Phobia treatment?..Where to start?

[HipChick]

Ok...so I have a dumb phobia of bridges, any kind of high overpass, areas where major highways cross over and are high off the ground. I literally freeze, or go out of my way to avoid. It's limiting me..I don't know why it started, I used to travel state to state by myself, drove up and down from Miami to DC several times. It doesn't make sense because I fly all the time for work, and that doesn't bother me..Have you had a phobia treated? Where to start?

[kayakjohnny]

1. There was a program once where the guy made people confront their phobias.

As I remember, he was cool about it and made sure to let the individual control the progress. And it seemed like it worked well. I remember heights being one of the main issues, but there were others. Such as spiders and bugs and dogs and crime. It appeared that this person really helped people.

A little digging around may reveal who this was.

There is certainly help out there for you, and I hope you find it.

Best of luck to you.

[Parche]

2. I have a DU phobia.....

:rofl::hi:

[seabeyond]

3. with you. following gps in dallas and seeing a high high overpass, hoping it isnt mine.

i had to take it. oh lordy. i start slowing, down. way down. i shrink in my seat. barely seeing over hood. shaking. and chanting. lol. as soon as i got off the damn thing i had to pull into convenience store and get some coffee. told the people in the store, ought to be a law against an over pass that high. i mean.... high.

i have a tough time with bridges, over pass, mountain roads.

(phobia of heights.)

lived in calif for two decades and refused to drive hwy 1. i forgot why. visited this spring and routed down hwy 1 from redwood forest to SF. damn good thing hubby was driving. that is why i never took hwy 1

so

i can fly.

not gonna be treated. they will make me do high places.

[HipChick]

4. I would have frozen in place..

and panicked...

[seabeyond]

6. not good. but not good to drop down to 15, 20 mph either. lol. i was just sure i was going to fly

off the thing. like i was gonna jerk my wheel, go over the wall and fly.

why i cant drive mountain roads. i think what ever reason, i am going to floor it off the road. stupid stuff. i was sittin on the floor of the front seat on hwy 1. oh and there was a road going thru northern calif out of shasta to coast and it was a fuckin hairpin turn and all air.... flashing warning signs and i can just feel it pulling me over and i am not even driving. i am sweatin thinking about it.

no, not good.

thats a phobia

i dont like bugs, but this is something totally different.

[foxfeet]

5. Try finding a psychologist who specializes in phobia treatment.

You may be able to get a list of referrals from the American Psychological Association chapter in your state (google 'em). I've not had the treatment, but I do have a phobia about driving on the freeway/interstate. I get panic attacks unless I take a small dose of prescribed Xanax. I'm fine driving on surface streets without the Xanax.

[Lindsey]

7. I would say Hypnosis. At least it's worked wonders for me. n/t