How can i get rid of a irrational fear of jail?
i few weeks back i did something legal, only to realize after the fact i could have very easily done something illegal by mistake (but i did not). this scared me very myuch and at first i simply thought to myself i need to be more careful so i dont accidently get myself in trouble. but this feeling has turned into fear that i will actually go to jail now after i read some news story about jail and saw the mtv show juvies. the more i hear about jail the more i feel like im going there. I havent done anything illegal and i know this but i still feel depressed and scared to go to my house because i imagine the police waiting there, i just think about the close call of the situation and how my life would be ruined and that transforms itself into the fear. and no matter how much i realize it is irrational it is still affecting me very much. what should i do?
How to get over my irrational fear of LSD?
So to make a long story short, I developed an anxiety disorder several months back, among other issues including what I suspect is OCD. Unfortunately, even though I have never experimented with any type of hallucinogenic drugs, I somehow developed this irrational fear of LSD and other drugs of that type. It's even gotten to the point where I thoroughly check every single thing I put into my mouth to make sure it does not appear to be tampered with. I also stopped ordering mushrooms (which I used to actually like) on my burgers, pizza and other meals because I fear that some asshole might have put shrooms in place of what they were supposed to. I also fear liquid LSD. Even though I fully understand how unlikely it is that anyone would do such a thing, it's always in my mind that maybe, just maybe someone put a drop in my drink at a restaurant or something. As idiotic as it sounds, even someone saying the words "acid" or "LSD" makes me feel fear and anxiety. How can I get over this EXTREMELY irrational fear? Especially when I fully understand how irrational it is, yet I still let my mind trick me into acting on it? It's caused me a ton of anxiety and stress over the past few months. Whenever I force myself to eat something I question and try to ignore the OCD, I get a big anxiety flair up that convinces me I'm on the verge of tripping. It's very unpleasant to say the least. I've even calculated that I've eaten something like 20,000 meals in my life, and probably tens of thousands of other snacks. Not a single one has been "drugged" or anything, yet I still fear that it will happen. How can I defeat this?
How can I get over an irrational fear?
I used to have a lot of irrational fears growing up, including separation anxiety, fear of people, and distrusting others.Now, I can hardly think of anything that I’m truly afraid of. The process that I used was that I mentally placed myself in each “worst case scenario” and asked myself what I would do in each situation. When I did that, I realized that even though I might get hurt, scared, or lost, that I would always find a way through.For example, you might have a fear of spiders; if you imagine several crawling on you, (ugh) it will definitely seem creepy, until you realize that they are tiny, helpless creatures that you can simply brush off at a moments notice. If there’s a nest, you can just go somewhere else! Nothing to be afraid of.However, what I like to call “healthy fear” can keep us alive. For example, you SHOULD be afraid of jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. But that “fear” shouldn’t keep you up at night. That’s when a “healthy fear” becomes an irrational one, is when you DWELL on a fear that doesn’t apply to you in the HERE AND NOW.Same deal with public speeches, performances, etc. I used to be terrified of being in front of people and forgetting my line and looking like a fool. I would worry about it DAYS before it happened, but when the day came, everything always went fine. And even if they didn’t, WHO CARES if I missed my line? It’s not exactly the end of the world. As a matter of fact, many performers make mistakes all the time, and nobody even notices!So basically, if there is something you are afraid of, try thinking through it, asking yourself what you are really afraid of, and then realize that whatever it is isn’t life threatening, and that you can and will push through it!P.S. Don’t try to imagine people in their underwear for performances, it just makes things a whole lot CREEPIER!
How do I get over an irrational fear of bugs?
start small, just look at one. then touch one. then let one crawl on you, then pick one up, pick multiple. just baby steps of having it interact with you, i promise all will be well
What should I do to overcome my irrational fear of dogs?
