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health advisory Hospital Mental Health 2007-11-15 19:02:29

ok im 15 years old and i was wondering how can i get over with fear of dogs, cats, any type of animals and insects....is it sumthing that comes from maturity levels?......im really really scared of dogs and cats cuz they are the animals u oftenly find in people's houses or on streets and i oftenly get insulted by people for getting scared of dogs or cats....people usually says that " OMG HE/SHE IS NOT GONNA EAT U!" but i dont know i just have this fear of them and yea i've never got bitten

Answer:

Your not going to just wake up and not be afraid anymore. There are things you can do to help. You can go to a therapist who can help you or you can do it yourself but I would work with a therapist or friend. Start with babies. Find someone who'd cat has had kittens. Ask your firend or the owner to bring just one little kitten to you. Stay away from the litter and the mom, just stay in another room with the door shut. Pet the kitten, hold the kitten, make yourself touch the kitten. You know that a little kitten can't hurt you. Then do the same with puppies. Go back and visit the kittens and puppies as they get bigger. Then when you are okay with them, go to an animal shelter and visit the animals there. Talk with the staff and tell them what you are doing. Ask for them to walk you through the cages. Then have them bring one animal to visit you in a quiet area.

Understand this, animals, especially domesticated pets, only bite or scratch for two reasons, they think you are going to hurt them, or they think you are going to hurt their family. Fear makes them think that you are to be feared. You are at greater danger by not conquering this fear then you should be. Always pretend to be confident. Even if you are pretending, the animals will respond and not fear you. If you don't want to touch an animal, tell the owner you are allergic but it sure is a beautiful dog etc. Spring is the time when a lot of babies are born so find a friend and do it right away, you will feel better for it.

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If this fear interferes with your life then it's a phobia. Phobias can be overcome with psychologic counseling. Identifying the reason for your fear is a step in the right direction.

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Yes it is! See a therapist who practices exposure therapy. I've read about it and it does wonders for phobias!

Good luck!

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if your fear is that strong, youre not just going to get over it. there are ways you can cope with it and, in time, become more comfortable but you should see a professional to help. you cant just avoid dogs and cats forever!

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