Insect Phobia

[Blueberry]

Deep sympathies and I hope to goodness time has worked a bit of magic by summer - I'm a lifelong spider hater and I think the suggestions so far are excellent. Just a couple of thoughts to add: my sleeping baby was stung by a wasp last summer when wearing a T-shirt with a jolly bee motif - it went straight in the bin and I am careful to avoid insect-attracting bright yellow, let alone black and yellow stripes. I know only too well how awful the panic reaction is. I guess I would try to hug him into stillness, while showing him how to breathe deep and slow - this is what I try to do when I have a nasty spider shock. It's just like the old "coping with contractions" breathing really. Good luck.

prufrock, pulling off ears with pliers????

Stealing handbags makes sense, but ears? Is there a market for wrenched-off ears in Bombay?

janh,they`re a delicacy,curry ears

Apparently it was a way of extortion. You know, give me your wallet or I'll pull your ear off. You can't drive off, cos your ear will stay behind! It was complete bull of course

Whymummy I love your idea with the orange juice glasses... I think I'll try it

mammya we`re on a mission girl,exterminate the little bs!!!

Thought I would revive this thread again to use it in asking for help about a BIG spider fear that I have. I am so bad that it is beginning to stop me from doing things and going to places in case I may find a spider. In that I mean places such as the loft, the garage, the greenhouse and the shed. Although I am not as bad with spiders outside. It's the inside ones that scare me now to the point that I am really annoyed with myself for letting it get so bad. We have one in the sitting room somewhere that my husband failed to catch the other night and now he is away all week and I am petrified fo the room. On a night when it is most likely to run out, I sit with my feet up on the setee just in case and I am constantly looking at the floor for it.

I am a very nervous person and do jump very easily which is why I think that I hate them so much, besides thinking that they are the most ugliest thing ever.

Can anyone give me any advice on what to do about this fear as it is ruining my life, maybe that is a bit strong. But I really do feel that it is time I did something about it.

OK so you all obviously think that I am a big wimp. So do I really. Just wondered if anyone had used hypnotherapy for anything like this and if it had helped? I am willing to try anything to stop myself from getting in such a state.

Any advice please.

My mum was exactly like you but has had to 'bite the bullet' since I moved out 5.5 yrs ago. She couldn't even look at them on TV, so if one ran arcoss the floor she'd have hysterics (sp?).
She now has to just give them a wallop and kill it as she lives alone. I know thats not much advice but at least she's not stuck in one chair until someone rescues her.
BTW I used to be a bit scared of them but since having children I have learn to live with it and leave them to their little hidy-holes. I don't want to create a phobia in DS1+2 and Infact its worked so well that I'm constantly having to tell them to leave 'spidy' alone as they want to pick them all up.

My hairdresser was like you Demon and eventually decided she'd got to stop ringing her dad to deal with them so booked on a course in London. I think it was spider-specific and did involve hypnotherapy. It worked for her, her dp arrived to find her holding a tarantula, but some of the others on the course were still struggling with their phobia.

PS Can anyone offer any insight to dealing with claustrophobia which is getting worse and starting to affect others' lives too ??

what about phobia of revolving doors and lifts? i find myself counting when i'm in revolving doors, they always stop when i'm trying to get onto asda. and lifts i close my eyes and just wait till they stop. i used to be fine, but lately i find myself taking a deep breath and forcing myself to go in lifts. if i didnt have the kids/buggies with me i'd take the stairs.