Phobias and Occupational Therapy

I was reading articles on BBC news, and I came across this one about phobias.

To read the article follow this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54973402

The new series of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ started on Sunday 15th November and one contestant, Radio 1 DJ Jordan North has caught the attention of national news due to his reactions to extreme phobias. Jordan’s reactions may seem like major entertainment to the nation but are actually incredibly terrifying for the person experiencing them. So where do phobias come from and how can an Occupational Therapist help in overcoming a phobia?

Did you read our previous blog about anxiety? Read it here. 

What is a phobia?

According to the NHS website:

‘A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. Phobias are more pronounced than fears. They develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object.’ 

In some cases, a phobia can be so severe, a person may organise their life around avoiding the thing causing them extreme anxiety, which can lead to restrictions on their day to day life and can cause a heightened amount of distress. 

What are the main symptoms of phobias?

A few main symptoms of phobias could be:

  • Sweating

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Dizziness

  • Shaking

  • Increased heart rate and/or heart palpitations

  • Shortness in breath

What causes a phobia?

There is no definite answer to this question. Some phobias are thought to be inherited from your parents, others believe phobias are learned behaviours from observing someone close to you, and some phobias may develop due to a traumatic experience the individual has encountered. For example, if someone was bitten by a dog, they could then develop a phobia of dogs. 

How can an Occupational Therapist help to overcome a phobia?

An Occupational Therapist by definition helps clients to overcome challenges and barriers in their life which are preventing them from achieving goals and doing what they want to do. So if phobias are getting in the way of day to life,  causing extreme symptoms, avoidance behaviours and are having a detriment to health, we can help!

By using specialist techniques and methods, open and transparent communication and support we can help to overcome phobias through graded exposure and introducing new coping strategies which will improve quality of life and get the client doing what they want to do. 

Whether phobias impact on your life, someone you know or even an employee or colleague, there is support available.

We would love to be of help, so please do not hesitate to get in contact with our team.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact us:

Visit our contact us page
You can email us at office@katemeadsassociates.com
or you can telephone us on 01264 326308