Encountering certain obstacles or situations may leave one frightened, such as being afraid of the dark, high heights, or animals. Most of us are able to remain calm, rationalize the situation, and find a way around it, but this doesn’t work everyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 10 million adults live with some kind of phobia.
What is a phobia?
Phobias, according to the American Psychological Association, are intense fears that result in distress and can be intrusive. Individuals with this anxiety disorder have an irrational fear of things that don’t pose any real threat.
Here are a few examples of common phobias:
- Arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders
- Acrophobia, this is the fear of heights
- Agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in a situation you can’t escape from
The American Psychiatric Association simplified the symptoms into two points:
- An out-of-proportion reaction, as well as the age playing a role in being inappropriate
- The individual’s capability to behave normally is compromised
Treatment options
I have been trained in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Adaptive Internal Relational Network (AIR Network). Each of these models work well in treating different issues related to trauma.
Book a consultation today with Stefanie. Call 612-386-4864 or book a consultation online.