Some people suffer from an intense fear of things and situations that are unlikely to harm them. Phobias can actually prevent individuals from functioning regularly in their daily lives. Some common phobias include heights, small spaces, flying, snakes, spiders, needles, and being alone. However, many people suffer from lesser-known phobias.
Having a severe phobia can be draining, especially since your trigger may be something you’re exposed to regularly or something that you have no control over. For example, you’re afraid of heights and your office is on the top floor of a high-rise building.
Many people suffer from the anxiety of feeling self-conscious about their phobias. However, there is nothing to be ashamed of because having a phobia is a fairly common disorder and in order to overcome your phobia, you must not hide from it. The most effective approach to relieving your phobia symptoms long-term is to address the cause. More often than not, phobias stem from trauma so addressing and overcoming past experiences is pivotal. Recovering from trauma is a long journey so as you work on it; you can use the tools below to learn how to cope with the symptoms of your phobia in the meantime!
1. Sit Back and Rely On Relaxation
Some physical and emotional feelings you may experience when you’re exposed to your phobia may include increased heartbeat, shaking, and overwhelming anxiety. Instead of trying to avoid your trigger, rely on relaxation. When you start to notice these symptoms surfacing, acknowledge the way you are feeling but don’t become alarmed by these feelings. Instead, remember that you’re safe and even though the discomfort you’re feeling is distressing, it cannot cause you harm.
It’s important to remember that even though you may not be able to control being exposed to your phobia, you can control your reaction to it. Furthermore, having support makes facing any difficult situation less overwhelming. So, sometimes simply having a hand to hold can bring a lot of relief.
2. Do Something Distracting
Daydreaming can be a beneficial activity for you if you have a phobia. When confronted by your phobia, think of a happy memory or a soothing, safe place. Another great way to distract your mind is to engage in a mental exercise like counting or naming off state capitals. You can train your mind to associate your phobia with the positive feelings you experience when you think of something appealing. Given the brain’s neuroplasticity or more simply put, ability to be “rewired, it is possible to change the way you perceive your phobia. Since phobias are irrational fears, you can’t be hurt or distressed by your phobia if you pay it no attention.
3. Don’t Run Away, Face Phobia Head On
Facing your phobia head-on may sound like an overwhelming challenge at first, but remember what you know about your phobia. That is, your phobia cannot hurt you and the best way to learn that is by facing it. When you face your phobia and nothing bad happens, outside of emotional discomfort, you’ll start to lose your fear. This is a common practice used by professional therapists when treating clients with phobias. For example, if you have a fear of bridges then riding as a passenger in a car across a short bridge would be a great first step for you in facing your phobia. By continually exposing yourself to your phobia you’ll eventually overcome the discomfort it’s causing you altogether.
4. Establish a Hierarchy
If you’re absolutely overwhelmed by the thought of facing your fears then this is a favorable approach for you. By establishing a hierarchy, you take baby steps to confront what triggers your anxiety. For example, if you were afraid of snakes, then your first step would be to view photographs of snakes. The next step would be to view a snake video. Over time, you’ll develop enough confidence to visit a snake at a zoo or aquarium. Eventually, you’ll come into contact with a snake in a controlled setting and even pet the snake. This approach, favored by behavioral psychologists, will help you gradually build the confidence you need to overcome your phobia.
5. Challenge It Intellectually
This next step is all about reason! What’s upsetting you? For example, let’s pretend you’re afraid of flying in planes. Are you’re afraid of being in the air because you fear heights? Do you fear heights because you fear falling? You must begin to ask yourself the specifics of what is bothering you. Once you’ve determined what’s bothering you specifically in relation to your trigger, you need to do some research. Finding statistics about what you fear will help you confront your phobia from an intellectual angle. By relying on factual information, you’re challenging your phobia entirely because the very existence of your irrational fear relies on falsehood.
6. Practice Mindfulness and Be Aware
The average person spends many hours out of their day on autopilot. Challenge yourself to diverge from this norm and become more aware of your environment. Practicing awareness is about observing subtle details about your surroundings and being conscious of the way you feel. By being aware, you’ll have a lot more control over your emotional, mental, and physical state than you usually do. This coping mechanism pairs well with the other methods in this list, because it’ll help you determine where you need support. For example, perhaps you’ll become aware that you’re experiencing physical symptoms like heavy breathing or increased heartbeat. Then, you’ll be able to focus on specifically applying breathing techniques.
7. Rely On Breathing
Relying on your breath to guide you through anxiety-inducing situations is key to overcoming your fears. Breathing is a subconscious action that we don’t bring our attention to enough. By focusing on deep and steady breathing, you’ll divert your attention from what’s causing your stress. Follow the steps below to reconnect with your breath.
Close your eyes or lower your gaze
Sit up straight and lower your shoulders
Take a deep breath in through your nose and hold momentarily
Through your mouth, exhale fully
Repeat the previous two steps, inhaling and exhaling fully for at least 2 to 3 minutes
8. Play Muscle Games
Muscle games were first used to help children who were experiencing anxiety, but an effective tool for coping with phobias as well. Your muscles naturally tense and tighten when you feel stressed. This also worsens emotional symptoms and causes further discomfort overall. To play a muscle game you tighten the muscle in a controlled manner for 10 to 15 seconds and then release. When you release the muscle, you’re also stretching it, which alleviates the stress-induced muscle tension. This technique can be repeated and use on various muscles in the body. Muscle games and breathing techniques can be paired to fully relieve any physical discomfort you experience when confronted by your phobia.
9. Be Aware Of the Effects Of Caffeine
Coffee and other caffeinated drinks can cause overstimulation and increased anxiety. In fact, if you have consumed caffeine you are more likely to experience difficulty when facing your phobia. Caffeine can make it more challenging to focus on effectively integrating the helpful coping mechanisms you’ve learned into your behavior. In addition, being over-caffeinated can cause you to worry. This may lead to unnecessary anxiety from just thinking about your phobia. If you can’t part with caffeine then reduce your caffeine intake. Try lightly caffeinated teas instead of coffee. If you know you are going to face your phobia then avoid caffeine altogether before and afterward.
10. Be Kind and Reward Yourself
Practice some self-love instead of beating yourself up about your phobia. One way you can do this by setting goals and rewarding yourself when you meet your goals. For example, if you’ve chosen to establish a hierarchy to face your phobia then every time you succeed at a step give yourself a small gift. This could be a treat like a piece of candy or some kind words. If you don’t meet your goal then remember to be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you tried. After all, trying is the first step to overcoming phobias and an achievement within itself.
