Flooding treatment for phobias

[Marlie]

Hi,

I have GAD and suffer panic attacks and also have issues with ptsd and ocd.

One of my ptsd triggers is I was in a large earthquake in 2011.

After this I have been too scared to return to my home city where it happened.

as it has been a while, family have pressured me to return to visit so I booked a trip thinking I would be fine. I'm not. Since booking it it has become real and i am terrified to go back. I also have a severe phobia of flying and the flight is 4 hrs.

my psychiatrist thinks I should go as cancelling is avoiding the fears and that it's called "flooding". I know the trip is going to be so traumatic and I don't know if I can go straight into facing my fears like that.

my psychologist who i only just started seeing thinks its too intense and that I need therapy to learn how to manage the anxiety and how to deal with it better before I throw myself in the deep end.

any one been through something similar? I don't know if I should go or not! Its 2 weeks away and I can't decide!!

i am scared if I go I will get there and I will have a breakdown.

[Croix]

Dear Marlie~

Thank you for posting, I can exactly see your dilemma and that you would want the benefit of others' experience.

It looks like 2 completely opposite views held by two health professionals. I have PTSD, chronic anxiety -including panic attacks - and have had depression. I have never had a flooding technique practiced on me. I would be too frighten to do so - particularly in a situation where one could not 'abandon ship' if it became unbearable.

I've confidence (yes this is just my opinion) in a technique that gradually eases me into situations, with a person I hold in esteem 'holding my hand' at the time. I can now talk about the things that trigger me with my psychiatrist without them taking over - this is after a long time.

Does your GP have a view? A practical point, if you traveled and were not able to cope properly, what would happen, wold you have competent informed medical help?

I emphasize this is just me, I am not a doctor, just an ex-policeman.

I hope others, who have experience with 'flooding' technique, can give you a more balanced view.

Croix

[dueb]

i came across the word flooding when i was trying to understand how to get rid of my dog phobia.ceser milan is a dog trainer in north america watched all of his youtube video's.in some episodes he forces the dog into there fears.my friend told that his dog is so gentle and could help with my dog phobia,from what i learn't from ceser milan my friends dog is very dysfunctional and should be trained.

iv lived in another country for over 20 years traveled allot by air,now im afraid to fly and would never go on a plain and do not miss that country.

my wife booked a holiday on an island near by.30min by ship to get there.well i found out that i got ship phobia to. i don't think flooding is a good idea in my opinion.