Phobias are intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations that can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Not all phobias lead to severe disruption in your daily life, but in some cases, phobias can really limit you and hinder your ability to function.

There are Many Different Categories of Phobias

There are many phobias, but it is generally helpful to categorize them into the most common categories. Please keep in mind this is just a list of how to think about phobias broadly and not an exhaustive list of every phobia that exists. That said, phobias can be divided into three broad categories: specific phobias, social phobias, and agoraphobia.

Issues that Phobia Counseling in Chicago, IL Can Address

Specific Phobias

Specific phobias are the most common type of phobia, affecting around 19 million adults in the United States alone. As the name suggests, specific phobias are fears of specific objects or situations.

Some common specific phobias include:

• • Fear of animals such as spiders, snakes, or dogs.
  • Natural environment phobias: Fear of natural phenomena such as heights, thunderstorms, or water.
  • Situational phobias: Fear of specific situations such as flying, enclosed spaces, or driving.
  • Miscellaneous phobias: Fear of needles, Fear of vomiting, etc.

Social Phobias:

Social phobias, also known as social anxiety disorder, involve an intense fear of social situations or performance situations. People with social phobias may worry excessively about being judged or evaluated negatively by others, leading to feelings of embarrassment or shame.

Common social phobias include:

• • Public speaking phobia: Fear of speaking in public or performing in front of others.
  • Performance anxiety: Fear of performing in front of others, such as musicians or actors.
  • Social interaction phobia: Fear of social situations, such as parties or meetings, where individuals may feel
  • judged or evaluated.

Agoraphobia:

Agoraphobia is a type of phobia that involves an intense fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or impossible. This fear can lead to individuals avoiding certain situations, such as crowded places or public transportation.

Common agoraphobia situations include:

• • Fear of leaving home: Fear of leaving one’s home or safe place.
  • Fear of enclosed spaces: Fear of being in enclosed spaces such as elevators or tunnels.
  • Fear of open spaces: Fear of being in open spaces such as parks or bridges.
  • Fear of leaving home: Fear of leaving one’s home or safe place.
  • Fear of enclosed spaces: Fear of being in enclosed spaces such as elevators or tunnels.
  • Fear of open spaces: Fear of being in open spaces such as parks or bridges.

What Does Treatment Look Like During Counseling for Phobias in Chicago, IL?

At Limitless Counseling Center we utilize exposure therapy to treat phobias. Exposure therapy aims to desensitize individuals to their phobia by gradually exposing them to the feared object or situation in a safe and controlled environment. During exposure therapy, individuals work with a trained therapist to develop a hierarchy of feared situations or objects. The hierarchy is typically organized from least to most anxiety-provoking. The therapist then guides the individual through exposure to each level of the hierarchy, allowing them to confront their fears in a safe and controlled setting. For example, an individual with a fear of heights may start with exposure to a low-level situation, such as looking at pictures of high places, before gradually progressing to more challenging situations, such as standing on a balcony or riding in an elevator to a high floor. With each exposure, the individual learns to tolerate and manage their anxiety, eventually becoming more tolerant of their phobia.

Exposure Therapy Can be Conducted in Different Ways

Exposure therapy can be conducted in a variety of ways, including imaginal exposure (imagining feared situations), in vivo exposure (exposure to real-life situations), or virtual reality exposure (using technology to simulate feared situations). The type of exposure used will depend on the specific phobia and the individual’s comfort level.
One of the advantages of exposure therapy is that it is a relatively short-term treatment, typically lasting only a few weeks or months. Additionally, it has been shown to have long-lasting effects, with many individuals experiencing a significant reduction in phobia-related symptoms even years after treatment.

The Challenges of Exposure Therapy

While exposure therapy can be an effective treatment for phobias, it is not without potential risks. Exposure therapy can be challenging and anxiety-provoking, and some individuals may experience temporary increases in anxiety or panic during the exposure process. However, these side effects are typically manageable with the support of a trained therapist. In conclusion, exposure therapy is a highly effective treatment for phobias that can help individuals overcome their fears and improve their quality of life. By gradually exposing individuals to their phobia in a safe and controlled setting, exposure therapy can help them learn to tolerate and manage their anxiety, eventually becoming much more tolerant.

Start Phobia Counseling in Chicago, IL

As a bonus tip, it’s important to stay positive and not lose hope during your treatment in Chicago, Illinois. Although it can be intense and challenging at times, it’s all part of the process of getting better. By recognizing the difficulties you’re facing, seeking support from a trained professional, and working collaboratively with them in your daily life, you can learn to better manage triggering moments and work through them. Remember, taking the first step can be difficult, but it’s worth it.

Our clinic is currently accepting clients who are 18 years old or older and experiencing extreme difficulty managing their anxiety. This may include general dysfunction due to compulsive reactions to worry, or worries that persist for hours or even the entire day despite attempts to reduce discomfort.

1. Read more about us to discover if we are the best fit for you.
2. Schedule an appointment.
3. Start living your best life!