Learning that most dogs are all bark and no bite can be a hard lesson for a cynophobe to learn. However, there are techniques for overcoming the fear of man’s best, though sometimes worst-trained, friend.CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is the type of therapy most often used in treating cynophobia. CBT involves several treatment methods that you can recreate for yourself even outside a therapeutic setting. These methods include:Exposure Therapy – Exposure therapy involves spending time in the presence of the object of your fear, or dogs, in the case of cynophobia. This technique is used to retrain the brain, teaching it that in general, dogs are harmless and do not merit an intense fear reaction. With repeated exposures, the brain becomes more and more accustomed to relaxing in the presence of dogs. If you are performing exposure therapy on yourself, be sure to choose a dog that is extremely friendly and well-trained. Puppies, though cute, may also be untrained and have a tendency to nip, and the last thing you want to do is have another bad experience with a dog.Cognitive Restructuring - Cognitive restructuring requires you, and a therapist, if they are involved, to do some psychological digging to uncover what negative underlying beliefs and thought patterns are influencing and aggravating your fear of dogs. Once you have identified these, either in conversation with a therapist or by spending some time writing or questioning yourself about your fears, you can work on changing these beliefs and thought patterns, and/or replacing them with more positive and useful ones.Relaxation Training - Relaxation training can help you to learn to control your fears by way of useful methods of relaxation such as visualization exercises, controlled breathing routines and positive mantras to help you remember how and why you will be able to stay calm. Joining a meditation group is an excellent way to receive relaxation training outside of therapy.Dogs are pretty much everywhere—in 2003 it was estimated that in the U.S. alone there were over 62 million of them. This, if nothing else, is a reason to get to work on overcoming your cynophobia today.
How can I get over my 'irrational' fear of driving?
I'm 22 years old, and I have my probationary driver's license test on the 25th of this month. Until 5-6 months ago I didn't have the financial capital to afford driving lessons (focusing on university and other fees). The truth is; I don't enjoy driving. I hate it, and the only reason why I took lessons is because my parents, my peers, and the rest of society expect me to get my driver's license. When I first started out, it was OK. But after a while, I would suffer a lot of road rage from other drivers, and I would make mistakes that would earn me a fierce grilling from my instructor. Getting behind the wheel makes me so uncomfortable to the point that it feels unnatural to drive. I feel like I'm entering a war zone every time I go behind the wheel; like I'm stepping into a boxing ring with a monster-of-a-dude at the other corner waiting to kick my ***. I think to myself, "people weren't designed to drive cars. How do people do this?" I want to cancel my driving test, but I know that everyone wants me to get my license, and I probably should otherwise; I'll be an outcast with an inhibition to operate normally in society. Can any one give me any hints on how I can enjoy the lessons, enjoy driving, and gain the confidence to pass the test? Thank you.
How do I get rid of my irrational fears of the dark?
Spend a lot of time out doors in nature, in the dark. It sounds too simple, and also scary of course. But it worked for me - of course I “had” to get over my fear of the dark so I could go meet my friends at parties in highschool. Dark is scary from inside of a lit room, but from inside of natural darkness, it is lovely and welcoming, your eyes and ears adjust, and your instincts make you aware of your safety. Unless you hear a bear, but you should be scared of a bear in the day time as well…
How to get over irrational fear of home invasion?
Hey yall so I m a college student (sophomore) and I m at home visiting my parents for about a week or so. This happens every single time I m home, I have this crazy irrational fear of someone breaking in my house while I m sleeping and killing me and my family. It s to the point where I taking sleeping pills and I still will wake up around 3 and be scared to fall back asleep until the sun starts to come up or I know that my parents are waking up for work and then I ll be able to fall asleep. I have to have my bedroom door locked at all times and double check all windows and doors before I go to sleep and sometimes it gets to the point where I will sit there and watch and see if I see a shadow or a flashlight or something underneath my door. This only happens wheni know that I m the only one awake, it won t happen if someone else is too. It s just me and my parents and we have two little dogs. I will hear a noise and stay up for hours, too afraid to come out of my room. Can someone please have some suggestions of how to get over this? My mom doesn t realize how serious it is and I would like to get some sleep when I come home to visit. We live in a very nice gated community so I know im being irrational. I constantly remind myself that I m being irrational but it doesn t seem to work. Please don t suggest a gun or therapy.
How can I get over my irrational fear of caterpillars?
This sounds like a phobia. Lots of people have phobias; it doesn't mean you are weak or stupid or anything like that. Phobias are best treated with professional help. My understanding is that there are multiple methods that professionals use, and that most people have significant improvement after treatment. It might take time, though. I suggest talking with your doctor, or if you don't have a doctor, contact a mental health clinic. They won't judge you; there are lots of people with stranger phobias out there.