HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

I have a phobia of ssssss cant say the word, but it rymes with steaks.
Anyway im getting so bad i dare not go to the park,I love this country, but hate them things, cant look in a book , cant watch on TV, its really taking over my life.
Well today i rang a therapist who was recommended and i have an appointment, but something is nagging at me, he told me his wife has the same fear. If he cant help his wife , how the hell can he help me.
I really dont want to go back to UK, but it is on my mind a lot lately because of my fear. Denise

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Right its winter soon, snakes will be gone, thats your phobia cured for at least 5 months.

Ask the therapist how he intends to help you, with phobias getting you used to what you fear is often the most effective, dont just accept a load of pills.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Pick a different Therapist.

Clinical studies suggest that the outcome of therapy depends only 15% on the actual technique employed by the therapist. A lot of the outcome depends on the trust between you and the therapist. If you dont trust the therapist now then you are unlikely to in the immediate future.

I would suggest seeking an alternate therapist until you are comfortable with your choice and have more positive vibes about seeing them.

On the bright side a lot of people would not seek such help - well done!

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

NO i wont have pills, no intention of doing that.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

I have to get help, as i have got a job at the local childrens home and it is out bush, well in the bushes, and im scared to go there, i really want this job so much, i am willing to get help, Thanks for your reply, i am thinking i may cancel. Denise

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Hi Denise

Never knew you has this phobia! Good for you getting help! Maybe his wife has the fear but has now found ways of coping with it! I friend of mine was petrified of heights she had help and said it never completely goes but she has way of coping with it so it doesn't ruin her life if she has to go over a bridge for example, something which she couldn't do before!

If you don't feel comfortable after you have met him then find someone else!

Good luck and let me know how you go!

Jo

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Try here:

http://www.aacbt.org/

G

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

My missus had hypnotherapy for a spider phobia - she's now less bothered about them than I am ;) :)

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Just make sure you send the kids out to play first. That way they'll cop the snake and you'll be ok, by the time the screaming is over the snake will've had it well away. Unless its a nasty brown one - or better a big python and it wont be able to get away with a fully grown tyke in its belly , either way you can sit in the office and phone the ambliance.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

LOL I WISH

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

YES im afraid so, but i do want to get over it, as i want to go camping with the kids and do ozzy things and not be afraid.
I will let you know how i go on. Denise

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

The link I posted should give you information about therapists where you live.

I treat people with such phobias in the UK:

http://www.babcp.org.uk/

Good luck

G

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Try contacting Perth Zoo. Maybe they do something there for people with phobias.

Good luck

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Oh poor you. A phobia can take over your life if you let it and yours is practically doing just that. Get a hold of it now while you are brave enough to talk about it - There are lots of different channels you could go through to help you with this and your GP could most probably recommend some 'natural methods'. Taking medication will not help you overcome this phobia and it would just be a short-term solution. Have you tried hypnotherapy?

Rachel

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

i am close to calling the whole thing off 4 weeks before we leave because of the 8 legged creatures. i cant handle it. i dont want to go. end of.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

To put it into perspective, ABC Diamond posted some interesting statistics last week about snakes and spiders. If I remember correctly, then, on average, only 4 people a year die from snake bites, and there hasn't been a death attributable to a spider bite since 1979!

ABC, if I've quoted you incorrectly, then I'm sorry!

Hope that helps.

S

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Dunno how you going to get over your phobia but as I have lived here all my life and alot of it in bush near bush and also in suburbia the only time I have seen snakes is when I went looking for them. As a kid we lived opposite 100 acres and go and find Tiger snakes etc and keep them in our own little zoo.

