Hopefully, this episode of the session won't be too scary...Tom said he has a fear of scary! Please enjoy this episode from the 2023 archive!The Session: Phobias No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. I Corinthians 10:13 The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that phobias affect approximately 10% of U.S. adults each year. 328 million people in 2019 6 million adults have phobias Types Fear of Open SpacesAgoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong.Typical agoraphobia symptoms and other symptoms include fear of: spiders, snakes heights and public speakingLeaving home alone.Crowds or waiting in line.Enclosed spaces, such as movie theaters, elevators or small stores.Open spaces, such as parking lots, bridges or malls.Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or train.Other common phobias include:Arachnophobia, an intense fear of spiders (ur ak nuh fow bee uh)Ophidiophobia: an intense fear of snakes (Sounds like: ow fuh dai ow fow be uh)· Acrophobia: an intense fear of heights· Aerophobia: an intense fear of flying· Cynophobia: an intense fear of dogs· Astraphobia: an intense fear of thunder and lightning· Claustrophobia: Fear of Enclosed Spaces ... Fear of enclosed spaces. Feeling claustrophobic, or fearing a tight, enclosed, or confined space, includes symptoms Treatments/Therapies· Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) A cognitive behavioral therapist will teach you how to manage and alter negative thoughts that arise from situations that trigger your claustrophobia. ...· Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) ...· Relaxation and visualization. ...· Exposure therapy - In this form of therapy, psychologists create a safe environment in which to “expose” individuals to the things they fear and avoid. The exposure to the feared objects, activities or situations in a safe environment helps reduce fear and decrease avoidance.4. Medication. (How do these meds help with phobias?)· Zoloft· Prozac· Celexa· Lexapro5. Benzodiazepines. · Xanax· Klonopin· Valuim· Lorazepam/AdavanHelpful Tips: 1. Be realistic. Your fear habit is ingrained in the way you think, feel, and act. It takes time to change this habit. Be persistent. If you hit a snag, no worries. Just do the next thing. Dispute the thoughts! 2. Do the basics. Get enough sleep (about 8 or 9 hours daily), eat nutritious foods, drink ample water, avoid caffeine and alcohol, (WHY?) and exercise regularly. A medical checkup is wise too. 3. Renew your mind, part 1. Get rid of all negative, trashy, ungodly inputs from music, television (including news programs), the internet, video games, and reading materials, including most popular magazines and novels, and replace them with God-honoring alternatives, especially the Bible. 4 Pray. Philippians 4 is the apostle Paul’s answer to freedom from anxiety. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” 4:6–7, ESV. When you react to your problem with thankful prayer, peace replaces anxiety, even fear of panic attacks. As prayer becomes your habit, you’ll experience peace time after time. When thankfulness becomes a habit, doubt dissipates. Remember this: God promises not to allow anything to happen to you that is too much for you to bear. 5.Renew your mind, How you feel and act is a product of your thinking. When you think godly thoughts, godly emotions and behavior follow. “As (a person) thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB). Replace the lies you believe with the truth of God. I’ve developed a Thought-Emotion-Behavior download to help you do this. I encourage you to make copies and learn to replace ungodly thoughts with godly thoughts every day. The goal is a renewed mind according to Romans 12:1–2 and Ephesians 4:23, among other Scripture. Some unusual phobias Scott found. Not all are mentioned on the podcast:Vestiphobia: Fear of ClothingPeople with the condition may fear a specific garment, or they may be scared of tight-fitting clothing that causes one to feel constrained. In extreme cases, the patient may withdraw from society completely in order to avoid being clothed. Bananaphobia: Fear of bananasOne such case was reported in the Daily Mail(opens in new tab). According to this report, a female patient had been scared of bananas all her life, so much so that she could not stand being in the same room as them without feeling nauseated. Psychotherapy, the woman claimed, was able to help her overcome the bananaphobia.Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of Long Words!often brought on by early experiences of shame and embarrassment when ...
