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| | | Subject: Flooding - not recommended by some psychologists
Posted Jan 30, 2008 by Cheerful Dragon
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| | I suffer from fear of hypodermic needles, which is a bit of a problem as I have to inject myself on alternate days. It got so bad that I asked my GP to refer me for behavioural therapy. (I'm still seeing the therapist, by the way.) He told me that in some cases they try flooding, but it can be counter-productive. If the person's phobia is severe, as mine was, they will do everything in their power to avoid the cause of the phobia. Flooding can make matters worse.
How is my phobia being treated? I was OK with talking about needles, OK with looking at a syringe with needle fitted, uncomfortable watching injections on TV and I freak out when a 'stranger' comes towards me with a needle. My therapist got me comfortable putting a needle against my skin, and gave me a CD with a short clip of him giving blood. I'm now comfortable watching that. I freaked out when I had my flu jab, but not as badly as in the past. I'm now more comfortable injecting myself, but not so much when hubby has to do it.
I've been seeing the therapist for several months. There's been a big improvement, but I don't think I'm 'cured' yet.
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