Phobias Cured - Keith Livingston

[needhelp]

I'm new to the group, but have been sufferring with emet for about 25+ years. I recently came across a self-help book from Keith Livingston called The Phobia Self Help Book (see info at http://www.phobiascured.com). I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this book or method and if so, what results they may have had. I have tried a professional therapist and hypnosis, but so far, neither have helped. I am married and have two young kids, so this is going to severely impact my life unless I can beat it. I need help finding ways to get past this. If anyone has any methods that have helped them beat this, I would appreciate hearing about them.

[sage]

I have to say I'm suspicious of anything on the internet that claims to deal with mental health issues in a non-personal way, by buying some product. Just as a general rule, these are seldom very helpful to anyone.


When you say "I have tried a professional therapist", I wonder if you could provide some more detail about that. And I understand if you don't want to on a public forum, but what I would suggest is that you read carefully the sticky posts at the top of this thread. INFO TO GIVE YOUR DR. OR THERAPIST and HOW TO FIND PROFESSIONAL HELP (something like that). Once you've read them over, if you still have the same question then please feel free to post it!


Btw - on the "experiences" thread is my story of being successfully treated for this phobia. It's a bit old now - 2 years or so...and I've come very far since then, even. Might even go about it a bit differently if I had to do it again....but hindsight is 20-20. My point would be that treatment doesn't even need to be as scary as I made mine out to be...or as mine was, perhaps.


Anyway, give it a read....then post again!

[needhelp]

Thanks Sage. I saw a licensed psychologist in my area. She was trained in CBT - not sure what else. We spent about 7 sessions talking about my problem and trying some relaxation exercises, but it was getting expensive and there didn't seem to be a whole lot more she could offer me than what I had already researched on my own. I know my fear is irrational. I know that it is not easily cured, but I don't know what else to do. I live in a small town, so there aren't a lot of therapists available. In addition, the cost is extreme and having a family to support, I don't have a lot of extra cash to dump into it at the moment. I wish I did, but those are the facts.


In addition, my fear is not constant, but only arises when I am around (close to) someone who is sick. It is especially significant with my family - i.e. when my kids or wife is sick or has been exposed to someone who is/was. Those are the times that I go into "panic" mode where I obsess about it and worry about it. For example, recently my son was in church with two boys who were sick the night before (not sure why their parents would bring them in that case, but they did) and I have been obsessing about it since. In addition, I have an overall sense of dread because I know that eventually my son or daughter is going to get a virus. That's the other piece by the way. If I know someone is sick because of something not-contagious (e.g. they drank too much), then I'm okay. But, if its due to a virus that might be contagious (and therefore could pass to me) then I have problems.


I read your posts and I appreciate your willingness to come in here and help us even after you have been cured. I wish that more people would try to help people with this fear. It is true that most health-care professionals do not understand the problem. My family doctor tried to put me on Lexapro for the anxiety, but it didn't help. I know that I'm not crazy, but at times I feel like I am due to the way doctors tend to treat this. I wish I could see some light at the end of the tunnel.


I also tried hypno-therapy with someone trained in NLP. It didn't seem to help either. I have been trying to figure out where this originally stemmed from, but have not been able to. I believe it was tied to an event in my childhood (I got sick in a church bible-school in front of a bunch of kids and was teased about it for years), but I'm not even sure that's the problem. I also think it has to do with feeling in control (or fear of being out of control).


In any case, I appreciate your support.

[nobodyknowsit]

Hey there. Welcome to the Board! I am a newbie, as well. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]There's just something I was wondering whether you have not come across yet--how about exposure therapy? That's what Sage claims has cured him! I just found a new therapist, so I think (at least hope) that I will be starting exposure therapy soon.. I started before, but when I got to the movie step, it kind of slipped away because it was a bit time-consuming on my part, being that I had schoolwork and all.


I don't know whether you've tried it yet, but I hope it helps if you haven't!


I'm sorry, Sage! I called you a guy! (lol, for some reason, I envision you as a man, so when I'm not thinking, I refer to you as "him".) I'm sorry!Edited by: nobodyknowsit

[sage]

Hey Nobody...


That's ok. And thanks for posting again, both of you. Exposure therapy is the "behavior" part of "cognitive-behavioral" and is a necessary component. Cognitive therapy alone doesn't help much, although it can bring some temporary relief to some people. I totally understand the cost of therapy - it's insane (in and of itself!) But here's an amazing story...I have been cruising these boards for Canadians who live in my area for the past 3 years, and finally a woman posts and sends me a PM and she's right in my own city. So I offer to treat her ABSOLUTELY FREE and....I never hear from her again. Kind of makes you wonder. I mean, how much of our reluctance to get treatment is cost and other factors and how much is just plain fear of the "cure", as well as...maybe "not thinking you're worth it". If you were dying, and the cure was available, but you had to give up everything else you'd probably do it. But a life of peace and joy just doesn't seem to be worth as much.


Having said all that, I DO understand that nobody wants to pay for a "treatment" that doesn't work, either. That's a real pisser. And VERY discouraging.


Anyway, just some food for thought. Save your pennies, NH...and remember - you're worth it!