I've always been nervous. But now it's just silly. For months now I've been nervous if anyone in the same room as me had a knife (Like, in the kitchen, if my dad was holding a knife), but ever since a few weeks ago when we started doing knife crime (i'm doing it in 2 subjects at school, not helping) at shool, I've started shaking. Like, violent shaking. Feeling cold. I first noticed this when we were watching a video. The teenagers (about 17 - 22) were explaining their stories about killing people with knifes. I was fine with this. But when they showed the knifes, I just started out in an uncontrolable shaking. A few days later in another subject we had a police officer come in to talk about knife crime and show us some disgusting pictures of people who have been 'shanked'. I was fine with this, then he showed us knifes. Again with the shaking. I was shaking for 20 minutes of the lesson and about 10 minutes after it had finished. Now I just feel really paranoid in public areas and don't like being around large gangs of people. And start shaking around knifes. Any help?
You could try and desensitize yourself. Just take out a knife and stare at it. You could start with a small one. Do it when no one's there. Reassure yourself that there is no possible threat.
When I'm holding a knife, I'm perfectly fine, it's when other people are. Like it really doesn't bother me while i'm holding one.
Hi seems that it is a fear of fear you have, you don't trust other people with knives and I don't know how you deal with that. Is this a new thing, just since you have been introduced to knife crime ? Do you have fears of other people generally , may be you need to talk to your doc before it gets out of hand. Sorry I can't be more help on this one (*hug*)
Actually, I have a vaguely similar phobia. Not to the same degree, though. I have a minor fear of power tools. Table saws, drills, things like that. I don't want to be anywhere near them when they're plugged in. I don't even know what I'm afraid of - are they gonna leap up and drill through my head of their own accord? But I get unnerved around them just the same. If your phobia is getting that strong, I'd say you need to talk to someone about it. A school therapist might be a good first step, especially since you keep getting confronted with your phobia in class. Lex
see a psychologist/psychiatrist, but you're too young to be exhibiting scytzophrenia symptoms so thats good .
It's been happening for quite a while, if someone is holding a knife (most of the time purely for cutting something in the kitchen) I feel really nervous and can't be in the same room. But it has gotten worse since the things in school. Luckily no confrontation in the past 2 days. And a fear of fears? as in I fear that someone is goin to do something, more than the fear of the actual knife? I suppose that makes sense as If i'm holding it I don't really care but as soon as it changes hands i feel like it's turned on me. We don't have a school therapist. And a psychiatrist? I don't think I could go to one, really. [x And what's scytzophrenia?
Most people have minor phobias and in many cases phobias serve a purpose- for example, if you're going to be afraid of something then being afraid of a snake, a spider or germs are not a bad things to be afraid. But the severity of your reaction to seeing knives is the issue. These things can escalate over time where you begin to fear the reaction more than you fear the knife- it's like a panic disorder. And because you are so unsettled and you have physical symptoms when you see a knife, you should see a therapist who specializes in Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
>>>And what's scytzophrenia? Schizophrenia is actually a totally unrelated disorder. Mainly, it involves hallucinations and/or delusions, caused mainly by the brain "misinterpreting input". You've probably seen a penny on the floor, and, just for a second, thought it was a bug. Well, this is happens to schizophrenics on a rather ongoing basis. They might be talking to somebody, and see the person's mouth dip down a second...and interpret this as a growl or snap at them. They might hear a heater in the background, and hear it as quiet voices. Since most of the things they hear and see tend to be negative - the voices tell them they're worthless, not that they're pretty - the condition is sometimes called "paranoid schizophrenia". As you can probably guess, it ain't a pretty condition, but it IS treatable. As I said, your symptoms don't sound anything like schizophrenia, so I don't even think that's on the table. But do go see your doctor, and mention all the symptoms you've been having. S/he should be able to help you find someone who may be of help. Lex
Okay. I'm sure I'll do that if anything else happens. I'll give it until it happens next. Hoping there wont be a next time. Thanks so much for your help!
a friend of mine has an extreme phobia of sponges, yes sponges, it gets so bad that she can't acutally breath. i agree with trying to desensintize, find someone you really trust. thats what i would do, my friend is just stubborn. ^^
hmm...I have no idea why you have such violent shaking...but, I really do hope you overcome it, or at least bring the reactions down a bit. and Lexington--I'm somewhat afraid of power tools too, espicially table saws *shudders*, I only have the phobia when they're turned on...and that's a problem, considering my dad will occasionally ask for help when he's building something, and it usually involves saws...
