If you have a phobia or fear yourself, how do you cope with it? If you tend to avoid the fear-arousing situation, do you think this reaction is adaptive for you in the long run? For example, many...

If you have a phobia or fear yourself, how do you cope with it? If you tend to avoid the fear-arousing situation, do you think this reaction is adaptive for you in the long run? For example, many students with a fear of public speaking avoid taking courses in which they will be required to give oral presentations. Can you suggest a technique based on learning principles that might help in dealing with such fears?