The Changing Landscape of Phobias: What Clinicians Need to Know

Think phobias are all about spiders, heights, or public speaking? Think again. The world is changing, and so are the fears your clients are bringing into the therapy room. Classic phobias are still very real, but subtle, emerging, and unexpected phobias are on the rise. As clinicians, staying ahead of these shifts can make the difference between a client feeling stuck and making real progress.

Subtle Phobias: The Hidden Barriers

Not every phobia screams for attention. Some quietly limit clients’ lives in ways they barely notice themselves. Subclinical phobias — fears that don’t meet full diagnostic criteria but still impair daily functioning are increasingly common. Think a client who avoids certain social settings, skips virtual meetings, or can’t engage with nature.

For these cases, exposure therapy is gold, but traditional approaches can feel overwhelming or impractical. This is where virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) can step in: controlled, repeatable, and titrated exposures allow clients to confront fears safely, even when they’re subtle or complex.

Tech-Related Phobias: Anxiety in the Digital Age

The pandemic accelerated our dependence on technology. It also introduced new fears. Now, clinicians are seeing more tech-related phobias:

• Cyberphobia: dread of online interaction, video calls, or sending messages [1]

• Device-related anxiety: panic triggered by phones, apps, or notifications.

These phobias often overlap with social anxiety, attentional challenges, or sensory sensitivities, creating tricky treatment scenarios. VR can replicate these digital environments safely, helping clients practice and build confidence without real-world consequences.

Biophobias: Fear of the Great Outdoors

Another emerging trend? Biophobias: avoidance of nature itself [2]. Post-pandemic lifestyles, urban living, and a growing disconnection from the natural world have left some clients uneasy around parks, hiking trails, or even simple outdoor social events. Climate uncertainty and global unrest have amplified this avoidance.

VR offers a solution: clients can experience controlled, gradual exposure to natural settings, retraining their brain’s response and bridging the gap until they feel ready to venture outdoors.

Co-Occurring Challenges Are Evolving

Phobias rarely exist in isolation. Clinicians are increasingly encountering phobias alongside:

• ADHD, which can amplify avoidance behaviors.

• Sensory processing differences, making exposure more overwhelming.

• Long-COVID cognitive or fatigue-related changes, affecting clients’ tolerance for traditional therapy.

Understanding these co-occurrences helps clinicians tailor interventions and anticipate challenges. As a whole, this understanding means clinicians can provide targeted support, ensuring therapy is both effective and realistic.

How oVRcome Helps Clinicians Stay Ahead

At oVRcome, we design VR exposure tools that respond to the changing face of phobias. Our platform offers:

• Evidence-based scenarios for both classic and emerging phobias, including tech-related fears and biophobias.

• Customizable content that evolves with clinician feedback.

• Safe, repeatable practice opportunities for clients between sessions — reinforcing your therapeutic work.

  
  

We’re not just a platform, we’re a partner. If you notice a fear scenario your clients face that isn’t yet on oVRcome, we want to hear about it. We regularly create new content based on clinician input to keep our library current and relevant.

Looking Ahead

Phobias are evolving with our changing world. By recognizing subtle fears, embracing innovation, and integrating VR tools into practice, clinicians can help clients tackle fears ranging from the classic to the unexpected.

If you'd like to learn more about what we offer, head over to our website to learn about our clinician portal (free for 2025!) or get in contact.

References

[1] Ferdousi, B. (2022). Challenges of technology accessibility, computer self-efficacy, computer anxiety and cyberphobia in adoption of e-learning systems among students. Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, 1(2), 121-130.

[2] Correia, R. A., & Mammola, S. (2024). The searchscape of fear: A global analysis of internet search trends for biophobias. People and Nature, 6(3), 958-972.