Hello all, I'm new. I'm a 22yo female living in Canada. I've been phobic every since I can remember. I've gotten better in the last few years, enough that I can go out in public places like busses, take medication without fear of side effects, and watch a tv show with someone v* in it (because I know it's fake, so i can deal with it)
That said, I'm still very scared. However, I am determined to become a paramedic. The only thing slowing me downis fear of v* (how trivial I think, but it is so huge too)
The last time I v* was about a year ago, where I got myself terribly drunk. I was mostly in a blackout throughout the whole thing, so it never helped me in feeling better about v*. Oh well. before that, I haven't v* since I was a little kid, and the last time I can remember, it was very traumatic.
ANYWAY, I'm determined to get over this phobia. The only thing I won't do is force myself to v* by purposly taking something to cause it. That seems counterproductive to me, I think I'd panic beforehand and work myself into a tizzy over everything, and then the whole experience would be very traumatic.
I read a lot of ambublace/hospital/etc books with stories in them, and a lot involve v*, but I can laugh at them because I'm not there. They are usually hilarious stories anyway.
What are some ways I can desensitize myself to v*? I don't want to just jump into my hospital and field practicums without first preparing myself a little bit. I'm alreayd in therapy (for depression, a drug addiction and general insanity) is there something i can do in therapy that would help? Is there something else out there that would help? Hypnosis? That eye movement therapy? Beating myself over the head with a 2 x 4?Edited by: kate