The fear clinic

[Hallelujah2020]

Did anyone watch the first episode? Not sure how I feel about it, was very interesting but also uncomfortable at times.

I watched it. Boring. Couldn't understand the lady who had fear of being a passenger. Couldn't understand how these people make a lot of money out of conquering someone's fears in one or two days. Bet they charge a lot. Didn't agree with giving them beta blockers, bit of a cheating way to do that if they're professionals to give them a drug..anyway, I said to my partner ; why can't these people with fears get their partners to help them? Just a waste of money tbh

I felt disgusted actually at how they were in the car with the woman. They didn't stop straightaway when she said. It was too much. Yes I didn't get her fear when I first heard her say about it but then I thought about it and I did get it. She has to put her trust in other people, she's not in control. And I got that. In her case, this has manifested itself in cars/buses.

With regards to the others, I don't really understand how after 1 session they can be pretty much ok, if they've been that bad before then

How do you think a person's partner would be able to cure them of their phobia?!

Why not ?! The same way that the staff did it ?! Not impossible is it 😆

Oh thought you were being serious

This. I thought one session was too quick too and if it was that bad it would take longer. Thought they could have done those things with the balloons and mouse with a partner they could have least tried. I would try anything to help a loved one now.
I know someone who's life was ruined for years by a phobia when it started. They tried everything maudsley hospital , medication, hypnotherapy nothing worked at all. The problem is most people don't understand how debilitating they can be and some people probably laughed at the program and just didn't get it.

Saw a trailer which made me think I might watch that !

How does a beta blocker 'change the emotional memory' overnight? I don't get it

I'm sorry but I had to laugh about Devereaux's explanation about why he was scared of sausage dogs

How they're so disproportionate and they're so long and so short with dodgy little legs 😂

Did they ever get over their phobia?

I'm watching it now because need to get rid of mine! But I'm confused too about the beta blockers 🤨

That’s exactly what I thought. How does it work? I’d like more of an explanation. Currently I don’t believe it. Maybe the day after it works. But what about long term?

It was distressing watching some of the people. The woman with the fear of he sea and how scared she was in the water. Horrific.

Yes it was distressing

Why did she say that Dave couldn't ring his wife till the morning otherwise it might affect the treatment?

I just don't get it! 😭

I don’t get how it works either but she said something about it affecting the processing of the fear memory. I guess someone else’s input may influence that.

The tv show doesn’t do justice to the science behind the method. It has been proven to be incredibly effective through peer reviewed randomised controlled trials (where neither the patient nor the therapist knows whether the drug is the beta blocker or the placebo). It doesn’t work for everyone. But for those that it does, it’s a permanent fix. It gets rid of the panic reaction that makes people avoid the thing they fear. Many people report that the effect gets stronger over time. But the tv show doesn’t explain enough of the detail and it makes it looks like it’s just a really extreme kind of exposure therapy. It is actually completely incredible and has changed many people’s lives.

It's something I looked at when I saw about the show. I'd happily pay anything to get rid of my phobia, but the method just doesn't make sense to me.. plus I'm not sure how they would do exposure with emetophobia 🤔 the clinic does seem to have really good reviews though

Well that's interesting to hear from someone who knows about it

And yes I did wonder about emetophobia!!

I have claustrophobia and no way in hell could you put me in an MRI with just beta blockers.

I've had BB in the past for migraine and anxiety (at different times) and it does absolutely nothing to me. 10mg of diazepam is still not enough to stop me shaking. I've had three scans, two were spoiled because of the uncontrollable shaking.

I also hadn't realised I had claustrophobia until the pushed me into the first scan, so that was exciting...

Poor you, that is a tough one to live with I’m sure. I guess we’ll find out as emetophobia is going to be on a future episode (there’s a list on the Kindt Clinic website)

Have you watched the programme?
Because the beta blocker isn't taken before you face your phobia

Oh is it!? I tried to have a look at what fears they would be doing and didn't see it. I did see the clinic offers it for emetophobia though

https://kindtclinics.com/en/thefearclinic/
yep it’s listed on this page.
Yes the method is quite unusual and hard to believe. Other therapies like CBT practice gradual exposure, starting with less scary and slowly building your confidence in what you can handle. This one requires you to jump in at 10/10 terrifying, but only for a few minutes. Then the beta blocker (+ sleep) changes how your brain treats the fear memory, which eradicates the physiological reaction (the panic) to the feared thing. Once there’s no panic, your brain starts to realise there’s no reason to escape anymore. So it’s an extremely intense way of treating it, but for most people who do it, it works, and is permanent. I think it suits people who have tried other therapies and have reached the ‘I would do absolutely anything’ stage of wanting to get rid of it.

Wonder what beta blockers they use