Cure for phobias?

[sOcK3y3]

i had nightmares when I was a 1 year and 2 year old of being in space floating and coming to these huge cogs and it was as if I was being forced into this cog, time slowed down during the death of myself and its like a loud noise being pushed into both ears which controlled my movements into the cog, .. sometimes when i see a cog i flashback to those dreams i had.....

funny how the mind works

or maybe jerry springer needs me on his show i dunno :P

[Storm Crow]

My hubby was scared of spiders as a kid. He ended up having to learn a little about them in school. He began reading more about them and somehow he was able to gradually tolerate them. Now at 67, he will scoop them up on a paper and put them outside. (That's SO much of a better reaction than his childhood panic attacks!) He still doesn't want them to touch him, but that's a long way from freaking out!

Fear is often based on one thing- lack of knowledge! We fear the unknown. It's that simple. Sometimes, education, combined with slow desensitization is all that is needed to overcome a phobia.

Now fear of some things, rattlesnakes, growling pit bulls, ax murderers, is just plain common sense! It's a pretty basic survival skill to be afraid of such things. Fear of a black widow, is understandable considering it's bite. However, that fear should not send you screaming down the hall. It should just motivate you to take off your shoe and squish the little monster! Fear, resulting in panic, at the sight of a common grass spider, is totally out of proportion!

The problem is not the fear itself, but the level of fear. I work with kids and occasionally, something will frighten one of them. My job then, is to educate and reassure the child. I try to turn what could easily be the seed of a phobia, into a learning experience.

The reaction of an adult to a stimulus (a spider, as an example) often sets how the child will react to that stimulus in the future. If the adult freaks, acts disgusted or displays other strong emotions, the child will often copy that reaction then and in the future. And you know how little kids can sometimes blow things WAY out of proportion??? Well, guess what can happen to that "adopted" reaction!

I hope all of you find your way out of your phobias. A lot of people manage it on their own. If your phobia is really stubborn and you hate it, reread what BirdGirl said. - Granny:hippy:

[Storm Crow]

Couldn't resist- had to add this!

LITANY AGAINST FEAR
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear - From Frank Herbert's Dune Book Series

Granny:hippy:

[Matt the Funk]

Prozac has somehow gotten rid of most of my phobias....I think my phobias were somehow just forgotten and replaced with more general anxiety.