How to Overcome a Fear of Mice
Fear of mice, or musophobia, can vary in severity and impact your everyday life. If your fear of mice is keeping you from enjoying everyday activities, such as opening your kitchen cupboards for fear a mouse might be inside, or preventing you from visiting your child's preschool out of a fear of the class's pet mouse, you will want to overcome this fear. There are several methods for overcoming a fear of mice, and you may want to try treating the condition yourself before seeking professional help.
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Instructions
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Download pictures of mice from the internet or check out a book with pictures of mice from your local library. Spend an increasing amount of time each day viewing the pictures until you are able to look at them for an extended amount of time with minimal to no anxiety.
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Visit a pet store and observe the mice from a distance. The theory of counterconditioning states that if you engage in a pleasurable activity while in the presence of the mice, you will no longer be afraid of the mice. Try listening to a favorite song or eating a bite of a candy bar while you watch the mice. On each visit, try to get closer and closer to the mice.
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Hold a mouse. Visit the pet store again or borrow a pet mouse from a friend. Try to hold the mouse as long as you can, returning to pick up the mouse again and again for longer periods of time until the thought of mice no longer provokes fear or anxiety.
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Visit a trained hypnotherapist. If basic exposure does not work to eliminate your fear of mice, you may need additional assistance. Locate a hypnotherapist who specializes in phobias and is certified by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. These hypnotherapists are also trained doctors, psychologists, therapists or social workers and can treat your fear of mice through several therapy and hypnosis sessions.
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References
- Photo Credit Little mouse image by Multiart from Fotolia.com
