What is The Best Way to Conquer a Fear/Phobia?

Question

What is the best way to conquer a Fear/Phobia, without the need for a psychologist?

Answer 1

A psychotherapist would use systematic desensitization. Take, for example, spiders. You are deathly afraid of spiders. To help you overcome the phobia, I would start with harmless stories and images of spiders, say, Little Miss Muffet who sat on a tuffet, until you felt no fear at all. From there we would progress until you felt no fear in looking at spiders, touching spiders, even licking a spider lovingly. Ha - jus kiddin.

This therapy works, but is often abandoned by the client who would rather stay in their comfortable fear than face it like an adult and wear big-boy pants.

Answer 2

depends how strong the fear is. If a psychologist is too drastic, you can talk to a counselor. A fear is different then a phobia. Being scared of a new situation is a lot different then having a panic attack everytime you step outside. First you need to decide how serious the problem is to see if you need psychiatric help or not.

Answer 3

Conquering fear is very different from conquering a phobia.

If it is just fear of doing something, I say just do it.

If it is a phobia, professional help is advised.

Answer 4

Exposure to the object of fear for short periods of time, increasing the time gradually. As the fear rises , anxiety, rapid heart rate and respiration, adrenaline rush, etc, talk therapy has proved effective. While being exposed to the fear using educational tools to progress the talking is necessary. Like reading about spiders while in the presence of one for someone with arachnophobia.

Answer 5

My abnormal psych prof was a big fan of gradual accustomization though it takes forEVER to get to the point where the fear no longer exists. Example: If you're afraid of spiders, start by looking at a picture of a spider. Keep looking at the pic until it doesn't give you anxeity anymore. Then look at a real spider in a real cage where it cant get out. Then look at a real spider out of the cage but at a safe distance. Then look at the spider up close. Then hold the spider. Voila. No more fear of spiders.

Answer 6

I agree with Lauren -- gradual accustomization is the best, safest way to overcome a phobia. Take baby steps. It might take awhile but in the end, your phobia will be gone!

Answer 7

I have been told you must face your fears/phobias in order to conquer them or it.

But as I know it this is only part of it as I know it.

Once you have discovered the courage inside yourself to face your fears/phobias you must also wrestle with them. You must embrace them. You must subdue them. You must vanquish them. You must defeat them. You must be merciless and never allow them to master you again.

You must unleash the power inside you upon them because of what they stole from you.

And to do this you must become who you are now not. You must discover the power you have inside yourself. And you must unleash that power against the fear and phobia that have robbed you.

And one last thing, you must always remember, once you discover the great and wonderful power you have inside yourself that you bear great responsibility!!!

Answer 8

to conquer your fear, you have to face your fear/phobia, and experience it. then and only then will you be able to overcome it.