Start off with this idea: certain fears are reasonable, others are exaggerated. In both cases it is a sensible strategy to confront those fears. When a fear is justified, confronting it may suggest ...

From needles, snakes and airplanes to test-taking, speech-making and germs, sources of all-encompassing panic can make pushing through daily life feel like more trouble than it's worth. The pounding ...

Exposure to phobic images without conscious awareness is more effective than longer, conscious exposure for reducing fear, a team of investigators has found. A team of investigators, led by Bradley S.

Phobias represent a complex category of anxiety disorders that extend far beyond typical fears, creating overwhelming psychological responses that can severely limit individuals’ ability to function ...

In my decades of studying single people, a question comes up with some regularity: “Do you think I’m commitment-phobic?” I’m a research psychologist, not a therapist, so I cannot offer advice to ...

Your eyes or ears identify your phobic trigger (a needle, a snake, the dentist's drill) and instantly send a "threat!" message to your amygdala, the brain's fear center. 1 to 3 seconds: The amygdala, ...

Aquaphobia refers to an extreme or irrational fear of water. This may include anxiety in the face of bodies of water or the thought of water. Many people exhibit some degree of fear or caution around ...

Trypophobia may be moving out of the urban dictionary and into the scientific literature. A recent study in the peer-review journal Psychological Science takes a first crack at explaining why some ...