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Some bio 202 student papers on the subject, for additional perspectives and links to other resources
Seems to me we developed a pretty strong consensus that phobias could probably originate either in genetic information or in experience. And that, regardless of origin, they could probably usefully be treated by both "talk therapy" and pharmacotherapy. And that, re Daniel's concerns above, that at least part of the phobia "problem" has a cultural component, a "making things worse" for individuals related to cultural norms/expectations. The "cultural issue" slant on mental health continues some conversation from our first meeting. Along those lines, there was a very interesting article in the NY Times magazine this Sunday: Regional Disturbances, documenting cultural variations in "mental illness" and considering why they occur.
Its probably my own interests at play, but I was particularly struck by the conversation comparing pharmacotherapy, "cognitive therapy", and psychoanalysis. From my perspective at least, all three, to the extent they are effective, must be affecting the brain ... but probably in different ways? Drugs, I think we agreed, may well lessen the feeling of anxiety, without necessarily (at least immediately) altering the source of the anxiety. "Cognitive therapy" may (?) help the conscious part of the brain (what I call the I-function) cope better with the feelings of anxiety, but again not alter the source of the anxiety (at least immediately). As noted, one can "understand" a phobia, but that doesn't make the "feeling" go away. This suggests perhaps that, as Freud originally conceived, the source of the anxiety is actually in the "unconscious" part of the brain ... and perhaps that psychoanalysis as a therapeutic technique is unique in directly targeting that part of the brain and the actual source of the anxiety?
More food for thought, at least (yes, it IS the issue of how the two parts of the brain, as characterized above, communicate that it, at the moment, on my mind, for a variety of reasons). Thanks again to everyone for contributing. Hope others took useful things from the conversation too ... and that, in future years, we can build on the foundation of this one.