CBT and Exposure Therapy?

[8bit]

So, I've had a severe needle phobia for a number of years now; a few months ago I decided to do something about it and dragged myself to the doctors, who referred me to a phycological therapy team.

I've been having cognitive behavioural and exposure therapy regularly for quite a while and although I'm at a point where I can talk about and see needles without breaking down in tears or having a panic attack, I don't feel at all closer to being able to actually be injected.

Basically, I was wondering whether anyone else has had either CBT or exposure therapy to get over a phobia and how well it's worked for them.

[anxious owl]

I'm accutally going to start a course of CBT for needle phobia soon too.

I'd say I'm bad enough to choose not to have diagnoisic work (blood tests etc) due to the phobia, In some ways its getting worse fearing the future - with needles as I belive I may need some surgery in the next 12 months. So I'd like to address my problems.

I experiance HUGE antipation anxiety before a needle event. I managed a travel vaccination earlier in the year. The strange thing is after the event I say "it wasn't too bad" yet the phobia still seems to remain. I can accutally look at them without too much discomfort.

[fozzy is crying]

So, I've had a severe needle phobia for a number of years now; a few months ago I decided to do something about it and dragged myself to the doctors, who referred me to a phycological therapy team.

I've been having cognitive behavioural and exposure therapy regularly for quite a while and although I'm at a point where I can talk about and see needles without breaking down in tears or having a panic attack, I don't feel at all closer to being able to actually be injected.

Basically, I was wondering whether anyone else has had either CBT or exposure therapy to get over a phobia and how well it's worked for them.

Phobias are quite a problem. However they can be cured by one method or another except for two which are harder. The two are the only ones you can be born with [i.e. have in the womb] and they are the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. All other fears we learn after birth either through our social place or environment on this planet or from some unpleasant experience. As with everything we are all different and the cure for one might not be the cure for another but as I said all phobias can be cured.

Gordon

[bernie1977]

Phobias are quite a problem. However they can be cured by one method or another except for two which are harder. The two are the only ones you can be born with [i.e. have in the womb] and they are the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. All other fears we learn after birth either through our social place or environment on this planet or from some unpleasant experience. As with everything we are all different and the cure for one might not be the cure for another but as I said all phobias can be cured.

Gordon

I didn't know that Fozzy, as the saying goes you learn something new everyday

[fozzy is crying]

I didn't know that Fozzy, as the saying goes you learn something new everyday

I learnt it during a talk on fear of snakes at Homosassa State Wildlife Park in Florida some years ago. Also in the same lecture that you have more chancwe oif dying form any and I mean any spider bite than a snake bite as all spiders are venomous. This I already knew as my brother in law, [god rest his soul but not from the spider], picked up a money spider and cupped it in his hand. It bit him and in minutes he had a swelling in his palm the size of a tennis ball. I took him to A&E only two streets away and later we were told another hour and he would have been dead. He did lose his hand and lower arm however to save him.

[bernie1977]

That's awful, I didn't know that either. Is that for spiders in this country? I don't go near them as it is!

[fozzy is crying]

That's awful, I didn't know that either. Is that for spiders in this country? I don't go near them as it is!

Any spiders and Country. For snakes in any particular place one it is rare to come across and of types there might even in the worst place only be three of five maximum one that is venomous and if you do they have the anti-venom at all hospitals and if not if takes hours and hours to die from a snake bite so they can get it. Spiders however are all venomous and in any place there are thousands of types of them and it is impossible to stock even 1% of 1% of the anti-venoms as all spider venoms are different as are snakes.

[bernie1977]

Thanks for that Fozzy, I shall continue to stay away from spiders

[fozzy is crying]

Thanks for that Fozzy, I shall continue to stay away from spiders

I have no problems with them but they sign their own death warrant if then come into my home.

[8bit]

After my 6/7 months of weekly therapy and taking diazepam, my trip to the dentists today for an injection to have a tooth out was still unsuccessful

Does anyone know the next step from here? I'm desperate to get over this phobia but the methods I've tried so far don't seem to be working