Reviewed by: Assel Omarova, MD, psychiatrist and addiction specialist · updated 6 Nov 2026
Key facts
- ICD-10 code
- F40.2
- Who treats you
- a psychotherapist experienced in exposure therapy; a psychiatrist when needed
- Format
- video sessions; exposure using videos, images and real-life settings
- Duration
- first consultation about an hour; a course is usually 4–12 sessions
- Confidentiality
- you can reach out without your full name; your data is protected by medical confidentiality
- When it’s urgent
- fear combined with panic attacks and thoughts of death — call 103 or 112
- Outcome
- the fear subsides, and you stop avoiding situations that matter to you
What you should know
A phobia often seems trivial until it starts dictating your plans: you skip a vacation because it involves flying, you won’t go up Kok-Tobe, you avoid the elevator in your new apartment complex or panic at the sight of a dog in the courtyard. The path to help is simple: you write on WhatsApp which fear is getting in your way, and the administrator finds a time. The video appointment takes place at home, not at a clinic on the other side of Almaty, and already at the first session you receive a plan for working with that fear.
Specific phobias are among the most thoroughly studied and most treatable problems in psychiatry. The method with the strongest evidence base is exposure therapy, in which you gradually face the object of your fear under a specialist’s guidance. A Psychiatry Online specialist won’t make you do anything you’re not ready for: together you build a ladder of steps, and each one comes more easily than the last. Many patients feel a noticeable difference after just a few sessions.
Signs of a Phobia
- intense fear when encountering an object or situation, even though you know there’s no danger
- anxiety starts in advance, at the mere thought of facing the feared situation
- you rearrange routes and plans to avoid the frightening situation
- contact brings on a racing heart, trembling, dizziness and an urge to run
- the fear interferes with work, travel, medical procedures or relationships
- at the sight of blood or injections you feel close to fainting
- the fear has lasted six months or more and doesn’t go away on its own
If at least two points apply and the state lasts longer than two weeks, it is worth seeing a specialist. Phone consultation is free. If life is at risk, call 112 or 103.
Where Phobias Come From
Phobias often begin in childhood or adolescence. Sometimes there’s a specific frightening experience behind them: a dog bite, getting stuck in an elevator, severe turbulence. Sometimes fear is learned through observation — for example, if a parent was terrified of spiders or flying. A hereditary predisposition to anxiety and the characteristics of the nervous system also matter. Some fears, such as fear of heights or snakes, have evolutionary roots.
The main thing that keeps a phobia going is avoidance. Every time you turn down a flight or steer clear of a high-rise, your brain gets confirmation that the danger is real, and the fear grows stronger. In a big city this can severely narrow your life: high-rise business centers, crowded public transportation, elevators, mountain roads, dogs in the residential neighborhoods of the Bostandyk district. That’s why treatment is built on gradually giving up avoidance.
How an Online Appointment for Phobias Works
At the first session, the specialist clarifies exactly what you’re afraid of, how long this has been going on, how the fear shows up and what you’ve already tried. Then you put together a hierarchy of situations — from those causing mild discomfort to the most frightening. Online, it’s convenient to begin exposure with images and videos and then move on to real situations: the specialist can support you by video while you, for example, step into an elevator or stand on a balcony for the first time.
Online care isn’t always suitable. Some types of exposure — for instance, for fear of blood and injections, or when a phobia is combined with severe panic attacks — are better done in person or with medical staff present. If the fear is accompanied by chest pain, fainting or signs of other illnesses, an in-person examination by a doctor is needed. If a life is in danger, call 103 or 112.
How we help
Exposure Therapy
This is the first-line treatment for specific phobias in international guidelines. Step by step, you gradually face the object of your fear, staying in the situation until the anxiety subsides. Each successful step rewires the brain’s response. You can start with pictures and videos over video call and then move on to real situations at your own pace.
Cognitive Therapy
The psychotherapist helps you see how you assess danger: how likely the worst-case scenario seems and how realistic that assessment is. For fear of flying, for example, it helps to understand how aviation works and what turbulence really means. Working with thoughts makes exposure easier and helps consolidate the result after the course ends.
Applied Tension
With blood, injection and injury phobia, some people experience a drop in blood pressure and faint. A special applied muscle tension technique has been developed for them to help prevent fainting. The specialist teaches it during a session, and it is then used during exposure — for example, before having blood drawn at a lab.
