Fear (phobia) of dogs

Bluemamma

Hi all, this is my first ever post, not sure if this is the right place. Has anyone got over a fear of dogs and can offer some help/advise?im 39yo and have a terrible fear of pit bulls and similar breads which affects my quality of life. I avoid parks, beaches- anywhere with a possibility of seeing dangerous breeds. A simple trip to Bray takes a lot out of me. If I see a pit bull up close, for example on a narrow pathway where I can’t escape I have something that resembles a panic attack. I sort of blackout, freeze and can’t catch a breath. I have 2 toddlers and I’m scared of taking them to a park or any open spaces, I do of course take them (never alone though) but it drains me mentally:(

no, I have never been attacked by any dog but I have read/heard horrible stories so I suppose the fear came from there

thanks for any advise

Spear

We're not creating a forum for phobias again, the last time it didn't get enough usage. Just use the already existing psychology forum instead:

https://www.boards.ie/categories/psychology