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Phobias & Fears
Taking Fear Out Of And Managing Phobias
There is a difference between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and specific phobias (SP’s).
“GAD is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about everyday things that is disproportionate to the actual source of worry. This excessive worry often interferes with daily functioning, as individuals suffering from GAD typically anticipate disaster, and are overly concerned about everyday matters such as health issues, death, family problems, friend problems, relationship problems, or work difficulties. They often exhibit a variety of physical symptoms, including fatigue, fidgeting, headaches, nausea, numbness in their hands and feet, muscle tension, muscle aches, hyperventilation, difficulty swallowing, fast heart rate, and sweating. These symptoms must be consistent and on-going, persisting at least 6 months, for a formal diagnosis of GAD to be introduced.”*
Children with GAD may worry about many things, not just one thing. Their typical thought processes may include all of the following: What if a burglar breaks into our home and kidnaps me? What if there is an earthquake? What if dad is in an auto accident on his way to work? Oh, my gosh, mom is two minutes late in picking me up now; what if she forgot about me or got lost? The patient thinks in this fashion to the point that this thinking and worrying gets in the way of his/her daily life.
Another example would be a boy who was afraid of dogs. During school, he would worry, “What if there is a dog on the playground at recess?…or, what if, on my way home from school today, there is a dog that is not on a leash?” Sadly, the boy would think about this so much during the day that he had trouble focusing and concentrating in school.
“Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of GAD. A basic concept in CBT treatment of anxiety disorders is in vivo exposure: exposure to the actual, feared stimulus. This treatment is based on the theory that the fear response has been classically conditioned and that avoidance negatively reinforces and maintains that fear. Through exposure to the stimulus, this conditioning can be unlearned; this is referred to as extinction and habituation.”*
If someone has GAD, then medical hypnosis alone is not the answer. Hypnosis can be used as an adjunctive tool, in addition to CBT, for patients with this disorder.
By contrast, SP’s may be helped with medical hypnosis. Examples of SP’s include: fear of flying, fear of heights, fear of spiders/animals, and fear of needles. Performance anxiety is another example, and may include sports performance anxiety (for more on this, visit the section on sports performance enhancement), test anxiety, musical performance anxiety such as a recital or a dance, etc.
* From Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.
To contact Dr. Lazarus, you may phone him at: 650-322-5333. Or, email him a brief form.
