D-Cycloserine as a Promising Phobia Treatment

D-Cycloserine as a Promising Phobia Treatment Phobias Treatment Print D-Cycloserine as a Promising Phobia Treatment By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics. Learn about our editorial policy Lisa Fritscher Updated on June 24, 2019 Robert Decelis Ltd/DigitalVision/Getty Images More in Phobias Treatment Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Types Originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of tuberculosis, D-cycloserine (Seromycin) may be the next line of defense in phobia treatment. The antibiotic has been found to aid in the treatment of a variety of simple phobias, including the fear of spiders (arachnophobia) and a fear of heights (acrophobia). The drug is not helpful as a sole treatment, however, and works as an adjunct to exposure therapy in patients with phobias. Repeated clinical trials have demonstrated that patients with acrophobia (fear of heights) who receive exposure therapy, and who also took D-cycloserine, learn to override their fears more quickly than those who took a placebo. Exposure therapy, which is often used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, targets learned behaviors that people engage in (most often the avoidance) in response to situations or thoughts and memories that are viewed as frightening or anxiety-provoking. How D-Cycloserine Works D-cycloserine is thought to affect certain receptors, namely NMDA receptors, in the amygdala portion of the brain (a part of your brain that is associated with fear). It does not directly treat the phobia. Instead, the drug appears to stimulate the area of the brain that is responsible for unlearning fear responses. In other words, it works to speed up or increase the response to exposure therapy. This, in turn, may minimize the frustration often felt during early treatment and thereby prevent a person from stopping therapy prematurely. Although research is still underway, clinical trials have found few side effects when using D-cycloserine in the treatment of anxiety disorders. D-cycloserine has also been studied for its effectiveness in the treatment of Alzheimers disease, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD and other anxiety disorders. If you think D-Cycloserine could work for you, talk to your healthcare provider. Together you can weigh the risks and benefits of using this medication, alongside exposure therapy, in the treatment of your specific phobia or anxiety disorder.