To ask for help with my ridiculous phobia?

[rubydoobydoo]

Since I was very young, I have had this thing about buttons.
I am now 41 years old and after trying and failing to avoid them my whole life I've had enough, as not only are the things bloody everywhere, it's limiting what I can wear (duvet cover shopping is a nightmare too!) And I also know it's bloody ridiculous, they're just little plastic things with holes in and I have no issue with any other small plastic things!

I tried a hypnotherapy download thing but I don't think it was particularly good one, so if anyone has any recommendations I'm willing to have a look.

What I'm trying to do myself is work out exactly what it is that bothers me about them. It's almost like an OCD thing - I have to wash my hands if I touch one!

I have bought some shirts that I like. One has clear ones on it. I tried it on and was ok but haven't been able to bring myself to wear it. Another has covered buttons on it and I feel more comfortable with that one, but again haven't worn it yet. Another has a collar but no buttons down the front - it has them on the sleeves to hold rolled up sleeves up - I've worn that one a few times and love it so think I'm getting there slightly, and I've just got yet another shirt with black ones up the front that I really like so hoping to use that one as the next transition to normality!

Has anyone else had this totally stupid pointless phobia and managed to get over it?

I strangely have a phobia of plumbing! No reason for it at all. Can't even open the cleaning cupboard under the sink because the pipes freak me out!

Remember the side falling of the bath when I was a teen. Refused to use the loo at home until it was fixed.

You are not strange in the slightest. In the same way you haven't told people of your phobia I bet if you stood in a room with 20 people then half of them would have a "silly" phobia but just not tell people.

Don't try and rationalise it.

My ex had a phobia of coat hangers

Most teenagers have this phobia, I always laugh when asked in a shop Do you want the hanger?.
My pet dislike, I can't over-dramatise it into a phobia, is tea bags. I can just about manage to gingerly pick one up to make a drink but not wet ones, yuck.

Breathing does help

I'm not doctor, but I make you 100% right. I think that when you stop breathing, no matter what condition you have, things aren't looking good.

I think that @Lifecraft makes a good point.

Buttons is actually a surprisingly common phobia - I've heard of lots and lots people who have it. My colleague is handy with a sewing machine and frequently has to remove button fastenings on things like duvet covers for her sister and replace them with velcro or poppers because her sister can't bear to deal with buttons. When you think about it, even some of the most common phobias, like spiders, are of things that are totally harmless, so yours is really no more strange than that.

Most phobias or OCD-type issues can be helped a lot with various forms of therapy. You could start by speaking to your GP and asking for a referral to a psychotherapist, or if you can afford to pay to see someone privately that would be an option too.

If it helps ... I know someone who has a phobia of stickers. We went to an away day recently at work where one of the planning activities involved sticky labels and the colour drained from his face and he point blank refused to touch them. He is dreading the possibility that people will buy sticker albums and activity books for his little boy when he's older.

He is, however, fine with Post-Its which are, apparently, 'just different'.

It's really funny you should say this but I always hated buttons when younger, not so bothered now, but my son who is 40 next month recently told me he found them a bit frightening. Doesn't mind unobtrusive ones such as on shirts or maybe one above a zip but buttons which are big and somewhat ornamental scare him. So you're not alone.

We all have phobias to a degree, I certainly do, can think of three offhand. As long as they don't ruin your life, don't worry.

I'm petrified of frogs. No idea why. Used to catch them as a kid. Possibly came about from a friends outside loo being full of frogs, and you'd be sitting on the loo worried they'd jump on you.

Also petrified of grasshoppers. Apparently have a grasshopper squeal that used to bring my old cat and dog running to get rid of the blighters for me.

Snakes, spiders, buttons not a problem.