My Stupid Phobia

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Just had a call from one of the girls I work with asking me if my leg and arm are ok, my arm is one HUGE bruise.
Apparently I ran so fast my shoe came off and I fell down the stairs, slammed me shoe back on and kept going!

[Ruby]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Oh Puff, poor you! Interesting point about the adrenaline Ian made.

When I said my phobia is feathers, it includes birds too. Absolutely terrified of the them. My poor family have never had a Christmas turkey or roast chicken!

For the sake of the family I have started to buy chicken breast, already diced and with no skin on it so it looks like it can be any meat. I pretend when I am cooking it that I am cooking pork! How pathetic is that?

All the duvets/pillows and cushions are synthetic filled in my home. I once by accident bought a winter coat and didn't realise that it was feather filled. I freaked when I saw a small feather coming out from the coat and could not get it off quick enough! I returned it back to the shop and when the assistant asked why I was returning it I told her the honest truth. You can just picture her amused face.....

My elderly aunt had a chicken farm and thought she would try and cure me by puting a baby chick in my hands - I dropped the poor thing and run.

Phobias are no fun.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

I've never heard of the linden method..

My brother is playing me old Irish music to make me laugh and cheer me up, but if this ever happens again, I am just going to flat refuse to go anywhere near a bloody balloon.. infact i f i never see another one I will be quite happy!

I haven't used it myself but other people have, this is a commercial website, I'm not acting for them or recommending them or anything, just posting the link for reference so you can get an idea what it's all about ---> http://www.thelindenmethod.co.uk/

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

thanks to everyone for everything.

I am so fuming mad that I have been put in to this position in the first place! I couldn't put another person in to the position where they were terrified! I lock my dogs in the yard if people have a problem with them, i lock the cat out for cat phobics, I have even gone to a friends house and bleached every surface as she was scared of mould!

[CleverClogs]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

For the sake of the family I have started to buy chicken breast, already diced and with no skin on it so it looks like it can be any meat. I pretend when I am cooking it that I am cooking pork! How pathetic is that?

It's no worse than a Jew referring to pork as "white beef".

Apart from my acrophobia or cremnophobia, I have largely overcome my innate atelophobia. msl:

[wales01man]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Nothing wrong with a phobia we all have them and like me dont let on mine is not so bad but makes me cringe i have had it for as long as i can remember and have gained a few since

[MissFM]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

It's no worse than a Jew referring to pork as "white beef".

Apart from my acrophobia or cremnophobia, I have largely overcome my innate atelophobia. msl:

Puff - you really shouldn't feel bad about it on top of dealing with it lol! (easy to say I know) - I share all the above with CC plus arachno and a (lift thing which I don't know the latin name for) and it goes on and on...the only one I can't deal with even momentarily is the spider one - we all have them and 'tis easy to mock if you don't :_tighthug__by_darkm

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

i think mine should be biggirlsblouseaphobia!

[PlanB]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Paul McKenna is my hero when it comes to dealing with phobias. I watched him (on TV) hypnotise a woman who was so terrified of dogs that when he brought a doberman into the studio that she hid under a chair screaming and crying. After his 5 minute session she was cuddling the dog. I've seen him do it with spiders too so I bought his CD and I'm cured :spider::spider::spider:

http://www.paulmckenna.com/phobias.aspx?rpid=148

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Hubby came home and I had a little mini melt-down.

His workmate has put me in contact with a self help group he knows, and I am awaiting a call back, I will not be beaten by a bit of poxy latex!!!

[MissFM]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Don't think so Puff but I know what you mean - you feel sucha TWAT. There is a glass bridge in a shopping centre in Cardiff where I had such a panic attack (partly by being stupid enough to look down) that security and paramedics had to be called (suspected cardiac job). Guess we all just have to accept that we have shortcomings and hope that our strengths make up for it. Lol. x

[bluebottle]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Have you tried CBT, Puff? From what I understand with phobias they use a technique called flooding which exposes you to the object/situation that triggers your phobia. The exposure is gradually increased until the object/situation no longer causes you to suffer anxiety. I don't know whether you can self-refer or whether you need your GP to refer you. Don't feel bad about having a phobia - you're not alone as other posters have testified. If it is affecting your life, make a big, bold step forward towards conquering it. Another thing to remember is that as well as going off "bang", balloons also make a rude farting noise when air is released through the neck which has kids in fits of laughter. Focus on that and remember that balloons are funny.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

exactly!! That is exactly how I feel!

I was outside the building shaking like a 11 year old at a One Direction gig and crying like a babe, with a fella I had only known 3 weeks giving me a cuddle and telling my husband where I was because I couldn't move another step, plus I know have a lovely bruise the length of my bicep where I met the bannister on the stairs at speed!!

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

Have you tried CBT, Puff? From what I understand with phobias they use a technique called flooding which exposes you to the object/situation that triggers your phobia. The exposure is gradually increased until the object/situation no longer causes you to suffer anxiety. I don't know whether you can self-refer or whether you need your GP to refer you. Don't feel bad about having a phobia - you're not alone as other posters have testified. If it is affecting your life, make a big, bold step forward towards conquering it. Another thing to remember is that as well as going off "bang", balloons also make a rude farting noise when air is released through the neck which has kids in fits of laughter. Focus on that and remember that balloons are funny.

I have had CBT as I have Post Traumatic Stress, which has helped me a great deal. I used to watch out the window like a hawk when doing the dishes, and the phone had to be answered the second it rang (I can't deal with a ringing phone, I've been known to wait outside the building at an interview cos the receptionist left a phone ringing). The lady who came out suggested I put a radio in the kitchen which I did and I now spend more time dancing with the kids or singing badly to Mc Fly (my guilty pleasure) than looking out the window, and the phone is kept behind a curtain, out of sight and it dulls the noise of it ringing!

I tried the whole be surrounded by balloons thing once and once only,I went to my Godson's 3rd birthday party! my then boyfriend pulled me out of the room when I turned white and started hyperventilating!

I try and look at the whole Benny Hill side of them, but all I can see is the balloon bursting and I have to get away, I would avoid "Fun days" when I worked for the Railway, or had an agreement, "You have your photos taken with the punters, I'll do the work!"

[bluebottle]

Re: My Stupid Phobia

The hyper-vigilance you mention, Puff, is a symptom of PTS. I don't feel you have anything to lose by asking to be referred back for CBT to help you overcome the phobia. Flooding is undertaken under controlled clinical conditions. Attempts by untrained persons to try and resolve phobias invariably fail and, more often than not, end up doing more harm than good. It's like the dangerous nutters - and there is no other description for them - who think they can turn gay people straight. They tend to be religiously-motivated and I have seen the damage they do when I was in hospital, 15 years ago, recovering from a nervous breakdown. Leave any treatment to the professionals,