Anderson on Anxiety

Greetings

Some days I feel so normal. I recently watched an episode of Anderson Cooper Live and they had a woman on who has an extreme fear of cats. It is so extreme that it effects her daily life, she will not go into places where she thinks she may see a cat. She has lost a job and friends over this extreme fear. When asked how cats make her feel she responded , " I feel scared, and I run, and I scream" this is not just cats in real time, pictures of cats in magazines or on the television trigger her. She feels as if they look evil. She by the way has a name by the way, which is Staci.
When Staci was in 2nd grade she woke up from her top bunk bed surrounded by strange cats, just purring and sleeping. Her bed was located next to a window and the cats got in from digging out the insulation in the window, it was cold, they were cold. This is when she became afraid.
Staci was working in a photo lab developing pictures, and was prone to random melt downs due to cat pictures and she eventually lost her job.
Anderson brought on Mike Dow MS PsyD. Dr. Dow said a phobia is the minds way of saying this is dangerous. Over coming a phobia is a gradual process unteaching this thought pattern is slow baby steps.
Dr. Dow took Staci on the first step of her journey by simply introducing a picture of a cat. By all practical means your average person would find this cat to be adorable, it was a little fluffy kitten with big eyes. She didn't like it, She thinks cat eyes are evil. Dr. Dow took her to the next level and brought an actual cat out on stage, she is at a level 10 anxiety level. Lulu is an older sweet rescue cat. From five feet away Staci quakes in her sisters arms.
Dr. Dow is going to continue to work with Staci over the next weeks and months to overcome this extreme phobia.
Dow proposed that she think of the worst case scenario. What is the likely hood that is is actually going to happen? How bad will the outcome actually be? Maybe this is something we all need to think about in dealing with our stress and anxiety, those three simple queations:
Whatis the worst case scenario?
How likely is this actually going to happen?
How bad will the actual  outcome be?


Good luck Staci on your journey to wellness!
Love and Light!