I've developed a phobia and could use some advice

[Mike 03]

After four decades on this planet, the unthinkable happened, and since Labor Day I have developed what I can only call a phobia--"Scriptophobia", the fear of signing my name on an electronic checkstand in a market. I get a panick attack at the checkout.

I'm desperate, because this could obviously be really bad news for me or anyone else who has this phobia. It came out of the blue on Labor Day, and I have been desperately trying programs (Neuro Linguistic Programming programs) since that day, and they are very motivating, but so far I have had too many failures and I am getting really, really scared that this is going to become an issue.

I don't know what to do. Am looking for any advice about how to snuff out a phobia that has very recently developed. I feel this is ridiculous, but using all these techniques, I cannot yet beat it.

It is exhausting and very depressing. If anyone else has conquered a phobia, please advise what to do.

With much appreciation,
Mike

[Phentex]

1. Why do you have to sign?

Are you talking about after you've swiped a debit or credit card?

Or something else?

[Mike 03]

4. Yes, sign a card

[Kali]

2. I find this a little hard to believe, but

you don't have to sign them - just scribble anything, your dog's name or a wavy line - it doesn't matter. They don't actually read your signature. I don't know what they prove, but there was a hilarious blog some guy did about figuring this out and I have tried it - I never even try to write my name anymore, I just make a wavy line - it has never been rejected.

[Phentex]

3. You don't even have to sign anything...

even a scribble. Once you swipe, it's done. You may have to ask the cashier to go ahead and press the next key.

You're right, they never check anyway.

[Brickbat]

5. This is true, and I hope it helps Mike.

I found it out once when I was preoccupied with my kid and made a scraping motion at the detector and accidentally hit "OK." It took it like a charm. You could write anything and hit OK and it'll go through. I have my kid sign for me sometimes, never a problem.

[Mike 03]

6. Yeah, it is so true, my signature looked nothing like what appeared

[Phentex]

7. I was told it's the swipe that matters...

it's an implied acceptance. Which can be REALLY crappy if you don't agree with the amount. Never swipe until the end and only after you agree with the amount.

[Posteritatis]

8. That tale in all its glory is contained herein:

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/

"Undetectable Small Purchase" is my favorite one there.

My signature looks like a seizure in a paint factory anyway, so it's mostly a non-issue for me. I try to make it neater for more official things - government/school documents, most bank stuff, etc - but that's it.

One of my friends has signed his credit slips "Thor, God of Thunder!" for years, complete with the italics.

[Kali]

10. that was it!

thanks! I'm totally :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: again.

[femmocrat]

9. Are you afraid of using the stylus because of germs on it?

If you are, you can just use a closed pen of your own. Same result.

[pitohui]

11. i had a much more severe phobia beat it w. kinesthetics (can't spell it)

i've had many panic attacks driving over bridges and since i live in louisiana, this can't stand, there was a book called the five minute phobia cure that was kinda voodoo but for me it worked, ok, don't laugh, but it cured me IMMEDIATELY and i have not had a problem over 20 years later

at the HEIGHT of my phobia i could not drive at ALL, now i actually ENJOY driving esp. over interstates at high speeds w. the music blaring

and it sounds so stupid, you visualize doing what you fear while tapping certain acupressure spots...sheesh i can't justify this at all w science but it saved my life and my freedom...it took about five minutes and it has held up for over 20 years...go there first

if that don't help you, second step would be anti phobia drugs from the doc...we HAVE the technology but when i was suffering i could not get health care/health insurance at any price so i couldn't "ask your doctor"

if you have health insurance some of the same drugs that help the OCDers will cure this and faster..

[Dappleganger]

12. Just scribble on it...

doesn't matter what it looks like. You could sign it Santa Claus and it would still be accepted.

[pitohui]

13. my handwriting is so bad now

i commented to the grocery store clerk abt my bad shoulder and she said oh you can sign it the queen of england like i do...it's OK!!!

[Dappleganger]

16. I have permanent nerve damage in both hands...

so there's really not much one can do about it. Mine looks just like my mother's after she had her first stroke. I would imagine that many people have handwriting problems as life throws things at them.

Queen of England...haha!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

14. What Kali said.

.
.
.
.
.
For a VERY short while, I was trying to sign my name
legibly and it was extremely difficult and a little
stressful.
.
Then I realized that a scribble was all that was needed.
.
.
.
When I was in the Army overseas, because of the black
market for certain DIRT CHEAP items that we could buy --
ESPECIALLY cigarettes and alcohol, we had ration cards
that only allowed us 5 cartons/month. However, places
like the EM Club or the bowling alley, etc. that sold single
packs -- you could "legally" buy two packs/day... but you
had to sign for them.
.
.
.
It was just UNBELIEVABLE how much Richard M. Nixon
smoked back in those days.
.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
.
.
.

[EFerrari]

15. You know, you're lucky. Because if you don't want to,

you never have to sign your name at a checkout counter again. You can keep cash in your wallet or shop on line and get deliveries or make all kinds of other arrangements so that you never have to do that again until you're good and ready. There is nothing inherently virtuous about signing your name at a checkout counter. It's something you can chose not to do with little or no negative consequence right now. That's thing #1.

And there are techniques that help with phobias. I had a bridge phobia and a flying phobia and they're pretty much history. And if they ever rear their heads again, I can ask my doctor for a minor tranq and pull out my tools so that there is no exhaustion or self-flagellation.

Phobias can make life utter hell. But the truth is, you have a lot of control over when and where and how you deal with a phobia. It doesn't have to sneak up on you. :hi:

[Mike 03]

17. Thank you. I know I could probably make arrangements, but I don't want to be

passive in that way. I want to feel no fear when I go to a store, and who knows what the future may hold? I might have to sign a ton of legal documents, who knows? This level of fear is so intense that it leaves me feeling incompetent, and it is terrifying and I need to turn it around. I wish I knew how. It is really getting bad.

[KT2000]

19. You have my sympathy..

I had the same problem years ago - could not sign my name without terrible shaking and an illegible signature. My will has one of my awful signatures but am not going to pay 100's of dollar to redo it. It was weird - came out of nowhere and then turned into this huge problem. I had to sign a ton of forms once for a real estate transaction - thought I was going to die - but did not. Anyway - it is called a "social phobia" and really not that rare.

It finally went away. I didn't do anything in particular but it seemed to coincide with adopting a new attitude that I just did not care anymore what other people thought of me. Someone told me a great line that really helped - Rew 'em! Translation: Screw 'em. I know this may not be the psychologically healthy suggestion you are looking for though but I do think it has something to do with taking on too much real or imagined judgment from others. It may be different for you though.

I did think a lot about what a signature is though. It is our "self" in many transactions - it can be rejected, it can be deemed fraudulent or it is accepted as is.

[Curmudgeoness]

18. I have never had to sign those things at the checkout, but

for all phobias, you have to keep exposing yourself to whatever you are afraid of. So, do this over and over and over and over, and soon enough you will have no money left. End of problem.