Trying to get over my fear !!!!

[Weston2688]

So Iv decided to join stargazers to get over my fear of the night sky... This may sound silly to you all but I litrally can't look up at the sky it makes me have awful panic attacks... When I look up and see really big stars its makes me feel so sick I worry so much when I see a huge star that looks to big thinking it's coming straigh for us! Please don't laugh but this really is something that upsets me and needs to be delt with because it's getting worse. So over the past few nights Iv noticed a huge star biggest Iv ever seen and Iv no idea what it is so as U can imagine I'm in panic mode lol... Please help

[Moonshane]

It's likely to be Venus if in the west after the sun goes down or Jupiter if almost overhead as it gets dark. No need to panic, it's planets  although there's an even larger star around during the day of course

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ive never heard of this phobia before. Its called Astrophobia which is a fear out outside spaces (at night), similar to Agoraphobia which is a fear of open outside spaces during the day.

[Weston2688]

I didn't no it was a phobia either until recent... Iv been ok about it for a few months until I saw this huge star... I have a really good app on my Phn that tell me what plant is what ect but for some reason this one dosnt show up lol... So me being me had a huge panic attack.. Silly I no... It's like a fear of the unknown and being out of control of something I think it's so strange.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I admire your plan to tackle your phobia. My biggest fear is spiders and i have no plans to overcome it.

[sgazer]

it's a strange phobia as there is zero chance of a star (or planet) hitting us. I usually think of phobias as being afraid of something that has the potential of happening and being unpleasant or dangerous (eg. spiders, heights, people, etc).

I don't know if it helps to know that none of the stars or planets you can see will ever hit us (at least for the next billion years or so). And if they did, it would be over so quick, nobody would notice.

[houston]

Your lucky u live in the UK with all the clouds most of the time;-)

[Mr Spock]

Best thing to do is to learn as much as you can about the stars and planets. Then, when you go outside, you will marvel at the wonder of the night sky instead of fearing it.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I admire your plan to tackle your phobia. My biggest fear is spiders and i have no plans to overcome it.

I'm with you on this one.

Matt.

[0030]

Have you thought of going to a planetarium? Yeah, Phobias stink. Bats for me, fine if they are outside, but I freeze up and yell for help like a kid when they find their way in the house...

[Weston2688]

Sgazer I no that a star or planet isn't going to hit us.... The problem I have is if I see something that's looks strange or different in the sky it freaks me out I litrally go into massive pannic and get a feeling of dread... If I'm unsure what it is Would automatically think it's huge meteor or something along them lines heading towards us... I actually look at it and see it getting bigger which is clearly in my head but even knowing this dosnt help... I just can't bare the way the night sky looks I find it so strange and daunting !

[dick_dangerous]

This might sound stupid, but it's best to build yourself up slowly to get over a phobia - start by looking at star shapes, then move on to pictures of stars, then maybe a spot of naked eye astronomy before you take the plunge with a telescope.

The alternative is called "Flooding" - it's where we stick you in a planetarium then don't let you out until the screaming stops. Psychologists generally don't recommend it, although as someone who suffers from a phobia of dentists it was kind of the way I had to go. It was that or rotten teeth!

DD

[Ruud]

Hi Weston,

go to your doctor and ask if using an SSRI for a while would be an option. SSRIs have this side effect that they make phobias go away. It might be worth a try.

I hope you feel better soon.

[bingevader]

If your app isn't up to it, how about a program on your computer such as Stellarium or Cartes du Ceil.

You can even download less frequent things like comets or more frequent things like satellites.

It might help you keep abreast of what is about on a particular night.

Have you tried looking through a telescope, rather than up at the sky, that may help too, because it often involves looking in the opposite direction!)?

Jupiter was rather splendid tonight.

[Cath]

Hellooo Weston

What is it that frightens you most when you look up and see those points of light ?

[faulksy]

It's likely to be Venus if in the west after the sun goes down or Jupiter if almost overhead as it gets dark. No need to panic, it's planets  although there's an even larger star around during the day of course

never seen this bigger star shane what is it !

[ghostdance]

"There are holes in the sky

where the rain gets in

but they're ever so small

that's why rain is so thin...." *

Think of the sky in Milliganese and it'll never frighten you again

*Even better if you *say* it in Milliganese....

[BobSki]

Don't worry about the big bright ones.... it's the small fuzzy ones that are dangerous. Andromeda IS on a collision course with us...... But it won't happen for 4 billion yrs. I think that should give you enough chance to duck!

[scarp15]

Perhaps consider a lounger and get yourself comfortable and relaxed, then consider a pair of hand held binoculars. Later this month will be the Lyrids meteor shower, which will peak from after midnight 22 - 23 April, waxing crescent so no lunar light interference and could be quite a spectacle. Something to perhaps get a buzz about and help enable you to overcome any adverse feelings. Consider joining a local astronomy club and share in this event, on loungers with others - weather permitting of course.

[Peter Drew]

Well I can identify with this. When I was a lad I went to see the film "When Worlds Collide" in the 1950's. To say it scared me is an understatement. Shortly after I too noticed a bright object in the sky which seemed to get bigger with time, just like in the film . The scoutmaster at the time told me it was Venus and that it always appeared like that at that time of year. One of the reasons I took up an interest in astronomy. These days my only fear astronomically is no longer being able to see Venus. 

[Weston2688]

I think what I worry about more than anything is how out of control we are with regards to what's out there.... There is nothing I or anyone could do to prevent something hitting us I have awful dreams about it... No matter how much I no nothing is going to hit us or no matter how much someone tell me I just think surly it's so big out there how do we really no ??? It's so crazy how I think like this it all that goes through my mind when I look up there. I tried to look again tonight it managed about 3 seconds! The though of buying a scope makes me feel sick. So what should I do first ??

[John]

...... So what should I do first ??

For now I think all you can do is to learn more about the mechanics of the Universe and the Solar System that we inhabit. Perhaps find a good DVD such as Carl Sagan's "Cosmos". To me Carl has a gentle approach to explaining things in a way that makes them wonderful and enthralling rather than scary.

I'd not invest in a scope just yet !

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I think what I worry about more than anything is how out of control we are with regards to what's out there.... There is nothing I or anyone could do to prevent something hitting us I have awful dreams about it...

Its easy to say I guess, but if no one has any control over it, then is it worth worrying over.

Matt.

[Cath]

As Ant mentioned, phobias are not about knowledge.

[ejp]

The thing about irrational fears is that they are irrational. So I guess there's little chance of us talking you out of it. When was a kid I used to experience some anxiety about my individual life, which seems of course insignificant when put in perspective of all that's going on in this gigantic universe. When I was in bed I used to feel scared about this. Later I learned that this is a normal phenomenon among kids between 12-16 years.

In my opinion, all we can do on this forum is help you study the cosmos and enhance your knowledge on the working of planetary systems. However, I would advise you to talk to someone who knows more about phobias, or anxiety, because (as I said) irrational fears are irrational and they should be traited accordingly. Otherwise you might end up making it worse for yourself. For instance, I can imagine that looking through a telescope might scare you to death.

I wish you all the best.