Table of ContentsIntroductionUnderstanding Specific PhobiasTreatment of Thunderstorm PhobiasConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionYou have probably heard of common phobias such as claustrophobia; fear of enclosed spaces, fear of thunderstorms or arachnophobia; fear of spiders which leads to anxiety and panic attacks. According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual Volume 5 (DSM-V), a specific phobia is defined as a marked fear or anxiety toward a specific object or situation. The criteria for meeting a specific phobia are: the phobic object or situation almost always causes immediate fear or anxiety that is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation, the object or the phobic situation is endured with intense fear. and anxiety, causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning that typically lasts 6 months or more (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 197). Additionally, according to the DSM-V, the disturbance is not best explained by symptoms of another mental disorder, including fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations associated with panic-like symptoms (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 198). A person suffering from a specific phobia may experience problems because it interferes with many aspects of their life and can make them feel anxious, alone, embarrassed or afraid. Fortunately, there are effective treatment methods to reduce anxiety and fear and help people manage their reactions to the objects of their phobia. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Understanding Specific Phobias Some people are afraid of their surroundings, although the phobia is limited to a specific feature of that environment, for example thunderstorms or heights. As noted in the article The Place of Hypnosis in Psychiatry, Part 6: Treatment of Specific Phobias – Natural Environment Type, Bloodshot Injury Type and Other Types by David Kraft, “Some patients remain confined to the home for a while, which can lead to full-blown agoraphobia” (p. 3, 2016). Many people suffering from a phobia of the natural environment develop safety behaviors to limit the risks of experiencing the feared stimulus. These avoidance behaviors tend to become more complex over time if left untreated, and the individual may develop anxiety disorders in which they avoid places or situations that cause panic (Kraft, 2016). Treatment of thunderstorm phobias Michael Heap (cited by Kraft, 2016), successfully treated a 47-year-old who had always been afraid of thunderstorms. This case study shows how a patient's ability to experience the feared event can play an important role in the treatment process (Kraft, 2016). This counterconditioning process is known as systemic desensitization, in which a patient is exposed to anxiety-inducing stimuli and taught relaxation techniques. If there are two competing emotions, the stronger inhibits the weaker and relaxation training is done in imagination or on video to weaken the fear and make the relaxation stronger. As Kraft writes: “And yet she felt that she was actually experiencing a storm, and even felt a 'chilling sensation' which meant a drop in temperature as the storm progressed” (p. 3) . Early in this patient's treatment, it was revealed that she had..