How to get rid of Phobia

[MG]

any suggestions on how I can get rid of my phobia (being around cats and dogs). thanks.

[Alej]

when i was a kid i was afraid of dogs, the only real way to get rid of phobias is to have a cat or a dog. Then you find out how harmless they are, maybe you could look after one for a friend or stay with a friend that has one for a while to get used to it. You would loose the phobia in no time and you should as it looks really pathetic when someone is scared of my dog which is harmless!good luck!

[Starsia]

Desensitization or flooding is a good way to do it if you have someone you trust to help you. It means facing your fears head on and spending some time in a situation that includes cats and dogs. Remember phobias are always based on some irrational belief, all you need to do is learn to reframe your thinking.

[PurplePixie]

You poor old thing, I can't imagine how frightening it must be for you. My house is full of them & give me such a lot of joy. I wonder if it would help you to learn a bit about the behaviour & psychology of cats & dogs. If you understood a little more about why they act the way they do & how they perceive the world..it might help you to predict what they are likely to do & you would be a lot more in control. For instance, if you are wary of a dog in the street, my guess is that you are looking at it & your body language is awkward..which a dog will interpret as possibly a challenge or fear. You might unknowingly be putting out exactly the wrong signals. Finding out about cats & dogs might provide you with some confidence that you can convey the right messages when you are confronted with them & could put you back in control. Good luck

[incuriam]

I really like cats, but I despise dogs and hamsters. My feeling is: just be someone who hates cats and dogs. It's much easier than confronting your fears (just <I>so</I> sixties) and be someone who can love other things -- like soft fabrics and dance music, for example.

[BUNNY]

Hypnotherapy is meant ot be very effective for curing phobias.