Fear ladder

1. Name the fear you'd like to face.
2. List situations linked to it, from mildly uncomfortable to very scary. Aim for five to ten.
3. Rate each one from 0 to 100. The tool sorts them into a ladder, easiest at the bottom.
4. In real life, try the bottom step. Repeat it until it feels easier, then move up one.

Avoiding what scares us brings relief at first, but can make fears grow. NHS self-help guidance suggests listing the situations involved, rating each from 0 to 100, putting them in order from least to most difficult, and working up from the easiest without rushing. Stay with a situation until your fear has dropped by about half. This is sometimes called exposure (NHS Every Mind Matters (opens in a new tab)).

Gradually facing a fear has long been the main psychological treatment for specific phobias. A 2021 review of nine studies of online and app-based programmes built around exposure found that symptoms dropped, but the studies were few and varied, and most programmes included some support from a therapist (Mor et al., 2021 (opens in a new tab)).

This tool only helps you plan. Doing the steps is up to you, at your own pace.

• For an everyday fear that's getting in your way: speaking in class or meetings, a phone call, a lift, a dog in the park.
• To plan what to try next, at your own pace.
• Not for situations that are actually dangerous, and not as a way to push through a fear you're not ready for.

This is a self-help tool, not medical advice. If a fear is affecting your life, see a doctor. In England you can also refer yourself to NHS talking therapies (NHS: phobias (opens in a new tab)).