How to Overcome Your Fear of Going over Bridges
Review your symptoms., Review your related medical conditions., Find a good therapist., Find a therapist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy., Find a therapist specializing in desensitization or exposure therapy., Explore talk therapy with...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Review your symptoms.
You should review your symptoms prior to visiting a doctor or specialist.
Common symptoms of gephyrophobia include sweaty palms, a tingling sensation, numbness, trembling, nausea and shortness of breath.
These symptoms are experienced either in the anticipation or actual crossing of bridges.
One may also experience anxiety about death, crashing and other violent feelings.The most obvious symptom is an irrational fear of bridges and the situations associated with driving over bridges.The tendency to avoid bridges and driving over them is also characteristic of this specific phobia.Anticipatory anxiety is often associated with gephyrophobia.
In this case, you may become fearful of bridges even before passing over them.Panic attack is often associated with gephyrophobia.
It entails a rapid heart rate, nausea or diarrhea, sweating, numbness, tingling, feeling dizzy or lightheaded. -
Step 2: Review your related medical conditions.
Gephyrophobia is often part of broader anxiety patterns.
It tends to be impact people who also get panic attacks.
It’s also related to a fear of heights and open spaces., A variety of forms of therapy have been used to treat specific phobias like the fear of crossing bridges.
Talk therapy, exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and other approaches have been used to help people with specific phobias like gephyrophobia.Ask your doctor for a reference to a good psychiatrist or psychologist who has experience with phobias.
Your doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional., Ask your doctor for a therapist with this specialization.
This approach combines exposure with other techniques that can help you cope with fear and anxiety.
You develop new perspectives on your fears and beliefs around bridges.
Developing a sense of control over your thoughts and feelings about bridges is central to this approach., Ask your doctor about therapists with this kind of specialization.
This focuses on changing your response to the scary situation such as crossing bridges.
By gradually exposing yourself to the cause of your fear you can learn to cope with your anxiety.
For instance, the therapist may begin by asking you to imagine going over a bridge and then build up to watching movies of going over bridges.
The duration of the exposure is gradually increased each session.Eventually, you will build up to actually going over a bridge.Combine exposure with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Therapy involving a combination of gradual desensitization with cognitive behavioral therapy has been effective with middle and older age adults.Shorter exposures sessions combined with cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective for children and adolescents with specific phobias., Talk to them about the causes of your fear.
Together, you might be able to get down to the root of what caused your fear.
Explore your earliest memories of this fear with your psychologist. , Your doctor or psychiatrist may be able to prescribe medications that will help you deal with the symptoms of gephyrophobia.
Although there are no medications that can cure this condition completely, there are certainly some medications that will help relieve your symptoms.Ask your doctor about beta blockers.
These medications block the influence of adrenaline on the body.
They can be taken before the scary event like crossing a bridge.
They will reduce symptoms like pounding heart and elevated blood pressure.Ask your doctor about using antidepressants for gephyrophobia.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors influence your mood and can be used to help treat anxiety associated with specific phobias.Ask your doctor if any sedatives will help with your condition.
These medications help you relax during scary situations. -
Step 3: Find a good therapist.
-
Step 4: Find a therapist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy.
-
Step 5: Find a therapist specializing in desensitization or exposure therapy.
-
Step 6: Explore talk therapy with a psychologist.You can explore the causes of your fear of bridges and related anxieties with a psychologist.
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Step 7: Ask your doctor about appropriate medication.
Detailed Guide
You should review your symptoms prior to visiting a doctor or specialist.
Common symptoms of gephyrophobia include sweaty palms, a tingling sensation, numbness, trembling, nausea and shortness of breath.
These symptoms are experienced either in the anticipation or actual crossing of bridges.
One may also experience anxiety about death, crashing and other violent feelings.The most obvious symptom is an irrational fear of bridges and the situations associated with driving over bridges.The tendency to avoid bridges and driving over them is also characteristic of this specific phobia.Anticipatory anxiety is often associated with gephyrophobia.
In this case, you may become fearful of bridges even before passing over them.Panic attack is often associated with gephyrophobia.
It entails a rapid heart rate, nausea or diarrhea, sweating, numbness, tingling, feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
Gephyrophobia is often part of broader anxiety patterns.
It tends to be impact people who also get panic attacks.
It’s also related to a fear of heights and open spaces., A variety of forms of therapy have been used to treat specific phobias like the fear of crossing bridges.
Talk therapy, exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and other approaches have been used to help people with specific phobias like gephyrophobia.Ask your doctor for a reference to a good psychiatrist or psychologist who has experience with phobias.
Your doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional., Ask your doctor for a therapist with this specialization.
This approach combines exposure with other techniques that can help you cope with fear and anxiety.
You develop new perspectives on your fears and beliefs around bridges.
Developing a sense of control over your thoughts and feelings about bridges is central to this approach., Ask your doctor about therapists with this kind of specialization.
This focuses on changing your response to the scary situation such as crossing bridges.
By gradually exposing yourself to the cause of your fear you can learn to cope with your anxiety.
For instance, the therapist may begin by asking you to imagine going over a bridge and then build up to watching movies of going over bridges.
The duration of the exposure is gradually increased each session.Eventually, you will build up to actually going over a bridge.Combine exposure with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Therapy involving a combination of gradual desensitization with cognitive behavioral therapy has been effective with middle and older age adults.Shorter exposures sessions combined with cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective for children and adolescents with specific phobias., Talk to them about the causes of your fear.
Together, you might be able to get down to the root of what caused your fear.
Explore your earliest memories of this fear with your psychologist. , Your doctor or psychiatrist may be able to prescribe medications that will help you deal with the symptoms of gephyrophobia.
Although there are no medications that can cure this condition completely, there are certainly some medications that will help relieve your symptoms.Ask your doctor about beta blockers.
These medications block the influence of adrenaline on the body.
They can be taken before the scary event like crossing a bridge.
They will reduce symptoms like pounding heart and elevated blood pressure.Ask your doctor about using antidepressants for gephyrophobia.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors influence your mood and can be used to help treat anxiety associated with specific phobias.Ask your doctor if any sedatives will help with your condition.
These medications help you relax during scary situations.
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