According to the NHS, one in seven Britons lives with a phobia. But how many take the plunge and face their fear directly? Looking at the growth of bespoke phobia ‘experiences’ – in which sufferers get the chance to challenge their fear in a controlled environment – the number might be higher than you think.
Our own Kate Andrews – now self-outed as a lifelong arachnophobe – has shared her experience of handling a tarantula as part of London Zoo’s Friendly Spider Programme. And she isn’t alone. A cursory glance at Google suggests that, just as the index of clinically-recognised phobias continues to expand year-on-year, so too does the list of courses to deal with them.
Some of the most successful courses have been operating for years. Last time you rushed through Heathrow Airport, for example, did you stop to think that the stressed-looking terminal dweller in front of you in the queue might be an aerophobic about to enrol in BA’s Flying with Confidence Programme – a one-day course culminating in a 45 minute practice (well, real) flight in the company of a trained psychologist?
If you’ve heard of a phobia, there’s probably a course for it
But it isn’t just the most common phobias that can be addressed through a course.
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