Describe Your Phobia?
I am very afraid of fire. I worked as a supervisor for a youth camp, for criminal girls. One day, two girls ran away and set the woods on fire. It was my job to get all the girls and staff evacuated. I then had to blaze a trail to the fire so the tractors could get to the fire to dig a trench around it. When I got to the fire it was so big and hot. It was burning fast. I never saw anything so scary. It had a life of its own. It causes me to have nightmares.
When Did Your Phobia Begin?
My phobia started in 1991. I was 28 years old. It stemmed from an event at my job. I worked with hoods in the woods. Two of them set the woods on fire and it burned 50 acres. It put 50 children and 15 staff members at risk for their lives.
Advice
- take deep breaths and try to rationalize the situation. It may be a well controlled fire and be of no threat.
How Has Your Phobia Affected Your Life?
I have anxiety attacks and nightmares. I become irrational at fire alarms
