Anxiety and phobias

What is Fearfighter?

Fearfighter is an interactive, nine step computer programme for people who have a phobia or suffer from anxiety. It is based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) – one of the most effective and practical methods for treating phobia and anxiety.

Is it right for me?

You may benefit from using Fearfighter if you avoid doing specific things or going to certain places because of a fear or anxiety and you want to learn practical skills to help with your problems but do not want to talk through your problems with a therapist.

You may not benefit if …

• You do not feel comfortable using a computer.
• You frequently think about harming yourself or taking your own life.  If you feel this way, your GP is a good person to discuss this with and they can help you find a service that meets your needs.

How does Fearfighter work?

The programme helps you to understand the triggers for your anxiety, panic or phobia.

Through the programme you are guided to set realistic goals to work towards and to learn skills to cope with everyday problems affecting you now and in the future.

What will happen in the sessions?

• You will be asked questions and can type your answers in the boxes on the screen.
• At each step you will be able to print off handouts and information to help you achieve your goals.
• Everything you write is for your own reference, so don’t worry about your spelling and grammar – all we ask is that you understand what you’ve written.
• You will be given tasks to carry out at each step.  They are an essential part of the course and it is very important to complete the tasks in order to benefit from FearFighter.™
• Your clinical helper will monitor your progress through the programme and contact you via the phone or email at agreed points throughout the programme.
• You can contact your clinical helper by phone or email if you have any questions whilst using Fear Fighter™.

Could anxiety or worrying too much be a problem for you?

This short questionnaire will help assess whether this is causing a problem for you at this time. This will only provide part of the picture and does not replace the assessment by a healthcare professional.

If you are registered with a Newcastle GP, then you can refer yourself to our online course, designed to help you to overcome your fears. You will need to fill out the short questionnaire before you can refer yourself.