Posted by Cindy W on October 26, 2000, at 21:30:52
In reply to Re: Phobias, posted by Ted on October 26, 2000, at 13:55:46
> 1. Spiders & spider webs. Caused by growing up in the Arizona desert with black widow spiders. My job around the house was to go out after dark with a flashlight & flyswatter and kill every black widow. Now just touching a spider web unexpectedly makes me **JUMP**.
>
> This is an odd phobia. I am not afraid of spiders or their webs unless I am surprised by them. I can hold tarantulas if I pick them up. I just can't touch anything without control.
>
> 2. Things that go bump in the night when I am home alone. But I have no problem with rural camping & backpacking where I hear coyotes, mountain lions, squirrels, bears, etc. all night.
>
> TedCoral, Laural, Shar, and Ted...I've always been terribly afraid of hypodermic needles, so can relate to what you've written (I have though become less afraid of spiders, since studying them and realizing I'm just another "surface" to them). Behavior therapy would probably be most helpful if you want to get rid of a phobia. I HATE going to the dentist or doctor, although I've finally learned to cope with blood tests without worrying for days in advance. When I had a breast biopsy this year, I insisted they use some stuff that completely anesthetized my breast locally, before they even gave me a local anesthetic, and I took Ativan to the point I was almost asleep, which helped. Consider behavior therapy (systematic desensitization); it has a good track record with phobias.
poster:Cindy W
thread:1623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001011/msgs/1657.html