anyone here deal with animal phobias?

[FooFootheSnoo]

This is unusual and pretty dumb, but I am absolutely terrified of frogs. This morning I got back from taking my daughter to the bus stop and there was a 3 pounder in my garage (I'm not joking around, this thing was HUGE). Luckily, my neighbor has the exact same fear and she had her son come over and get rid of it for me. This was over an hour ago and I'm still covered in chill bumps and jumping at every sound and movement. It's absolutely paralyzing. The only time I'm not nervous about going outside at night is during the winter. If I have to go out into the yard at night I put on jeans, knee socks and sneakers. Since I live in Florida, it's pretty debilitating. I'd love to have a garden, but I don't dare. Desensitization therapy is absolutely out of the question. Anyone here ever successfully recovered from a phobia or have any tips about calming down after an encouter like this? I know it's stupid. I'm not worried about a frog hurting me, it's just the thought of one touching me and the sight of them that really bothers me.

[scarlet_owl]

1. I'm terrified of spiders. It can really be a problem, since I work

in natural areas with kids. When we see a spider in the woods or the prairie, I try to keep it under control because I don't want the kids to be afraid of them. Phobias can really be a hard thing to live with. I wish I could be more helpful. :hug:

[IndianaJones]

2. spiders. I own 2 tarantulas to try to overcome. It hasn't worked. nt.

[DarkTirade]

18. Judging from your screenname I would have guess that your fear would be snakes. :)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

3. Most reptiles and rodents.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Anything that flies and stings - bees, wasps, hornets

I literally run away when I see something flying in my general vicinity. When I mow my lawn, I often wear a long-sleeved shirt no matter how hot it gets outside.

But, I think I'm also slightly allergic to their stings as well - the last time I got stung was 9-10 years ago. I ended up with a 9" long and 2" wide red mark on my upper arm, and inside the bigger red mark was maybe a 1" to 1 1/2" darker red mark. It didn't hurt, believe it or not, but was obviously a bigger reaction than a normal person getting a sting.

[meow2u3]

6. You and me both

Put me near a bee or wasp and you'll see me shitting enough bricks to build a shed :scared:

[DarkTirade]

25. I tend to avoid those too, but it's not so much fear as experience.

I had an... incident when I was younger. Let's just say I'm not a big fan of body piercings or stinging insects.

[PeaceNikki]

5. Birds. Pretty to look at, but if they come near me, I panic!!

They're so.... sporadic.

[1gobluedem]

12. Birds scare the daylights out of me too

I love to watch them but I don't want them near me.

[LisaM]

17. Birds, I've been pecked in the head by them many times

I don't like to be around them. I do think that they should exist - just not near my head!

[bif]

7. You mean, like my brother?

[FooFootheSnoo]

8. well, I guess I'll just try to muddle through somehow

I wish I knew how to stop being so afraid. Like I said, desensitization therapy is totally out of the question. Maybe I should see a hypnotist.

By the way, I have a good friend that's also very scared of birds. She's afraid they'll get in her face and flap their wings up around her eyes. The thought of it freaks her out.

[skygazer]

9. Florida's a rough place to have a frog phobia

I feel for you but I don't have any answers. Have you always had the phobia or has it gotten worse over time?

Maybe search the internet - there may be some sites that have suggestions on dealing with phobias. :hug:

[cobalt1999]

10. Why is desensitization therapy out of the question?

You could start very low key with just a sketch of a frog or a cartoon image, work your way up to pictures, then movies, then toy frogs, then dead frog, up to live frogs.

Hang out at each stage as long as you want until it's no challenge.

OR...

I could tie you up and take you out frog gigging in the swamp one night. :)

[idgiehkt]

11. I used to be really, really scared of dogs

but I loved animals. I got a job in a kennel and just faked my way through it til I learned to read their body language. That was the key for me with getting over my fear of dogs, learning to read them so I would know when I should be afraid, which is rarely.

I think a program at a local zoo or aquarium, one that is geared toward kids, where you can hold a frog and kind of 'desensitize' yourself to them, might help. And learning more about them.

[evlbstrd]

13. My dog has a cat phobia.

[Kali]

14. yes - I have a strange one too, but no answers

I can relate to what you said - being all jumpy for hours and not even being able to entertain the idea of something like desensitization. :scared: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:


Mine is larvae - especially moth and butterfly (caterpillars)

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Oh dear, yes. I had a Gila Monster that was terrified of public speaking.

Sad, too, since he had such a great voice and could recite Bronte so as to make Satan himself cry.

[cobalt1999]

16. That was pretty good.

FYI, I'm stealing it. :)

[TorchTheWitch]

19. snakes - terrified of them

icky limbless things wriggling about on their bellies... eeeeekkkkk!

[DarkTirade]

20. Here in FL most of the frogs that live here don't come out until nighttime.

I don't think I've ever seen the local tree frogs or toads out and about during the day. Try keeping the lights around your house off at night. The frogs and lizards come because they're trying to eat the bugs, which are attracted to the lights.

As for me... my only animal fear that I've had to deal with myself so far is roaches. I don't know why. I know it's irrational. But they just freak me the hell out. Spiders? No problem. Snakes? Love 'em. Lizards? I've owned one. Frogs? I've owned two. Bats? I think they're cute little buggers. But roaches just creep me the hell out. Which sucks because, like the OP, I live in Florida. We have roaches that are big enough that you can actually hear their footsteps when they walk.

I have adopted a quote from Yoda to help me deal with this fear. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

So I've turned my fear of roaches into anger. And if I find them in my house, I make them suffer. :evilgrin:

[BreweryYardRat]

21. I have this same phobia, and same situation.

I want to move to Washington or Oregon. Roaches out there have to be smaller.

[DarkTirade]

24. I visited Portland once... great place. Would love to live there.

Not as rainy as Seattle, but not as annoying bright and hot as it is here... beaches that actually look cool... a real city as opposed to the mass of urban sprawl that is Orlando... and a touch of culture that is so lacking here as well.

[pitohui]

22. i had a different phobia, driving, and have experienced complete relief

i used "the five minute phobia cure" and the phobia has not returned, which is pretty amazing considering how skillfully i was able to avoid driving and get people to drive me around for over five freakin years!!!!

if you can find an old copy of the book, buy it and try it, altho it is now considered a discredited technique, it worked a miracle for me back in the day

i don't have any animal phobias, altho i dislike chows, but as fear of driving is one of the most incapacitating of phobias, i thought i would chip in because my cure was so amazing and unexpected to me

i believe you can be helped, i also know of people who have used Rx meds or hypnosis successfully, but those are a little more expensive and i'm thinking cost is a factor since you mention not wanting to try therapy -- in my day i had no access to care or health insurance for financial reasons and that book was a life saver for me -- i discovered it by chance in a dusty local owned used book store for $1 and it really changed my life

[achtung_circus]

23. Bats, and that's all I can say. nt

[MrScorpio]

26. Cat's claws

Not very happy around them

One reason I like dogs is that they won't claw the shit out of you