I havn't seen it mentioned and I wondered if any of you have phobias? I was talking to someone else on this board and discovered that we both have phobias. Mine is being a passenger in a car. My husband calls me Mrs. Bouqet ( after the woman in the English comedy who always tells her husband how to drive ) My Mother also had phobias and suffered from shakiness although she never discussed what was wrong with her.
I havn't done anything about the phobia lately, many years ago 2 professors from the University put me in the backseat of their car, stuck some wires on my finger and drove me round the campus. We went so slow I was never nervous and in the end they decided I probabl needed a new car!! One of my Doctors decided he would teach me how to hypnotize myself. That was fine, I now know how to relax when lying in bed but it's really hard to do on a highway. Remember, I have to stay alert to tell my husband where everyone on the road is and what they might do.
Joan
Do any of you have phobias?
Moderator: gloria
Re: Do any of you have phobias?
Hi Joan,
I have enjoyed your posts. I not only have a phobia about being a passenger in a car but I'm a therapist who specializes in phobias. Which came about from thinking I was suffering from a social phobia when I first noticed the symptoms of OT. When we moved to a new neighborhood in 1975, I was distressed to find that when a neighbor would come to great me outside of my home I would start shaking, be unable to stand, become mortified and have to tell them something might be burning on my stove and run inside. I assumed this was a social phobia and eventually went for help at a phobia clinic--where I spent a lot of time practicing standing and talking to people. I even took on public speaking as a way of overcoming my fears. Of course I could not stand, would try for a minute or 2 and then grab a chair to finish my talk. Because I had credentials as a social worker, one of the therapists at the clinic asked me to work for her as a phobia therapist and I eventually went into my own private practice working with people with anxiety and panic. This started me on a whole new career; I'm still in practice working with a range of problems but still specialize in phobias. In 1995, a psychiatrist I was seeing to try different medicines for my "phobia" suggested I see a neurologist. The neurologist examined me and said "What makes you think you have a phobia?!-- you have a neurological condition called Orthostatic Tremor. Those words again changed my life. It was so much more acceptable to me to have OT than a social phobia, so much more acceptable to explain to people that I had a tremor rather than a terror of standing and talking to them. And then came Gloria and the group which gave me a community and support group which has been great. I was supposed to go to Rochester this weekend to the OT meeting there and am very disappointed that I was not able to go because of a family problem.
As to phobia of being a passenger, I love driving but am terrified of anyone driving me and avoid it as much as possible. If it can't be avoided I sit in the back seat if the situation allows or close my eyes or read something so as not to be aware of how close the driver is coming to the car ahead etc. I don't think this is related to my OT. I think that OT can cause a great deal of anxiety--worry about how we can manage to shop in crowded stores, worry about freezing and not being able to move, worry about embarrassment etc. and this can lead to phobias of avoiding places and social situations that are difficult. I think that for me, particularly in social situations, the fear of trembling amplifies the trembling sometimes to a point that feels like an emergency.
In my practice, I do hypnosis, relaxation techniques, etc.-- and am so much more successful with my patients than with myself!
If you're interested in discussing our mutual phobia, I'd be glad to hear from you.
Harriet Dalin
I have enjoyed your posts. I not only have a phobia about being a passenger in a car but I'm a therapist who specializes in phobias. Which came about from thinking I was suffering from a social phobia when I first noticed the symptoms of OT. When we moved to a new neighborhood in 1975, I was distressed to find that when a neighbor would come to great me outside of my home I would start shaking, be unable to stand, become mortified and have to tell them something might be burning on my stove and run inside. I assumed this was a social phobia and eventually went for help at a phobia clinic--where I spent a lot of time practicing standing and talking to people. I even took on public speaking as a way of overcoming my fears. Of course I could not stand, would try for a minute or 2 and then grab a chair to finish my talk. Because I had credentials as a social worker, one of the therapists at the clinic asked me to work for her as a phobia therapist and I eventually went into my own private practice working with people with anxiety and panic. This started me on a whole new career; I'm still in practice working with a range of problems but still specialize in phobias. In 1995, a psychiatrist I was seeing to try different medicines for my "phobia" suggested I see a neurologist. The neurologist examined me and said "What makes you think you have a phobia?!-- you have a neurological condition called Orthostatic Tremor. Those words again changed my life. It was so much more acceptable to me to have OT than a social phobia, so much more acceptable to explain to people that I had a tremor rather than a terror of standing and talking to them. And then came Gloria and the group which gave me a community and support group which has been great. I was supposed to go to Rochester this weekend to the OT meeting there and am very disappointed that I was not able to go because of a family problem.
As to phobia of being a passenger, I love driving but am terrified of anyone driving me and avoid it as much as possible. If it can't be avoided I sit in the back seat if the situation allows or close my eyes or read something so as not to be aware of how close the driver is coming to the car ahead etc. I don't think this is related to my OT. I think that OT can cause a great deal of anxiety--worry about how we can manage to shop in crowded stores, worry about freezing and not being able to move, worry about embarrassment etc. and this can lead to phobias of avoiding places and social situations that are difficult. I think that for me, particularly in social situations, the fear of trembling amplifies the trembling sometimes to a point that feels like an emergency.
In my practice, I do hypnosis, relaxation techniques, etc.-- and am so much more successful with my patients than with myself!
If you're interested in discussing our mutual phobia, I'd be glad to hear from you.
Harriet Dalin
Re: Do any of you have phobias?
What an interesting email, Harriet. I have emetophobia, have had since I was 5 (am now nearly 77), and belong to an email group of emets - as we call ourselves. As this is OT - Off Topic, and not Orthostatic Tremor! - perhaps it would be better if you replied to me (if you want to!) privately on richardsenior@btinternet.com
Best
Richard - Someset, UK.
Best
Richard - Someset, UK.