Phobia's

[~Kaz~]

I'm not sure about hypnotherapy in that I've never tried it.

Specific phobias such as yours with dogs are very very treatable. General fears are really common, I think they're only called phobias once the fear is changing your behaviour or restricting you in some way. Since this sounds like it is really starting to affect you negatively, I'd recommend that you see your GP and get a referral to a medicare registered psychologist who deals with anxiety. You'll get around 6 sessions that are claimable on medicare making it reasonably affordable. It should generally take around 6-8 session to get a good outcome with something like this.

There are a number of behavioural and thinking techniques that you can learn to help you reduce your fear and get to the point where you can cope with seeing a dog on the street and not panic and also to help you feel more comfortable going out without worrying about it constantly. You'll get relaxation techniques, information about the physical panic response, and help to change your thinking to be more helpful - like searching for evidence of a threat - and more realistic.

HTH. I really encourage you to seek some help from someone qualified in this area. It is really treatable.

btw - my fear is of confined spaces. I don't think I have a full blown claustrophobia but I do have to concentrate on my breathing and staying calm when in small spaces, especially crowds and lifts and things.

[~clover~]

OMG! Flying! I've never been on a plane & I never want to!

[QueenMab]

My phobia: spiders, spiders, spiders, spiders, spiders!! *shudder* Even just pictures of them freak me out.... I am terrified of them.

I know it's not a reasonable fear to have & that "they're more scared of you..." yadda yadda yadda, but OMG I think they are evil & sneaky & very, very scary!!! Arachnophobia the movie was TORTURE!

I hope you can work something out re your dog phobia, I cannot imagine ever not being scared of spiders myself, but I suppose it would be cool to be free of that. Good luck if you decide to work on it.

[Inertia]

My phobia is called "Trypanophobia". What it is, is a fear of medical needles. It came to a head when I was 17 and a bunch of nurses in a ward felt it was their place to hold me down to take blood. As can be expected, I became physically defensive, almost broke a nurses arm and signed myself out of the hospital as soon as possible. The blood test was not necessary - it seems they just decided that I had to do it, because my refusal was "irrational".

When I got pregnant with DD2, my sister and DH started working with me to get me to the point where I could give blood (I am still terrified of injections and so needing my oxytocin by drip is not so bad really). Because she was an AIN, she understood well who was the best person in a hospital to see about needles. In this order was an Anesthetists, Pathologists, Registered Nurses. I tended to agree after watching a doctor butcher putting a canula in my son. It spiked my phobia to see several holes in my sons arm, all bleeding. The doctor was probably lucky to make it out of that room alive! An RN came in instead and got it in first time.

Anyway, my sister got the Pathologist at the hospital to work with me, and eventually we could get me to a point where I gave blood via use of a "butterfly". It was a tiny needle that they stuck in the top of my hand. There was a hose from that to the collection tube, so she could change tubes without disturbing the needle at all. I have been progressing since then that I can get a canula in my arm without becoming physically defensive. But it took baby steps.

For you, baby steps might be the best idea. Start with a puppy. The little ones at the local pet store. See if you can pat them - and then if you can bring yourself to. From there, little lap dogs might be an idea next. Make sure you know they are big sooks and will give you a nice introduction to dogs in a safe, controlled way.

Good luck. You can do it!

[~Kaz~]

Sorry tripple post!! My computer crashed or the site froze or something....

[~Kaz~]

Sorry double post!

[~Kaz~]

Baby steps is a good idea Inertia. A smaller baby step would be to look at a picture of a dog - or even thinking about/imagining them if you need to before building up to a real dog - maybe one in a cage at a pet store or something/behind the glass. You'll need some good relaxation techniques to go with this though, otherwise, the exposure will just "spike" your phobia further as Inertia mentioned with needles. You need to stay with the small step until you feel relaxed or reasonably under control. And then move to the next one etc.

[lotsa_hugs]

BIRDS!!!! I am petrified of all birds! I will cross the street if I am walking my dog and there is a bird on the footpath! haha I don't know why I am afraid of them, always have been....

[Inertia]

I don't know why I am afraid of them, always have been....

Many of the Phobias in my family have an underlying cause that usually we dont remember. Mine was caused when a radiologist collapsed my vein during a barium meal. My older sister cant go near ducks and other swimming birds. Turns out she was attacked by a flock of geese when she was only 2yo. My BIL is blind in one eye from a seagull attack when he was just a young boy, but eventually managed to get past his fear of going to the beach. Its easy to develop a fear of birds with our magpies. I am sure you are not alone.

[nic]

I have 3... the worst one would be snakes. I freak out seeing them, even in magazines. I can't touch the page..I grab the tiniest bit that I can in the corner just to turn the page, and do it for a few more pages.

My next one is heights. I went on a super slide with DD a few years ago thinking I would be fine, and when I got to the top I was shaking so much the guy talked me through putting my legs over the edge to sit down so I could slide down. pretty embarrasing that was..

#3 is bridges and water... When we drive over a bridge I look at the water underneath and think about how it could just collapse underneath us. I even visualise the best way to get in the back seat with DS and DD and how to get DS out of his car seat, then the door we would have to open and then DH and I each having one of the kids to look after. When we get to the other side of the bridge and I know we are "on land" I actually breathe a sigh of relief. DH use to think I was weird.. but I've noticed lately he tries to talk to me to keep my thoughts elsewhere, whenever we go over a bridge now...... ** runs off to hide under a rock that is close to the ground and where there are no snakes or water nearby **

[ShootingStar]

My phobia is called Emetophobia. Its a fear of vomit. Ive had it for a long time, but since ive had kids its become alot worse.. to a point i was getting anxiety attacks every day when DS would cough or moan the wrong way.. just with the thoughts he would be sick.. even though i knew there was nothing wrong with it, its just a mess and id dealt with it before.
I ended up seeing my doctor as i was living with this on a daily basis. She put me on Lexapro and oh my life hasnt been better. I dont think about it like that anymore.. and when i do i dont get hot sweats and my heart doesnt race. I feel like im normal again.

So maybe if its really effecting you that much, having a word about it to your doctor might be an idea?

Best of luck.

[Crystalwings]

Thanks for your replies everyone.
I'm not afraid of dogs that I know and we actually have an old dog that my husband has had for 15yrs. I just hate unknown dogs and am scared of them biting me. I think I also need to learn how to approach them the right way so I don't feel so frightened. I know there are a couple of dogs in my street that are big and get out of their yards which is why I won't go walking there, instead I will drive my car close to town and go walking there instead. I might look into some hypnotherapy I think and see if that helps.