This article provides helpful tips for those who have a fear of large objects in open spaces. It offers practical advice for recognizing and managing triggers, developing coping strategies for anxiety, and building resilience to overcome fear. With the right help, individuals can learn to manage their fears so they can enjoy life again.
If you are suffering from the fear of large objects in open spaces, it can be very distressing and negatively impact your life. Fortunately, this common phobia can be overcome with help from a mental health professional.
Below are four common tips for overcoming the fear of large objects in open spaces
- Identify your triggers
- Expose yourself to the object, gradually
- Use relaxation techniques
- Get support
Table of Contents
1. Identify Your Triggers
A trigger is an event, person or thing that sets off a powerful emotional response. These emotions are often associated with anxiety but may also be related to trauma, anger, or sadness.
In general, our brains encode memories differently when they’re traumatic than when they’re not. This means that the sights, smells, and feelings of a traumatic experience are stored in our brains as if they threaten our well-being. This can be difficult to distinguish from our normal emotional reactions, so that a trigger may feel like a foreign object in our minds.
But you can learn how to identify a trigger. Start by taking note of your reactions and physical signs, such as your heart pounding or breathing rapidly. You can also try to remember what caused your negative reaction in the first place.
When you can identify your triggers, coping with them will be much easier. You can then work on strategies to calm yourself down and get refocused.
One of the best ways to do this is to recognize that you’re feeling triggered and then take a step back from the situation to allow yourself to process your feelings. Triggers can be hard to identify independently, so asking friends or family members for support is often helpful.
It can also help to talk with a mental health professional about your symptoms and concerns. A therapist can guide you through uncovering your triggers and working on coping strategies to manage them effectively.
While the fear of large objects can be distressing, it is common, and many people have these fears. However, if your avoidance of these objects is causing you to miss out on important social events or activities, it may be time to seek treatment.
Getting a diagnosis and treatment is essential to treating your phobia, as it can significantly impact your quality of life. You should speak to a psychologist or psychiatrist specializing in mental health disorders, such as PTSD, about your symptoms and concerns.
It can be hard to identify your triggers, but it’s important to keep trying. It’s a healthy exercise to practice and will eventually make it easier to identify your triggers.
2. Expose Yourself to the object Gradually
One of the best ways to overcome your fear of large objects in open spaces is to expose yourself to them gradually. This can be done through exposure therapy, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
This approach aims to help you break the cycle of fear and avoidance that you may have developed because of your phobia. It also teaches you to cope with your anxiety more constructively and positively.
This form of therapy uses visuals, such as photographs, or real-life exposure in a controlled way to big objects known to cause anxiety. It can help you overcome your phobia to enjoy the things you want to do without worrying about them.
Your therapist or psychologist will start with a simple exposure therapy exercise that involves talking about the objects or situations you find uncomfortable and gradually moving on to looking at pictures or experiencing them in person. They will also use techniques like systematic desensitization to help you relax and get comfortable with each process step.
You might also try behavioural experiments, an alternative way to expose yourself to your fears. This can involve testing whether your beliefs about heights are realistic or not.
For example, if you are afraid of falling, try climbing up a tall building or going into a tall building accompanied by your therapist. It can be helpful to rate your level of anxiety out of 10 as you do the experiment – and notice how quickly it goes down.
A therapist might also recommend that you do these tests on your own or with the support of a friend.
3. Use Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques can be an effective way to reduce anxiety and stress in people of all ages. These methods focus on refocusing your attention on something calming and increasing awareness of your body. These techniques can be learned through health professionals or self-help modalities and are often practised regularly.
One method of relaxation is to use guided imagery, in which you imagine a scene or experience that is relaxing and soothing. This can include a tropical beach, a favorite place or a quiet wooded area. You can also find free apps and online recordings with calming scenes to download to your phone or computer.
Another relaxation technique involves progressive muscle relaxation, in which you slowly tense and then relax each muscle group. This helps you become more aware of physical sensations, such as your heart rate, tenseness and shortness of breath.
You can learn these techniques from various sources, including mental health providers and complementary and integrative health specialists or by taking a class at your local library. However, understanding these techniques takes time and dedication. If you want to get the most out of your practice, try practising them a few times a week.
Be sure to practice when you can entirely focus and are not tired or feeling sleepy. If you practice these relaxation techniques after eating a heavy meal or while using drugs, tobacco or alcohol, they can make you drowsy and may not be as effective.
The best part about these relaxing techniques is that they are relatively low-risk and can be adapted to suit individual needs. Whether you practice them at home or in a health professional’s office, they are essential to managing your anxiety and overcoming your fear of large objects in open spaces.
As a low-risk and safe approach to psychological therapy, relaxation techniques effectively reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in people of all ages. They can be implemented as stand-alone interventions or combined with other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness exercises.
4. Get Support
If you are worried about the fear of large objects in open spaces, there are several ways that you can get support. The most effective treatment involves professional therapy, but self-help strategies can also be helpful for some people.
First, you should seek the advice of a mental health professional. They can help you understand your symptoms and create a treatment plan for overcoming the fear of large objects in open spaces.
They can also help you identify the triggers that cause your anxiety and your thoughts and feelings about these objects. They can also help you develop coping skills and manage your stress effectively.
Your therapist may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you better understand and control your fears about large objects in open spaces. In addition, they might suggest a form of exposure therapy which helps you gradually face your fears.
You should also try relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, to reduce stress. You can also look for support groups where you can share your experiences and find encouragement from others.
Psychotherapy aims to replace negative thinking with more rational beliefs about the situation. You can also learn coping strategies to help you handle your fear of large objects in open spaces and other phobias.
Another helpful approach is to talk to your loved ones about your fears. They can offer supportive words of understanding and encouragement as you work to overcome your phobias.
Remembering that a phobia can impact your relationships and overall health is essential. If you are feeling depressed, it can be even more difficult to overcome your fears. You may feel isolated and disconnected from your loved ones, so seeking support is important.
Many tools and resources are available to help you overcome your phobias, but finding one that works best for you is crucial. Taking the time to do so will make a big difference in how you feel and live your life. The sooner you seek help, the faster you can recover from your anxiety and begin living a healthy and happy life.
Summary
Fear of large objects in open spaces can be a difficult and frightening experience, but with the right support system and help, it is possible to overcome this fear. Professional therapy can help you understand your symptoms and provide effective treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. Additionally, relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation can reduce stress levels. Finally, support from family and friends can be a great source of encouragement as you work to overcome your phobias. With the right resources and support, you can start living a happy and healthy life without fear of large objects in open spaces.
Useful resources
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Anxiety UK
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques
- Mental Health America
- Mindfulness Exercises
- Exposure Therapy Exercises
- Mental Health Resources
