Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Phobias – What is it and Can it Help?
Reviewed by 
Dr Sheri Jacobson
CBT stands for cognitive behavioural therapy, which is an effective treatment for behavioural and emotional problems. It helps patients to identify and understand their fear, and then from this, learn to overcome their fear response.
How are Phobias formed?
Many phobias are believed to be a result of a process called classical conditioning.
For example: If every time a person sees a dog it either bites or barks loudly at that person, the person begins to feel anxious or scared. The dog becomes the object of the person’s fear, and the biting or barking is the cause of this fear. Then upon seeing a dog again, which results in the same negative experience, the person begins to form a phobia. This means that in the future, just seeing a dog that is not vicious in any way will still make the person feel emotions of fear. The development of this fear is called acquisition.
Inheriting Phobias
Fears are not just developed from exposure to an object. It can often be inherited from parents who cause their offspring to become wary of certain things, creating a phobia. Indeed it is believed that mothers who are overtly fearful are more likely to pass on high fear levels to their children.
How can CBT help?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapies are designed to focus on specific behaviours or symptoms, and the cause of them. This means the core cause of the fear is identified and targeted within the treatment, in order to change it, which then reduces or alters the resulting behaviours and symptoms.
With specific phobias, treatment often entails the learning of the nature of the fear; cognitive work that helps to introduce different thoughts and alter previous misconceptions of the feared object or situation; and systematic imaginal and in vivo exposure to the feared object or situation.
Over a period of time, this can lead to the patient associating the previously negatively perceived object, within a more positive light. In fact many CBTs lead to significant symptom reduction, in as little as 10-20 sessions.
Harley Therapy can help with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to treat phobias. Call 0845 474 1724 for more information or to book an appointment or use our online booking form.
1 Comment
Hi, I have seen a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with "childhood trauma", and forwarded me for "psychotherapy", however, my gp through my contact with NHS 24, an automated service, has put me forward for CBT....as i have not spoken or seen my gp for a 2 year period, this came out of the "blue".....i got angry, then confused due to the confusion of a letter sent to me, while i see a Cpn, never a GP, this was quite a shock, as i am suffering deep anxiety have had hallucinations & been confused....., in day to day life, i have been isolating & had issues with a tenant above me, a young boy, i have had to contact housing support & also deal with the very loud banging effects of "waterhammer" also, this all lead to me breaking down in tears & confusion, forgetfullness & my mind going blank a lot. Since then i have had a lot of aches & pains, but have been out walking with a friend, enjoying nature, away from the upset at my flat, i am doing better i am prescribed Valium, but, i began to have v sore lower legs, my heart rate increased & i felt more anxious, so i read up on how Valium over long term usage ironically reverses into giving you the very symptoms you had for being prescribed it. I have now stopped using it. Kind regards
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