MOST COMMON PHOBIAS.
♪ REPORTER: SOMETHING SO SMALL.
SO EASILY SQUASHED.
CAN TRIGGER TERROR.
THIS LEVEL OF DISGUST, THE FEAR OF SPIDERS IS COMMON.
FOR SOME, THE TERROR IS TANTAMOUNT TO A PHOBIA.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOBIAS?
>> THE LARGEST I HAVE WOULD PROBABLY BE ARACHNOPHOBIA.
ANXIETY, PANIC, I COULD NOT BE IN MY ROOM AS A CHILD IF THERE WAS A SPIDER.
EVOLUTIONARILY, WE ARE DESIGNED TO BE SCARED OF THEM HERE THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT.
FEAR AS AN EMOTION IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT US.
REPORTER: DR. TODD IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY.
HE SAYS PHOBIAS ARE MORE INTENSE THAN FEARS.
>> I MIGHT HAVE A FEAR OF SPIDERS, MAYBE IF I COME ACROSS ONE IN THE BASEMENT, I DON’T WANT TO PICK IT UP OR HAND IT.
BUT IF I CAN’T GO INTO MY BASEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS A SPIDER DOWN THERE, THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY.
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN IT STARTS TO INTERFERE WITH YOUR LIFE.
REPORTER: TORI SAID SHE HAD A PROBLEM WHEN SHE FELT TRAPPED IN TIGHT SPACES, ESPECIALLY ELEVATORS.
>> IF I’M WALKING TO AN ELEVATOR, IMMEDIATELY SWEATY HANDS, MY HEART WOULD RACE.
REPORTER:REPORTER: SHE SAID HER CLAUSTROPHOBIA STARTED IN HER EARLY TEENS WHEN SHE FELT TRAPPED IN A DARK HALLWAY IN A POWER OUTAGE.
>> IT WAS WEIRD.
LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS SERIOUS.
REPORTER: THE PHOBIA CREEPED INTO ACTIVITIES SHE ONCE ENJOYED.
>>>> THERE WAS A CONCERT I WENT TO AND I WAS IN THE SMACK CENTER.
I FELT LIKE I WAS STUCK.
I DID NOT LIKE THIS.
YOU CAN’T MOVE.
I CAN’T EVEN JOIN -- ENJOY THE CONCERT.
REPORTER: MURRAY AVOIDED TIGHT SPACES, EVEN BLANKETS WITH SPARK ANXIETY.
>> I COULD NOT BE UNDER THERE FOR TOO LONG.
REPORTER: TO CONQUER HER CLAUSTROPHOBIA, SHE TOOK PART IN A STUDY FOR ANXIETY AND RELATED DISORDERS AT BOSTON UNIVERSIT SHE ALSO UNDERWENT EXPOSURE THERAPY.
>> EXPOSURE THERAPY INVOLVES CONFRONTING AN OBJECT OR ACTIVITY SOMEBODY MIGHT BE AFRAID OF IN A GRADUAL WAY.
TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME.
IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE PERSON BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION AND OVERCOME THEIR FEARS.
>> YOU CAN SEE HOW YOUR GAINS ARE MAINTAINED.
REPORTER: PART OF HER THERAPY, LYING IN A DARK CLOSET FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS.
IT WAS ROUGH AT FIRST.
>> LIKE IT WAS MY LAST BREATH EVERY TIME.
>> I’M GOING TO CLOSE THE DOORS.
STAY IN UNTIL I OPENED THEM.
REPORTER: TODAY, A FOLLOW-UP.
>> IT FEELS LIKE A COFFIN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET IN AND LAY DOWN.
ALL YOU CAN DO IS HAVE YOUR ARMS BY YOUR SIDE.
THEY SUGGEST DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES BECAUSE IT IS A COPING MECHANISM TO HELP ESCAPE YOUR REALITY.
REPORTER: SHE SAYS THE CLOSET EXERCISES HELPED HER REALIZE THERE’S NOTHING TO FEAR IN HEIGHT, DARK PLACES.
-- TIGHT, DARK PLACES.
>> BEING PRESENT HELPED HER LOOKING AT THE WALL IN FRONT OF ME.
I AM IN HERE.
IT’S OK TO BE IN HERE.
I’M ONLY SCARED BECAUSE I’M TELLING MYSELF I’M SCARED TO BE IN HERE.
THAT WAS THE REAL SECRET.
REPORTER: THE NEXT TEST FOR MURRAY, WITHSTANDING A MOCK MRI >> HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
>> A LITTLE TIGHT.
REPORTER JOSEPH, A BOSTON UNIVERSITY PHD STUDENT, SAYS MURRAY HAS SHOWN GREAT PROGRESS.
SHE ENHANCED HER LEARNING FROM THE INITIAL EXPOSURE THERAPY SESSIONS.
>> I’M ALIVE.
>> YOU THINK YOU COULD HANDLE A FULL MRI?
>> YES.
JUST BACK TO STAYING PRESENT.
>> SHE IS A ROCKSTAR EXAMPLE OF HOW WELL EXPOSURE THERAPY CAN WORK.
HER FEAR LEVELS WENT FROM PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AND SEVERE AT THE BEGINNING DOWN TO BASICALLY NONE.
NONEXISTENT BY THE END.
WE LOVE TO SEE THAT AND THIS IDEA OF I LEARNED I CAN DO IT.
REPORTER: SOME MIGHT ARGUE EXPOSURE THERAPY LOOKS LIKE TORTURE.
HE SAYS TO LOOK PAST THE OPTICS.
>> THE PERSON IS IN CONTROL.
WHAT I MEAN IS IF THEY WANT IT TO END, IT WILL END.
EXPOSURE THERAPY IS DESIGNED TO GIVE THE PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FEAR WILL RISE BUT ALSO GO DOWN.
IF YOU STAY IN THAT SITUATION, EVENTUALLY THE FEAR WILL RESOLVE.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE LEARNED THAT THE SITUATION IS NOT DANGEROUS.
REPORTER: MURRAY SAYS THANKS TO THE EXPOSURE THERAPY, SHE CAN FACE HER FEARS.
>> NOW I’M IN A PLACE WHERE I’M OVER IT.
BEFORE, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY SCARY.
I’M OK.
I TAKE ELEVATORS A LOT.