Other Mental Health Services Offered at Limitless Counseling Center:

Limitless Counseling Center has a variety of specialty services catered to your needs. In addition to our online OCD therapy in Chicago, IL, we also provide online therapy for panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or phobias, as well as perinatal and postpartum OCD and anxiety.

If you are pregnant and wondering what to look out for when it comes to your mental health, you are not alone; that’s why Perinatal and Postpartum Mental Health therapists exist! Even leading up to pregnancy, there are so many emotions and experience people have. So, it would make sense that it’s possible, and not so uncommon, to go through various ups and down, so to speak, during and after pregnancy.

What are Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders?

That’s a good question, especially because most people refer to mood concerns as postpartum depression. However, people can be diagnosed with several different mood disorders within the perinatal (during pregnancy) and postpartum (the first 12 months after birth).

These Disorders are Relatively Common

While expecting a child can be exciting, various perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are fairly common during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The estimate, according to Postpartum Support International, is that 15-20 % of women experience symptoms that meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis beyond the typical “baby blues.” 

 The Baby Blues

The “baby blues” is a period of normal postpartum adjustment that is inherently stressful. The difficulty of becoming a new parent is widely considered normal for this reason. 60-80% of women report feeling exhausted, sad, irritable, and generally anxious after the birth of their child. These symptoms begin one to three days postpartum and can last up to fourteen days. It is recommended to seek out further assessment and support if those feelings don’t start to feel more manageable after that time period. That may look like these various feelings and thoughts start to interfere with daily living and typical coping strategies as the birthing person.

What Are The Different Diagnoses? 

Postpartum depression

This is characterized by sadness and hopelessness during pregnancy or after the birth of one’s child. The birthing person may notice that this leads to a significant decrease or increase in irritability, sleeping, eating, engaging with friends and family, and possibly disinterest in spending time with their child.

Postpartum Anxiety

Excessive worry and fear about the health, safety, and well-being of the baby and oneself during pregnancy or postpartum. This often leads to decreased functioning for the parent and difficulty staying present without considering worst-case scenarios and how to prevent those.

Postpartum OCD

Excessive worry and fear during pregnancy and/or postpartum involve intrusive and distressing thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) that result in repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). There are many themes of obsessions and many ways compulsions manifest for individuals. Generally, obsessions revolve around fears of harming the baby in some way (i.e., dropping the baby, suffocating the baby, or fearing contamination). Compulsions may involve excessive checking, cleaning, or other behaviors to reduce anxiety.

Postpartum Psychosis

This is rare but often occurs enough to know the signs and symptoms for the birthing parent and baby’s wellbeing. Symptoms include Delusions (odd beliefs that feel true), Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there), general confusion, decreased need for sleep, difficulty differentiating between reality and thoughts, and changes in speech patterns.

Does a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist in Illinois know what Causes Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders?

The short answer is we don’t know for sure. There are some risk factors to acknowledge and consider when wondering whether to seek certain supports during pregnancy. Here is a list of a few things that can contribute to the development of a diagnosis during this time:

Hormonal changes:

The rapid changes in hormones during pregnancy and after birth can impact mood and contribute to depression and anxiety.

General Life stress:

Pregnancy and the postpartum period tend to bring up additional stress and responsibilities. These include financial worries, relationship challenges, sleep deprivation, rapid body changes, and family role shifts.

Personal or family history of mental health issues.

Women with a history of depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues are at a higher risk of developing perinatal mood disorders. Considering the history of the birthing person’s mother in case they experience significant symptoms during pregnancy or postpartum.

Medical complications.

Pregnancy and birth complications, such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and premature birth, can increase the risk of perinatal mood disorders.

The conception journey.

The possible complications that occur when trying to conceive or if the pregnancy is unexpected can lead to feelings of stress, grief/loss, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and general sadness.

Support system.

Having a support system and community to lean on during this vulnerable time helps maintain mental wellness. When support changes or is not present, that can cause changes in the birthing person’s sense of safety and confidence.

Treatment Prescribed by Perinatal Mental Health Therapists in Chicago

There is hope, there is the treatment for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. It’s important to seek help from a mental health professional if you are experiencing the symptoms listed above. If you are experiencing or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of psychosis, reach out to your doctor right away.

There is no shame in experiencing the thoughts and feelings that SO many parents feel when they try to conceive, become pregnant, go through pregnancy, and then go through postpartum. The diagnoses listed in this post are all very treatable!

Treatment options may include:

Therapy:

All therapists rely on their own theoretical orientation to inform how they do the treatment. It’s proven that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) are therapies that can effectively treat perinatal mood disorders. If trauma symptoms present, it’s also helpful to consider exposure therapy or other modalities to work through that.

Medication:

Antidepressants and other medications can effectively treat depression and anxiety. Many psychiatrists and doctors understand and can support medication use during and after pregnancy. The key is to find referrals for experts in that area. If you’re uncomfortable with this option, there are also alternatives to explore with an Eastern medicine or functional medicine lens.

