ON THE COUCH

Get closer to phobias and you'll beat them

- BY DR RAJ PERSAUD, CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST

How a patient who couldn't leave house through a fear of dog poo finally saw the light - by going out and failing to find any

Phobias can be embarrassing - so sufferers often don't want to disclose them. After all, if something scares you, facing your fear by seeking treatment is easy to put off.

Which is probably why we've seen a rise in an industry that promises cures without confronting the cause of the phobias - with anything from chanting, lighting candles to mild hypnotism being hailed as the cure.