need help with my fear

[decensored]

im scared of dying.. but i guess that's not a phobia - more of an instinct

[mainbutter]

The little bit about phobias that we talked about in psychopathology seemed to come to the conclusion that the only way to treat phobias successfully is with exposure therapy.. the exact opposite of what most people with phobias want to go through.

But really, the idea of living without a phobia is being exposed to a would-be trigger, and not being afraid.

You can work on exposure therapy yourself and with anyone who provides emotional support, it's pretty self explanatory, paying a professional to help you with it is expensive. When facing a new exposure, it's important to think of it as a challenge (because it IS challenging!) that you take on, and not someone forcing you into a situation you didn't sign up for.

[Mike41793]

Maybe watching The Devils Rejects could help you. Captain Spaulding isnt your typical clown and happens to be the only one thats ever made me laugh lol

[python_addict]

so it has taken me this long to just go through the thread after seeing the first clown picture...no I did not watch the video thanks guys Im going to post a picture of one on my bathroom door on the outside I figure I will see it everytime I go into the bathroom. If I need something so bad it wont scare me off eventually.

[FkNdRk]

I say you save up some money and purchase a Clown BP and start from there. That way you learn that some clowns are lovable.

[pigfat]

What about if you painted you OWN face like a clown? Exposure might help too....start with rodeo clowns, they actually save lives! "I know, rodeo comes from the kid from Oklahoma"

[xcrafter]

picture them as a baby like waterboy did

[satomi325]

so it has taken me this long to just go through the thread after seeing the first clown picture...no I did not watch the video thanks guys Im going to post a picture of one on my bathroom door on the outside I figure I will see it everytime I go into the bathroom. If I need something so bad it wont scare me off eventually.

Good luck!!! Stay strong!

[xFenrir]

I have a mix of hypochondriasis and being a germaphobe, and I have/had terrible anxiety because of it. One day, about a week before starting high school, I was walking up the stairs and was suddenly hit with an overwhelming fear that I was going to die. All of a sudden I couldn't watch any show like CSI or anything that had death or dying in it. I had to leave the classroom when they showed the movie "Armageddon". I couldn't sleep at night and throughout the day I was constantly checking my pulse. I HAD to wash my hands if I thought they might be the slightest bit dirty and I would not touch my face unless I KNEW my hands were clean. I ran screaming and climbed onto a car roof from someone who had car oil on their hands and was trying to touch me (they thought it was hilarious, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.)

I still have these fears to a degree, but I'm much better about them now. Every time I started to have an anxiety attack, I would tell myself that I was overthinking things, and was there any REAL reason for me to start getting so worked up? I would check my vitals, my heartbeat was steady, my breathing was fine and I had no pain anywhere. Then I would tell myself to relax, and I'd go do something I enjoyed: reading a favorite book, listening to music or watching a movie or a TV show I liked. It takes time, and your fear will probably never go away completely, but if you learn to talk yourself down from it and show yourself there isn't anything to be so worked up about, it will stop dominating your life.

[Pickenprod]

Definitely agree, the only successful way to overcome a phobia is through gradual exposure to the thing you fear.

Start small, like looking at a black-and-white photo of a clown. Then a color one, then maybe look at a clown doll from across a room (get a friend to help you with this part, lol).

Take it slow, but make sure you force yourself to graduate to the next level of exposure. It's the only way to gain a foothold of control over the affliction.

Good luck!!