Jennifer is currently accepting new patients and
generally has the soonest appointment availability.
For most new patients, we recommend scheduling with
Jennifer as the first choice.
Dr. Gabriella Farkas, MD, PhD
Limited Availability
Psychiatrist · MD, PhD
Dr. Farkas continues to see new patients on a more
limited basis. Patients specifically seeking an
appointment with Dr. Farkas may view her availability
in the scheduling portal.
On the scheduling screen, Jennifer Reilly will appear
first. Select your preferred clinician to continue
with available appointment times.
Specific phobias are among the most common psychiatric conditions — and also among the most treatable. ADAA data indicates specific phobias affect approximately 9.1% of U.S. adults annually, with lifetime prevalence around 12.5%. Despite their high prevalence, many people with specific phobias never seek treatment, assuming their fear is just a personal quirk rather than a treatable condition.
Specific phobias often respond dramatically to focused, brief evidence-based treatment. Some patients see substantial improvement after just one session of intensive exposure therapy.
Specific phobias are among the most treatable psychiatric conditions.
What Specific Phobia Is
DSM-5-TR criteria require:
Marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation
The phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety
The object or situation is actively avoided or endured with intense distress
Fear is out of proportion to actual danger
Persistent — typically 6 months or longer
Clinically significant distress or functional impairment
Not better explained by another mental disorder
Common Specific Phobia Categories
DSM-5-TR organizes specific phobias into types:
Animal type
Spiders, snakes, dogs, insects, birds, etc.
Often onset in childhood
Among most common phobias overall
Natural environment type
Heights, storms, water, lightning
Often persistent from childhood
Blood-injection-injury type
Needles, blood, medical procedures, injuries
Unique physiology — often involves vasovagal response with fainting (different from other phobias)
Choking, vomiting, loud sounds, costumed characters, etc.
Functional Impact Varies
Some specific phobias produce minimal life impact (snake phobia in someone who never encounters snakes). Others produce substantial impairment:
Flying phobia limiting career or family travel
Driving phobia limiting employment or independence
Medical procedures phobia interfering with healthcare
Dental phobia leading to deteriorated oral health
Pregnancy-related procedure phobias affecting prenatal care
Evidence-Based Treatment
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is the gold-standard treatment for specific phobias. Several variations exist:
Graduated exposure — Progressive engagement with feared stimulus, building from least to most anxiety-provoking
One-session intensive treatment (OST) — Developed by Lars-Göran Öst; intensive 2-3 hour session showing remarkable efficacy for many specific phobias; per published research, often produces lasting substantial improvement after a single session
Virtual reality exposure — Increasingly available for flying, heights, public speaking, animal phobias
In vivo exposure — Real-world exposure to feared stimuli
Why exposure works
Avoidance maintains phobias. Each avoidance reinforces the fear. Exposure breaks this cycle through:
Habituation — anxiety naturally decreases with sustained exposure
Disconfirmation of catastrophic predictions
New learning that the feared stimulus is manageable
Building self-efficacy
Role of medication
Medication is generally not first-line for specific phobias — exposure therapy alone often works dramatically. Exceptions:
Brief benzodiazepine use for occasional unavoidable exposure (one-time flights) when therapy isn’t accessible
Beta-blockers for situational anxiety
SSRIs when phobia coexists with other conditions needing treatment
Importantly, benzodiazepines taken during exposure therapy can interfere with the new learning that makes exposure effective — and the 2025 Joint Clinical Practice Guideline recommends limited use generally.
Blood-injection-injury phobia
This subtype warrants special attention due to its unique physiology (vasovagal response, fainting). Applied tension techniques (deliberate muscle tensing during exposure) are specifically effective for preventing fainting.
Specific Phobia Treatment
Exposure therapy outcomes
Specific phobias respond dramatically to exposure-based treatment — often with substantial improvement in brief intervention.
Source: Öst (1989) and subsequent clinical trials on intensive exposure therapy.
⚠️
The Problem
Lifelong avoidance
Many patients live with specific phobias for decades — avoiding situations and limiting life — without realizing brief treatment could substantially help.
🔬
The Approach
Focused treatment
Dr. Farkas evaluates specific phobias and coordinates with exposure-trained therapists — often producing dramatic improvement.
✓
The Outcome
Reclaimed freedom
Treatment often allows patients to engage with previously avoided situations — flying, driving, medical care — substantially improving quality of life.
Many can be substantially or completely resolved with exposure therapy. Some patients describe complete loss of fear after treatment; others retain some residual concern but no longer experience disabling fear or avoidance.
How long does treatment take?
For many specific phobias, treatment is remarkably brief — one to several sessions of intensive exposure can produce substantial improvement. Complex or longstanding phobias may require longer treatment.
What about virtual reality therapy?
VR-based exposure therapy is increasingly available and effective for several specific phobias — flying, heights, public speaking, specific animals. Good option when real-world exposure isn’t feasible. See our related article on phobias and treatment.
Should I take Xanax before flying?
For occasional unavoidable exposure when therapy isn’t accessible, brief benzodiazepine use can be reasonable. For recurrent flying, exposure therapy provides lasting solution. Discuss your specific situation with a clinician.
Specific phobias are highly treatable.
Brief evidence-based treatment often produces dramatic improvement.