Self-care:

Practicing self-care, such as intuitive movement, mindfulness, allowing time for adequate sleep when possible, time alone, time with friends, and whatever fills your cup, is so important to feel settled and consistent. This is especially true during the perinatal and postpartum time periods. The main takeaway is that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are common. They can impact a woman’s mental health during pregnancy and after giving birth. However, they are also very treatable and there are resources for those going through it!

Get Perinatal and Postpartum Support in Therapy for Women in Chicago, IL Today!

Seeking treatment is difficult but highly recommended. If you are experiencing anything listed above and/or just want a space to go to. Remember, you are not alone. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health during this time.

• Read more about us to discover if we are the best fit for you.
• Schedule an appointment
• Start living your best life!

Other Services:

Limitless Counseling Center has a variety of specialty services catered to your needs. In addition to Clinical Consultation and Supervision,  we offer online Perinatal & Postpartum therapy in Chicago, IL. We also provide online therapy for panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or phobias, as well as OCD.

Maximizing Your OCD Treatment in Chicago, Illinois

The good news is that you can develop habits outside of your therapy sessions to maximize the effectiveness of what you work on with your OCD specialist. Here, at Limitless Counseling Center, we structure sessions so that you leave for the day with goals to work toward between sessions.

With a new year starting, it is important to acknowledge the fact that starting something is the hardest part. If you have started treatment for your obsessive-compulsive disorder, you have already achieved so much. That is truly something to be very proud of despite the typical level of discomfort it takes to get there.
With most outpatient treatment, sessions only take up 50-55 minutes of your entire week. That can feel difficult when you really want to see a shift in your symptoms fast!

What Goals look like in OCD Treatment in Chicago, IL

1. Track anxiety triggers and rate the intensity of that anxiety on a scale of 0-10 and track the
resulting in compulsive urges and the intensity of those on a scale of 0-10

a. Will be discussed during the next session.

2. Exposure goal: touch the doorknob in a public restroom and resist washing hands for more than 20 seconds (limits: maximum two pumps of soap and semi-warm water)

3. Do one values-based activity each day for at least 10 minutes (i.e. mindfulness activity, yoga, walking with the dog, cooking dinner with your partner, calling a friend, getting a massage, etc.)

Here are 5 things to maximize your OCD treatment in Chicago outside of sessions:

Use a catchphrase or mantra

This helps you remember to resist compulsions. The one I use most is:

“Discomfort does not Equal Danger” or “Can I Put Off Acting on this Urge a Little Longer?”

Keep your Catchphrase in Mind.

Use calendar reminders and notifications to keep your catchphrase top of mind. You can use reminders and notifications for all treatment goals, and we recommend that. This helps build momentum outside of sessions to mindfully acknowledge obsessions to decide how to combat compulsive urges best.

Tell yourself “Anything’s Possible” or “Maybe, Maybe not”.

This can be used in response to your worries. This is an exposure and response prevention. If you are in treatment for OCD, you are most likely resisting reassuring yourself and seeking reassurance from others. These statements are helpful to reach that goal.

Whenever possible, approach.

Move toward what triggers you and resist compulsions along the way. This is the name of the game with succeeding in and outside of sessions.

Let Your Values Motivate You.

When you run into roadblocks or unexpected intense triggering moments, remind yourself that you are doing this to live a life that is fulfilling and satisfying. The goal is to help yourself and not to help your OCD. So even when it feels like you want to give in to your urges, just this once, remind yourself that you are helping your OCD at that moment, and you would rather help yourself!

It is important to note that each person will come to their OCD treatment with a different set of experiences. So, everyone has different goals from the outset of starting sessions.
You may notice that weekly goals are specific and relate to individuals but aren’t broadly applicable to every person with OCD. So, we decided it would be helpful to generate a list of ten things that can maximize your treatment outside of sessions regardless of what the main themes of your OCD are and regardless of where you are at in your treatment timeline.

We approach all individuals as, well, individuals! However, the above tips are generally helpful when considering increasing your chances of reaching your treatment goals in and out-of-session times each week. Other things can facilitate treatment gains that you can read more about in our blog and in within the resources we recommend on our resources page.

Start OCD Treatment in Chicago, IL

For a final bonus tip, don’t get discouraged. OCD Treatment in Chicago, Illinois, can feel intense and difficult at times, and it is all a part of the process of getting better. Acknowledging the struggles you are having, reaching out to a trained professional, and working together with that person, as well as in your day-to-day life, will help you understand how to better work through those triggering moments. Taking the first step is the hardest part.

We are currently taking clients that are 18 years old or older, have extreme difficulty managing their anxiety, have general dysfunction because of the compulsions in reaction to worry and/or have worries that often take up anywhere from 1 hour of their day to their entire day regardless of efforts to reduce their discomfort.  

1. Read more about us to discover if we are the best fit for you.
2. Schedule an appointment.
3. Start living your best life!

Other Services:

Limitless Counseling Center has a variety of specialty services catered to your needs. In addition to our online OCD therapy in Chicago, IL, we also provide online therapy for panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or phobias, as well as perinatal and postpartum OCD and anxiety.