life phobias occurred in 141 (36%).The phobias nearly always corresponded to the mode of death in the life of the deceased person the child claimed to remember. They usually manifested between the ages of 2 and 5, and sometimes the child showed the phobia in early infancy before it had begun to speak about a previous life. The phobias did not derive from imitating another member of the family or from any postnatal traumatic experience. They seem to require some paranormal explanation of which, however, reincarnation is only one.

This idea has also sparked discussion among Quora members, who have considered the possibility of such a link.

While the notion of a past life death contributing to a present-day phobia may seem unconventional, we urge readers to approach this subject with an open mind and explore the evidence. Numerous anecdotal accounts suggest a possible connection between phobias and past life traumas. If traditional therapy does not resolve the phobia, it may be worth considering alternative and less conventional approaches.

What are the natural treatments for phobias?

Several natural treatments may help individuals manage phobias:

• Past Life Regression Therapy: PLRT brings the subject back to a past life to search for answers to the phobia. It’s very similar to hypnotherapy in that the therapist looks for root cause of the problem during the session, except that this time we look for the trauma in a past life. Neutralising the trauma heals the phobia.
• Hypnotherapy: An alternative to past life regression therapy is hypnotherapy combined with inner child healing. The past life trauma always comes alive in the present day personality through a trigger event. By identifying the trigger event and diminishing the emotions behind it, the phobia may be neutralised. Hypnotherapy works to great lengths on a fear because it originates from present-day trauma.
• EFT Tapping: This self-help method works similarly to hypnotherapy by neutralising the emotions behind the phobia. Recalling the triggering element of the phobia causes the emotions to resurface, allowing the subject to tap on bodily meridian points to release the emotions and thus reduce the severity of the phobia. However, it may not completely eliminate the phobia because it doesn’t enable you to go deep enough during a session to pinpoint and neutralise the root cause.
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming: NLP is a well-known method often used by counsellors and coaches alike to help their clients reprogram their mind. The method relies on communicating with the subconscious mind indirectly through inference to convince it to negate the phobic behaviour.
• Reiki Healing: Beyond the mind and body, we have an energy field that interacts with our environment. Reiki, much like Qigong or Taiji, works by channeling healing energy into the body, helping to restore balance and lessen the effects of the phobia.
• Sound Healing and Sound Bath: With the body consisting of 70% water, sound vibrations can have a subtle yet tangible impact. Whether through a one-on-one sound healing session or a group sound bath, practitioners use sound bowls to produce vibrations that restore harmony and balance to the body, much like Reiki but using sound as the medium.