Fear of dolls... help!

[HaileyAnn]

Ever since I can remember, my parents gave me dolls every Christmas and birthday (porcelain ones). They have always terrified me. I would have nightmares about them, but I wouldn't move when I woke up for fear that they would be angry. It was normal when I was little, but I'm still petrified of them. I just barely got the courage to move them all out of my room- I didn't before because I thought they'd be mad at me! Crazy, right? I know they are inanimate objects but I just can't get over it. If I see them at stores or at friend's houses, I completely freeze up. It just keeps getting worse, and I can't understand why.

[Cuchculan]

Oddly enough we can carry childhood fears with us in adulthood. Think about those people with a fear of clowns. That would have all began when they were young kids. The majority of them still fear clowns to this day. At best you try some exposure with a doll. Even a small doll. Just hold it for a few seconds. See that it can't do you any harm at all. It is just a toy. I know some of them look horrible. So try find one that even looks friendly. Talking about holding it for five minutes to begin with. Then maybe on day 2 you can even have it in the same room as you. Not holding it. Just in the same room as you do things. We could do this for a ten minute period. We are working our way up bit by bit. Getting used to feel of the doll and the look of the doll. Like all fears it may take time. But such fears can be beaten back.

[HaileyAnn]

Thank you so much. I think I've figured out what bothers me the most, and it's the eyes. Too realistic. I can imagine them moving or having feeling or something way too easily. I think that has to be it, because I'm not afraid of mannequins or dolls with button eyes or anything that isn't a porcelain doll, really.