Researchers led by Dominique de Quervain of the University of Zurich developed a treatment which could one day help sufferers to face their fear by taking a tiny pill before a stressful situation. The molecule behind the scene is cortisol, a hormone produced by our body in times of stress or fear. Cortisol actually suppresses the panic response. Previous studies have shown that increased levels of this hormone help us blank out painful memories and emotions allowing us to cope more effectively with stressful situations. The researchers tested 40 people with social phobia and 20 with a fear of spiders. Half of them were given cortisol and the rest were given placebo. One hour later the volunteers were forced to give a presentation or to view a picture of a large spider. Participants who took cortisol reported significant less fear than the ones given a placebo.
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