♪ >> SOMETHING SO SMALL, SO EASILY SQUASHED CAN TRIGGER TERROR.
THE FEAR OF SPIDERS IS COMMON.
FOR SOME, IT IS TANTAMOUNT TO A PHOBIA.
>> DO YOU HAD ANY PHOBIA?
>> ARACHNOPHOBIA.
>> I COULD NOT BE IN THE ROOM AS A CHILD IF THERE WAS A SPIDER.
>> WE ARE DESIGNED TO BE AFRAID OF THESE THINGS.
THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT.
FEAR IS DESIGNED TO PROTECTUS.
>> A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SAID PHOBIAS ARE MORE INTENSE THAN FEAR.
>> I MIGHT NOT WANT TO PICK IT UP OR HANDLE IT, BUT IF I CANNOT GO INTO MY BASEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS A SPIDER, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN IT INTERFERES WITH YOUR LIFE.
>> TORE YOU THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM WHEN SHE HAD PROBLEMS -- TORI KNEW THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM WHEN SHE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SMALL SPACES.
IT STARTED IN HER EARLY TEENS WHEN SHE FELT TRAPPED IN A DARK HALLWAY DURING A POWER OUTAGE.
>> THIS IS SERIOUS.
>> IT CREEPED INTO ACTIVITIES THAT SHE ONCE ENJOYED.
>> I WAS IN THE CENTER OF A CONCERT AND IT FELT LIKE I WAS STUCK.
YOU CANNOT MOVE.
YOU ARE JUST STUCK THERE.
>> SHE AVOIDED TIGHT SPACES, EVEN BLANKETS COULD SPARK HER ANXIETY.
TO CONQUER HER CLAUSTROPHOBIA, SHE TOOK PART IN A STUDY.
SHE ALSO UNDERWENT EXPOSURE THERAPY.
>> EXPOSURE THERAPY INVOLVES CONFRONTING A SITUATION OR ACTIVITY THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE AFRAID OF IN A GRADUAL WAY.
IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE PERSON BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION AND TO OVERCOME THEIR FEARS.
>> LET’S SEE HOW YOUR GAINS HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED.
>> LYING IN A DARK CLOSET FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS.
IT WAS ROUGH AT FIRST.
>> IT WAS MY LAST BREATH EVERY TIME.
>> A FOLLOW-UP TO HER INITIAL TREATMENTS.
>> IT IS LIKE A COFFIN.
ALL YOU CAN HAVE IS YOUR ARMS BY YOUR SIDE.
THEY SUGGEST NOT CLOSING YOUR EYES BECAUSE THAT IS A COPING MECHANISM TO HELP YOU ESCAPE YOUR REALITY.
>> SHE SAYS THE EXERCISE HELPED TO REALIZE THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR IN TIGHT, DARK PLACES.
>> BEING PRESENT HELPED, LOOKING AT THE CLOSET WALL IN FRONT OF ME.
IT IS OK TO BE IN HERE.
I AM ONLY SCARED BECAUSE I AM TELLING MYSELF I AM CARED TO BE IN HERE.
THE NEXT TEST, WITHSTANDING A MOCK MRI.
JUST OF COPPER UNDER -- JOSEPH CARPENTER SAYS MURRAY HAS SHOWN GREAT PROGRESS.
SHE ENHANCED HER LEARNING FROM THE INITIAL SESSIONS.
>> YOU THINK YOU COULD HANDLE A FULL MRI?
>> YES.
JUST BACK TO STAYING PRESENT.
>> HER FEAR LEVELS WENT FROM PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AND SEVERE TO DOWN TO BASICALLY NONEXISTENT.
WE LOVE TO SEE THAT AND THIS IDEA OF I LEARNED THAT I COULD DO IT.
>> SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT EXPOSURE THERAPY LOOKS LIKE TORTURE.
LOOK AT THE OPTICS.
>> IF THEY WANT IT TO STOP, IT STOPS.
IT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE THE PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT THE FEAR WILL RISE, BUT IT WILL ALSO GO DOWN.
EVENTUALLY, THE FEAR WILL RESOLVE.
WE LEARN THAT THE SITUATION IS NOT DANGEROUS.
>> THANKS TO THE THERAPY, SHE CONVEYS HER FEARS.
>> NOW I AM OVER IT BUT BEFORE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY SCARY.
I TAKE ELEVATORS A LOT.
I JUST GO.
SHAYNA: TORI TELLS US THE TREATMENT AT B.U. HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
IF YOU ALSO HAVE A FEAR OF SMALL SPACES, EXPERTS SAY CONSIDER GETTING TREATMEN THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ENCLOSED SPACES ARE UNAVOIDABLE, LIKE AN MRI SCAN.
EXPERTS SAY THE BENEFIT OF THE POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING SCREENING SHOULD FAR OUTWEIGH FEAR OF THE MACHIN COMING UP, WHEN DO PHO