The chance of you coming across a snake would be the same as winning lotto.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Its not the danger that scares you, its the thing itself, wether its dangerous or not. I cant even have a toy one in the house.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

God i hope you are right.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Thanks for your help.
Do you think i can be cured, i have had this as long as i can remember.
I actually live in oz now, and have done for 14 months, i have not seen one yet, but i worry about it every time i step out of the house.
Denise

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Ah Denise that's such a shame it's spoiling it for you, seriously get a recommendation from someone - there must be other people who've got through it. Loads of people overcome phobias, no matter how long they've had them for - there's a few people on here that had to deal with spider phobias and the ones I've read that had treatment did really well. There was someone, I can't remember who, who had gone from not being able to look at a picture of a spider to wanting one for a pet by the end of the day.

You'll conquer it Denise, don't let it get to you - just get the right treatment for it.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Yes

I have treated many people myself.

Here is the equivalent Australian organisation:

http://www.aacbt.org/

G

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

So sorry to hear that you are suffering in this way, Denise.

Don't dismiss this therapist out of hand - you don't say what sort of therapist, btw - if they are personally recommended by someone that has found them effective, that's a good place to start. I just wanted to say that it is not unusual at all for a therapist not to treat members of their own family. In fact, I'd say it's pretty standard. It is too hard to be objective about people you love and I do not know anyone in the *alternative* world who treats their own family except in first aid circumstances.

I would give him a ring and honestly explain your concern. You may find that he tells you the same thing. If he does, it's not a cop-out.

Good luck. :)

Sue

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

I know how you feel and I am still in the UK at the moment but heading to Cairns in about a month - everyone seems to mention snakes! Booked a hypnotherapy appointment next week - reckons it will take 2 sessions (they will also help me feel a little easier with the larger spiders at the same sessions). I know someone who has been able to hold a bird eating spider after the session - so it can work. She did say that she is is not a snake-lover but the therapy helps you react in a rational manner if you encounter one. Good luck and i'll let you know how i get on.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Yes i would love to know how you get on.
I never want to hold one, jusy want to be able to handle the situation, when i do see one. My worst fear is driving with the kids in the car, and one crosses the road, how will i react, i just dont know. I wish i had done something about it before i came, but just could not find the time, good for you for sorting it out now. Denise

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Likewise I don't want to like snakes but just deal with the situation. The therapist I was speaking to today said she had sorted a bloke out with a snake phobia who was spending a lot of time in Spain - he ended up being sent to sort things out by his partner after he swerved off the road into a ditch because of a snake ahead. After therapy and within 24 hrs of returning to Spain he saw a snake in the garden and was able to move a little closer and watch it rather than running away and again a couple of weeks afterwards when there was one in his house - he couldn't catch it or get too close but was able to watch his partner deal with it (brave lady!!).

Will keep you posted...

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Denise I'm not going to tell you that the ****** want to avoid contact with you as much as you want to avoid them cos I know it doesnt make any difference to how you feel about them (thats why a phobia is called and IRRATIONAL fear) I have arachnaphobia and aichmophobia (fear of needles). When I found out I was pregnant that presented a bit of a problem as you can imagine as there was no way they were gonna allow me to escape from all the blood tests etc etc so I went halfheartedly to a hypnotherapist as I just didnt know what else to do. The upshot was that it bloodywell worked! I didnt think it would help and well,put it this way I gave blood for the following 6 years! I still dont have jabs at the dentist mind you, I just point at the offending tooth and they drill it,but I cant stress enough how much its worth just giving it a go.Its true to say these things work on diffreent levels for different people but what have you got to lose? let us know how it goes for you.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

[QUOTE=Craigy]I know how you feel and I am still in the UK at the moment
but heading to Cairns in about a month - everyone seems to mention snakes!
(UNQUOTE)


Hi Craigy!


So you are coming to Cairns eh!? Does BIX know?? Maybe we cld say hello!Any help you need - just give us a shout - ok??

I can understand having a phobia as I also dread the 8 legged kind - I do remember before arriving that I in particular was petrified of seeing them! Heard so many 'horror' stories etc, but quite honestly - we have lived in 3 different areas of Cairns in the last 16 months, we are actually now very close to the Rain Forest, and I can honestly say as yet, I haven't seen any BIG 8 legged creatures or live snakes! did see one very DEAD one on the road side though - snake that is! Thats not bad now is it??