Medication Support
For isolated phobias, medication is usually unnecessary: exposure therapy works better. But if a phobia is combined with panic disorder, depression or severe generalized anxiety, a Psychiatry Online psychiatrist may suggest medication. The decision is made individually and only after a consultation.
Myths and facts
MythA phobia can’t be cured — you just have to live with it
FactSpecific phobias are among the disorders with a very good prognosis. Exposure therapy helps most patients significantly reduce their fear, sometimes in just a few sessions.
MythTo get rid of a fear, you have to confront it head-on
FactSudden immersion without preparation can make the fear worse. Modern exposure is done gradually, following an agreed hierarchy, and you always stay in control of the process together with the specialist.
MythA phobia is just a whim — pull yourself together
FactA phobia is not a matter of willpower but an entrenched reaction of the nervous system. People usually understand that their fear is out of proportion but can’t control it without targeted work.
How an online appointment works
- Message or callWrite on WhatsApp or call — our coordinator replies within minutes, day or night. You don't have to give your surname.
- Doctor and timeWe match you with a psychiatrist, addiction specialist or psychotherapist and agree on a time — often the same day.
- Video consultationA secure 50–60 minute video call: the doctor takes a detailed history and uses standardised scales if needed.
- Treatment planYou receive a clear summary, recommendations and a plan: what we do online and what needs an in-person visit or home call.
- Follow-upOnline follow-up sessions, messenger contact with your doctor, and treatment adjustments until you get a stable result.
Prices in Almaty
| Online psychiatrist consultation (50–60 min) | 15 000 ₸ |
| Follow-up online consultation | 12 000 ₸ |
| One month of online psychiatric care | 60 000 ₸ |
The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.
Where to get help
You can book in Almaty online or at one of two branches: 129 Kurmangazy St., office 8, Almaty, 110 Bogenbay batyra St., office 15, Almaty. Our coordinator replies on WhatsApp within minutes at any time, and a doctor usually connects by video the same day; home visits are available too — all city districts and nearby settlements.
Confidential and private
Information about your visit, diagnosis and treatment is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”. We never share it with your employer, school or relatives without your consent; the only exceptions are those expressly set out by law. For an online consultation your first name is enough, video runs over a secure channel and nothing is recorded without your consent.
Questions and answers
Can a phobia be treated online?
Yes, most phobias respond well to online treatment. Exposure starts with images and videos and then moves on to real situations, which can be done with the specialist over video. An in-person format is needed in certain cases, such as fear of injections.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the phobia and how severe it is. For an isolated fear, four to six sessions are sometimes enough; more complex cases may need twelve or more. Doing exercises between sessions is important — it noticeably speeds up and consolidates the result.
I have a flight in a month. Will I have time to prepare?
A lot can be done in a month: understanding how a flight works, learning self-regulation techniques and going through exposure with videos and simulations. The specialist will draw up an intensive plan. If medication support is needed for a particular flight, that is discussed with the psychiatrist.
What if I’m afraid of many things, not just one?
Sometimes several fears share a common mechanism, such as an anxiety disorder or panic attacks. The specialist will assess the overall picture and suggest a plan that addresses the core problem rather than only individual fears. Treatment may take longer.
Can a child with a phobia be helped online?
Yes, with parents taking part. Exposure for children is done through play and adapted to the child’s age. Parents receive guidance on how to support their child without reinforcing avoidance. Severe fears may require an in-person consultation with a pediatric specialist.
Is online treatment suitable if I live outside the city?
Yes. Video appointments are equally available in Talgar, Kaskelen, Konaev or any district of Almaty. Exposure can be done in places near your home, with no trip downtown. All you need is a stable connection and a quiet place for sessions.
Where can I be seen in Almaty?
Online — from anywhere in the city or region. In person — at two branches: 129 Kurmangazy St., office 8, Almaty and 110 Bogenbay batyra St., office 15, Almaty. Both are open 24/7; home visits cover all city districts and nearby settlements.
Sources and methodology
This page was prepared by the Psychiatry Online medical editorial team based on:
- International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 and ICD-11, World Health Organization
- Clinical diagnosis and treatment protocols of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”
- NICE (UK) and APA (US) guidelines on the treatment of mental disorders
- WHO recommendations on telemedicine and digital health
This information is for reference only and does not replace a consultation with a specialist. Editorial policy
