CBT · Paris
Phobias
When fear gradually leads to avoidance.
A phobia is an intense, lasting fear linked to a specific situation, object or context. People often know the fear is out of proportion, yet it takes over anyway. Little by little, avoidance takes up more and more room in daily life.
How a phobia keeps itself going
Avoiding the situation brings immediate relief. That relief is real, but it tells the brain the situation was dangerous. The fear stays, and sometimes spreads.
Fear → avoidance → immediate relief → fear maintained
Many different fears
- Fear of flying.
- Fear of driving (amaxophobia).
- Fear of heights.
- Enclosed spaces (claustrophobia).
- Certain animals or insects.
- Blood and injections.
- Fear of vomiting (emetophobia).
- Some social situations.
Gradual exposure
Exposure means gradually getting closer to feared situations, following a progression we build together.
The aim is not to provoke as much fear as possible or to force a confrontation, but to make room for new experiences and gradually reduce avoidance.
We start with manageable situations and move forward step by step, at a pace that stays yours.
Exposure can also be immersive
When appropriate, some exposure exercises can also be carried out using virtual reality.
VR can recreate situations that may otherwise be difficult to organise directly, such as flying, heights or certain social situations, while allowing the level of difficulty to be adjusted progressively.
Virtual reality remains a complementary tool within CBT exposure therapy.
Learn about virtual reality-assisted exposure →