The fear for us was worse before we came - now we have been here for a while, yes, I still dont want to see any - but if I do I'll have to try and cope with it I suppose - trouble is - the longer you go on without seeing any, the more blase you become which probably is not a good thing :eek:

I think sometimes, the fear of seeing one is probably worse than actually seeing one if you know what I mean!!! Cranni hasn't seen one yet, but is still terrified, bit like me with sppppp... - the mind is a funny thing eh!!

Hope you get the 'help' you need Cranni :) It would be a shame to give that job away now wouldn't it!!!

So, Craigy, let us know if we can help you in any way on your arrival to Cairns - ok?

CYA

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

l don't know if this will help your phobia but the Australian Funnel Web spider has enough venom to kill 2 elephants or 20 people:eek:

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

[QUOTE=Bix da Boss]Thanks for that, dont worry i will go to the job, i cant wait.
I have not worked since my youngest whom is 7, so i am ready and cant wait.
I think it makes it worse because i have not seen one yet, maybe if i had seen one when we got here it Might of helped, i really dont know.
The kids have never been allowed toy ones, and would love them not to worry about me, which they do. I will do this and let you all know how i get on. Denise xx

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

[QUOTE=cranni]
Well, when we were still in the UK a few years back, my lovely two sons thought it wld be funny to put a 'plastic' BIG BLACK SPIDER in our bed :scared: I was the first one to see it and boy did I scream!!! The litlte blighters! If they did that now - well my reaction would be a little different cause they are old enough to know better - get it!!!!!

It will be good to get back to work, I stayed home with mine for 11 yrs and it was great to get back out in the real world of paid employment - he he :D

Like I said - the fear is as bad as seeing the real thing - of that I am sure :eek:

Good luck

Gill :)

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Try a hypnotherapist, I hear they can work wonders.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Well i am thinking that, but i worry about things like that, how does it work.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Thought some information about hypnotherapy might help... (the link below is information from the place i'm going).

http://www.halohypnotherapy.com/abouthypnotherapy.htm

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

I think id like to try this, but i cant find any in the phone book.

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

losing your fear of spiders won't stop them killing you. The Funnel Web spider has enough venom to kill 20 people. :scared:

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Good point ;)

Nasty little buggers aren't they :eek: They really give me the creeps and thats just in pictures and on the TV :eek:

Oh well, just think of all those lovely cuddly creatures that live in Australia, like BIX :D That'll do the trick for me anyways ;)

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Might like to check this one out too, Denise...

http://www.hypnosis.me.uk/index.html - more for information about hypnotherapy
http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.a...y/Hypnotherapy
http://www.tracieokeefe.com/whatis.htm - I heard of this lady in the UK - I believe she is highly thought of in hypnotherapy circles.

Isn't this Centurion's area of expertise?

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Just a thought or two. Firstly I don't think much of a therapist who tries to reassure you by identifying someone else as having/had the sameor a similar problem. It doesn't sound very professional to me.

Secondly, fear is natural. Irrational fear though is basically a type of anxiety. What this means is that we use the irrational fear as a means of avoiding confronting an issue or issues in our lives. It doesn't make the fear any less real or scary but it helps to relaise that focussing on it is a way to retain a 'comfort zone'. Much the same way as people with OCD have rituals they feel the must perform in order to release their anxiety.

I think it a good idea to look for someone who is properly qualified to deal with this sort of problem, such as a clinical psychologist. This is a complex issue and beyond the realm of counsellors or 'therapists' who do not have specific and reasonably extensive experience with phobias.

Don't see a psychiatrist neither as they tend to rely on medication more that therapy. CBT(cognitive behaviour therapy) works in many instances but may not necessarily be the best route in this case.

You can overcome this, just get sound advice. You could discuss this with your GP but generally they don't refer to clinical psychologists. Maybe look in the yellow pages as many clinical psychologists do advertise there.

Best of Luck :)

Re: HELP phobia is getting me down.
 

Rubbish.

G