Everyone has a fear of something.
Not everyone necessarily has a phobia, though.
A phobia is defined as the intense and irrational fear of an object or situation.
Some people have such intense phobias that they can feel uncomfortable very easily.
For example, if you have a fear of heights, you may feel uneasy just being near tall buildings and windows.

Some common phobias include:

* Heights
* Insects (usually spiders)
* Thunder and lightning
* Roller coasters
* Animals (usually dogs, snakes, sharks)

To help yourself through your phobias, here is a list of self-help tips to try.

1. Slowly Attempt to Face Your Fear

Exposure is one of the best ways to conquer your fear. The trick is to start off small.

For example, if you have a fear of dogs, it might be wise to start off by looking at pictures of dogs. When exposing yourself to your fear, you might want to have a person with you to support you. Then, once you’ve been able to get through looking at the pictures of the dogs, you can move on to having a friend bring over their dog. Then, leave the dog outside for you to watch through a window. Slowly lessen the distance between you and the dog. Then, when you’re comfortable enough, try petting the dog but leave him on a leash.

With time, you’ll soon begin to feel a little less nervous around the thing that makes you scared. You just have to give it time.

2. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Try taking deep breaths at the beginning of every day. This will not only calm down your overall anxiety, but it will also give you a new way to stay calm in any nerve-wracking situations you may come upon in the future.

3. Change Your Thought Process

This can be difficult, but once mastered it can really help you through your phobia. Many times when you find yourself in a difficult situation, your mind will begin to exaggerate the event, making you more scared and nervous. As you pay attention to how you talk and think during a scary situation, you will notice a significant difference in the amount of anxiety you feel towards your phobia.

Remember that phobias take time and patience to overcome.
You can’t expect to get immediate results.
However, if practicing these tips every day, you should experience a change.
Keep a record of progress so that whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed, you can look back and see the changes you’ve made in your life.

If you are experiencing any phobias that are preventing you from enjoying your everyday life, talk to a doctor or professional.
They’ll be able to help you along your journey and give you different tips that are best to be used when facing a harder phobia to get over.
You may even want to talk to your doctor about taking medication if your phobia truly does get out of hand and prevents you from enjoying your life.
If you feel this may be the best option for you, consult with your doctor.