Would You Try This?
By Rozie37
@Rozie37 (15499)
Turkmenistan
May 22, 2007 5:24pm CST
I have more than one phobia, but some are worse than others. I received an e-mail today about exposure therapy and it made me anxious. The idea is to be slowly exposed to your irrational fears.
I have a fear of being closed in small spaces, fear of anything to do with death, fear of heights and I am sure there are some others that I can not recall at this time. The point is, I can't think of any one that I would willing be exposed to.
I remember watching an expisode of Maury Povich where they were doing exposure therapy. One lady was afraid of kittens. When they brought a kitten to her, she was ready to take off running and Maury tried to stop her and she nearly ripped his arm off. By the end of the show, everyone had gotten over their fears, but I don't know that I want to even try to face any of mine. What about you, would you be willing to face yours or have you already?
5 people like this
7 responses
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
23 May 07
I have a fear of snakes but I don't think I want to face it really and I also have a fear of being in complete darkness. I'm not afarid of closed places though. i have been in a mri to many times to have a fear of that but I am a little afraid of really high places.
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
24 May 07
fear of snakes is common. this is kind of a thing which was passed on through generations. our great great grandparents had experienced losing some loved ones to snake bites. then, since childhood, all the young ones after them were told as to how ferocious and venomous snakes are. add to this the fearsome appearance of the creatures yet. i have conquered mine when i knew that snakes will not harm us if we will not threaten them. they will just run away if they are aware of our presence. if they are curled in a safe place, we have to slowly move away from them.
1 person likes this
@balthazar_196 (566)
•
22 May 07
I couldnt do exposure therapy, i pass out and nearly have fits when im near my phobias SO i couldnt do it for health reasons lol but still even if i didnt fit and passout when i approach my phobias i am not strong enough to do so i dont think
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
24 May 07
I think for normal fears you might be able to do this in a short span with exposure but for true phobias? no way would they get it all fixed in an hour on Maury. Phobias are so ingrained that to get over it that quickly seems unlikely. Now I do think for some exposure therapy could work in very small steps. You know starting out with just thinking about being near or around it then moving up to pictures of it and so on. The ones I've heard that have done exposure therapy have taken years with each step.
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
2 Jun 07
No I would not be willing to try this because I don't believe that it helps in all cases .
Growing up we had horses and I was always afraid of them because they were so big and I was afraid to fall off and get hurt . I was made to ride them anyway and told that I would eventually get over my fear if I would just try . I did ride the horses and have to say that I am even more afraid of them today because one day when I was on the back of one of them it decided to jump a ravine . I was never so terrified in all my life and we had to jump it back to be able to get back to the house . My sister thought it was great but I have never forgot the fear that the horse was going to slip or that I was going to fall off . There are a few other cases where my fear was not made any better by continuing to try something I was already afraid of .
Another case of something I am afraid of is water . I have always had a fear of the water yet my dad was a fisherman and they used to love to take all of us out on the boat . My mom and dad really thought I would eventually overcome this fear as well . All I ever did was get sick from the moment I stepped on the boat til hours after I was on shore . I never did overcome my fear and will never set foot on a boat or go near a horse again if I can help it .
For years I did try to overcome my fears by facing them but have to say that all it did was make them even worse in my case .
1 person likes this
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
2 Jun 07
I am very sorry to hear this. A lot of times parents mean well and they feel like they are doing the right thing by helping us to face and overcome our fears. But if they are not aware of the dept of the fear, they can actually make it worse.
I also have sort of a fear of swimming pools because I almost drowned when I was about 12 years old. Your fears don't seem like something you would really have to face, like riding a horse is not needed for survival.
Anyway, it is a slow process, they don't expect you to just go out and jump right in the water or on the horse. They slowly introduce you to it, with pictures and things like that.
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
23 May 07
My biggest fear is snakes. I have been to a lot of snake snows with a friend. I can look at them in a cage, but I cannot touch them. I let a lady put one on me once and it started crawling up my arm. It had to go. Guess what I am still afraid of snakes. I guess I did not get enough thearpy or it did not work. I have no desire to be around snakes and I have not need to be around snakes.
I guess if there where a reason you needed to get over your phobias then I say go for it. If your phobias where keeping you from living you life then I can see seeking treatment but why bather.
@buri2_jaemon (619)
• Indonesia
30 May 07
hm i never know about it but if i have some of phobia and i want to stop my phobia maybe i'll face and try the theraphy..
