Other Treatment Options for Phobias

Depending upon the severity of your condition, your doctor may want to prescribe medicine that will be taken in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy. For instance, many times there is an underlying condition that has fed into your phobia, such as anxiety. If your doctor can find a way to control the anxiety while also working on your phobia through cognitive-behavioral therapy, many times the medicine will be very helpful.

There are a variety of medicines that can be used depending on what your specific problem is. Medicines such as Xanax or Valium are used to specifically treat phobias that cause stress and worry and this is directly paired with an anxiety disorder.

Atenolol and Propranolol are called Beta-Blockers and if a patient suffers from physical symptoms that are associated with a phobia, such as the fear of a faster heartbeat, this medicine is traditionally used. In addition, Beta-Blockers are also commonly used for blood-injection-injury phobias as well as performance anxiety. Beta-Blockers, in essence, control the amount of excitement or stress that can be felt when an external stressors releases adrenaline into the bloodstream and protect against symptoms of physical anxiety.

Sometimes phobias are not treated, simply because a person believes the cause is directly related to their anxiety problem. However, phobias and anxiety can get worse over time if left untreated and it is important to know that you can endanger your life and the lives of others if the phobia and the anxiety become severe enough. It is important that you consult with a medical professional about the proper course of action and treatment you should take.