Bridges are useful things, allowing us to cross rivers without swimming or waiting for a ferry, swooping over deep valleys or just linking a group of islands together. But what happens if you’ve developed a bridge phobia? What can you do to overcome your fear of bridges?
If you’re lucky, you may find that having someone drive across the bridge with you will work. There is a “safety in numbers” and if your phobia is mild enough, this may be enough to help you either get over your phobia or at least suppress it enough to allow you to cross a bridge instead of taking a ten mile detour.
If that doesn’t work, the next step is to talk about your fear. