September 27, 2006 Source: :
http://www.ryerson.ca/news/media/General_Public/20060927_st_rn_phobi.html Conquering fears and phobias:
book Do
you faint at the sight of blood? Or are you afraid of flying in airplanes
but have to for work? If you answered yes to either of these questions,
chances are, you might have a phobia, says a Ryerson University
psychologist. Martin Antony, a professor of the Department of Psychology, has recently
published a self-help guidebook for people to identify their specific fear
and develop strategies to cope and overcome it. "What distinguishes a normal
fear from something excessive is that the fear has to be out of proportion
to the actual danger in a situation," says Antony. "It also has to interfere
in the person's life in some way." He adds people often don't seek out help
from a therapist because they may not realize help is available, or because
they believe they can live with their problem. The Ryerson University psychology professor notes about 11 per cent of the
population are affected by common phobias including flying, driving,
heights, animals, needles and blood. Some common symptoms of someone
experiencing an irrational fear in an ordinary situation are breathlessness,
sweaty palms and an increased heart rate. The self-help guidebook, Mastering Your Fears and Phobias, co-authored by
Antony with psychology professors Michelle Craske of University of
California, Los Angeles, and David Barlow of Boston University, helps a
reader understand the nature of specific phobias, how they develop, how to
identify his/her phobia and develop a treatment plan. It also identifies
strategies for various types of more common phobias such as an aversion to
vomiting, storms or enclosed spaces. When identifying and treating fear of an object or a situation, Antony
recommends involving a therapist or a good friend who can help a person cope
and overcome his/her specific phobia. "A person should also be exposed to
his/her irrational fear in a gradual and controlled way," advises the
psychology professor. He has also developed a therapist guide to be used in
conjunction with the self-help guide if users have a professional involved
in their treatment. Mastering Your Fears and Phobias is published by Oxford University Press. CONTACT: Professor Martin Antony Suelan Toye
Department of Psychology Public Affairs
Ryerson University Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x 2631 Office: 416-979-5000 x 7161
mantony@ryerson.ca stoye@ryerson.ca
www.martinantony.com
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