Phobias - The Mix

BillieTheBot

Phobias - The Mix

What is a phobia? And what do you do if you have one? The Mix gets to grips with phobias of all shapes and sizes.

Read the full story here

Former Member

I need help for my son who needs blood tests and vaccines but has an awful needle phobia! Where can we get help?

Maisy

Hi @Mojo

As the article mentioned, you might want to try accessing help for your son’s phobias by speaking to his GP. They may be able to refer him for a type of therapy known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT works by helping to challenge negative or faulty thinking and may be combined with some elements of exposure therapy to help overcome the fear.

There are other treatments available such as self-help or medication. More information can be found on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/phobias/treatment/ MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/treatment/ and YoungMinds https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/mental-health-conditions/phobias/

It’s also worth talking to those who will be administering the needles as they may be able to help calm or distract your son. They will likely have come across people with a phobia of needles before so they should be understanding!

Kate_20

I am extremely afraid of mushrooms on the grass but not so much in the supermarket. I cannot look at pictures of poisonous mushrooms. I would always squeal and run away when I see mushrooms on the grass regardless of the reactions of people around me. I am afraid that they would grow on me or inside me. However, I eat mushrooms from the supermarket despite being afraid of them. I am still afraid that the edible ones would grow on my hands where I self-harmed if I do not wash my hands with soap after washing them. I am not afraid of cooked mushroom though because I know they have lost the ability to grow. Is that irrational fear or it is normal?

Former Member

I'm scared stiff ofpublic transport and spiders

Maisy

Hi @Kate_20

I understand your concerns about mushrooms. Essentially, they are fungi which does grow so it makes sense that you’d be scared of wild ones growing and less afraid of the ones in the supermarket or ones that have been cooked and ready to eat. That said, since they need a particular environment to grow in, then your fear of mushrooms growing inside or on you may be a bit irrational. It’s difficult to say whether this is a phobia or an intrusive thought, but it’s worth exploring with a mental health professional if it interferes with your life!


Hi @charlieboyz

Being scared of spiders is very common- I am too!

As for public transport, is there anything in particular that scares you about using public transport? I know for me, I didn’t like the social interaction part of buying a ticket or getting off the bus. But I also felt scared going to new areas that I hadn’t been to before. If it’s more the social side of things, you might want to look into cognitive behaviour therapy which can help to reframe your thoughts. Otherwise, it may be normal to feel scared of going somewhere you haven’t been before but using google maps (especially the streetview) to learn the way or know what stop is yours might help.


Take care both!

Former Member

@maisy the noise and all the people scare me.