CBT · Paris
Phobias & OCD
Phobias and OCD are two different difficulties, but they have one thing in common: what brings relief in the moment can keep the problem going in the long run.
CBT helps you gradually step out of that cycle.
Phobias: when fear leads to avoidance
A phobia is an intense fear linked to a specific situation, object or context. Little by little, avoidance can take up more and more room in daily life.
- Driving, or certain journeys.
- Flying, public transport or enclosed spaces.
- Certain animals, blood, injections or heights.
- Fear of vomiting.
- Certain social situations.
Fear → avoidance → immediate relief → fear maintained
OCD: when obsessions lead to rituals
In OCD, intrusive thoughts, images or doubts cause anxiety. To feel reassured, the person develops compulsions or rituals.
- Checking several times.
- Washing or cleaning repeatedly.
- Counting or repeating things mentally.
- Constantly seeking reassurance.
- Needing order or symmetry.
- Trying to neutralise intrusive thoughts.
Obsession → anxiety → compulsion → temporary relief → doubt returns
Two different difficulties, one CBT logic
With phobias, the problem is mainly kept going by avoidance.
With OCD, it is mainly kept going by compulsions, rituals and the search for certainty.
CBT works directly on these mechanisms.
For phobias: gradual exposure
The aim is to move gradually closer to the situations you fear, without trying to make the fear disappear straight away.
Together we build a realistic plan, one step at a time.
For OCD: exposure and response prevention
For OCD, we use in particular exposure and response prevention (ERP).
This means gradually facing the situations or thoughts that trigger the obsession, while cutting back on the usual rituals.
Step-by-step work
Nothing is forced on you.
Together we identify the difficult situations, the avoidance, the safety behaviours or rituals, then build a plan that fits your daily life.