Avatar Posted by LikeDaniel 57 days ago (Question)
Ok first things first, I know it's irrational and that it'll never happen. I'm actually a very logical person and that's why this is SO frustrating. I have an intense fear of zombies.

Typically it doesn't effect my normal life much. Every now and then it might take me a while to get to sleep, or I might get spooked in a dense fog, but nothing serious. My real problem comes from when I see a zombie on TV or the internet.

My older brother is a zombie fanatic and thinks it's hilarious when I freak out because of zombies. The problem is, when I see these images, I'm reminded of every zombie image I've seen and then I can't sleep for, seriously, 3 nights afterwards. Every time I close my eyes the images race through my mind and I just KNOW that they're slowly moving towards me until I have to open my eyes again and satisfy the childish urge just to be able to calm back down and hopefully get some sleep. This continues until the next morning sometimes, and after seeing a movie will sometimes last for even three days with only ~2 hours of sleep a night, if any.

I'm 23 years old and I feel ridiculous... is there anything I can do to just be able to close my eyes without feeling dire panic?


Answers

Written by Prospero 56 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

I find humor is sometimes helpful in dealing with irrational fears. If you have a fear that you know is irrational and it's still bothering you then fight fire with fire and allow yourself to be a little bit ridiculous. Now, you know that movies don't portray life as it really is, and since-as far as we know-zombies don't really exist, whose to say if they did that they would bear any resemblance to the brain-eating monsters we see in movies? Think about it, you come back to life after having been dead; you've just been blessed with a great opportunity; a second shot at life! If I were a zombie come back to life the first thing I'd probably want is to have something to eat, so just tell yourself: "If I ever do meet up with zombies, I'm going to take them out for pizza". Sounds ridiculous I know but think of how envious your brother would be. Honestly, who wants to eat brains when someone's offering to buy you pizza?

Written by Clyde 45 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

That's definitely not a good thing. I do like what Prospero mentioned about making humor out of it.

If you have to, could you talk to a therapist about it and see what kind of techniques they would offer you?

I would try to get you to rationalize yourself that they are not real and cannot harm you, however; the way you are posting sounds like you can't get past that idea regardless.

Best,

Clyde


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