both my social phobia and my fear of dark almost vanished on venlafaxine. i take walks in the dark these days, what the fuck.

I can believe it. They are used for general anxiety disorder which I imagine can be kind of similar - an over-reaction to some stimuli.

Sure seems like it to me, but my doctor seemed bemused when I mentioned it to him and I don't think they're routinely prescribed for them. I reckon if I'd have paired the SSRI with some exposure therapy, it would have cured me of it long-term. I do have an additional phobia however (I'd rather not say which) and it didn't make any impact on that at all, so YMMV.

Worth noting as well that I had no expectation of any changes to my arachnophobia going in. It didn't even cross my mind.

Exposure seems to be the best way out.