Understanding Phobias

About this course.

Almost everyone has something they dislike or feel uneasy about, but a phobia is something much more powerful than an ordinary dislike. A phobia is an overwhelming, persistent and irrational fear of a particular object, situation, place, feeling or activity — a fear that is out of all proportion to the actual danger involved, and that often leads the person to go to great lengths to avoid whatever triggers it. Phobias are one of the most common types of anxiety disorder, and they can affect anyone, of any age and background; for the people who live with them, a phobia is not a weakness or a choice, but a real and often distressing experience that can quietly shrink the size of a person’s world.

This course is a supportive, non-judgemental introduction to understanding phobias. It explains clearly what a phobia is and why it is classed as an anxiety disorder, the difference between specific (simple) phobias and more disabling complex phobias such as agoraphobia and social phobia, the physical and psychological symptoms phobias produce, and the central role avoidance plays in keeping a phobia going. It then looks at how phobias develop, the reassuring fact that they are highly treatable — particularly through talking therapies such as CBT and graded exposure or desensitisation — and offers practical, compassionate guidance on how to support someone with a phobia and encourage them towards the right professional help. This is an awareness-level course; it does not train you to diagnose or treat anyone. The course concludes with a 20-question multiple-choice assessment, which you must pass at 80% to earn your CPD certificate.