How many people have a phobia due to ptsd experiences?

[Sethe]

Who has a phobia based on PTSD experiences? How do you deal with it?

My gephyrophobia (bridge fear) has been getting out of hand (the more I drive across bridges) and I have full blown panic attacks due to bridge crossing. I think this is based on childhood events involving bridges. In a nutshell, I was forced to walk across a several story high bridge at night (very dark with lots of car headlights) in the snow. The bridge crossed part of a lake and was not meant for foot traffic. I have also witnessed my father have panic attacks/major anxiety while driving across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and at the time I thought he would kill us. I can't write why (I'm getting nervous remembering it), but I think you can make an assumption about it.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is where my fear comes from, but I do not know how to get rid of it.

Has anyone had success in overcoming phobias from childhood?

 

[PTSD sufferer]

Hi Sethe,

I can empathize with your situation. I use to have a general phobia of heights which was unrelated to trauma (well I'm pretty sure it isn't). I followed the process of gradually introducing heights, from small to larger scale over a period of time and now I'm not as anxious about it, a little flutter, but generally ok with it.

Having said that, I have for a long time had a fear of people blocking my exit and having things tight around my neck or near my face. I get so anxious about things near my neck/face that when I get a pimple, even if it is healing, I scratch at it so that there is nothing irritating in this area (weird hu?). But generally, I get very anxious and break out in a panic sweat when either of these two things happen.

I have been working hard with my partner to learn to trust him in such situations. I guess having someone I trust there who was helping to gradually expose me to the phobia helped. Still, I can only allow him to do this when I am calm. When I am anxious or irritated, I tell him and he backs off. I'm working on it though....starting 'exposure' when you are calm, then gradually dialing it up a notch only when you're comfortable helps...

I guess this is the process of desensitising...it takes a long time, but helps. I'd suggest that have a look at the threads on this topic and see if you can apply them to your phobia...

Thinking of you,