Quote Originally Posted by KoRnholio
Ridiculous generalization and completely wrong. People with even moderate phobias often need multiple sessions of therapy to get over them. But then again, most phobias arise to rarely that they don't interfere with one's life enough to warrant getting therapy for them.
Actually, it's not a generalisation, and am speaking from a position of intimate knowledge on the matter.

second, dont make the egregious mistake of ever thinking that behavior doesn't have very strong roots in genes.
Very true. But fear of a very real threat - is one thing and hard wired. This is why cows will leave you in peace when you wlak through a field alone yet will attack you if you walk with a dog, as they perceive it as a predator and a risk to their young.

Phobias though are not genetically linked. Nor are they hard wired for our own safety. We are pre disposed to fear lions, sharks and even human rejection, because they are naturally occuring threats to our survival. But this fear is not the same as a phobia. Consequently, we are not predisposed to be phobic about something. As said, a phobia is a learned response - an overreaction by the body's defense mechanism.


Treatments of phobias come in many shapes and sizes, but most involve desensitizing the person to the object of their fear, so that they eventually learn through repeated exposure that the object will not harm them.
Old school immersion therapy follows this route. Most successful interventions address the subconscious's reasons for creating the phobia in the first place. As a result, no desensitising is required. All that is needed is for that "switch" to be flicked back off. Mentally.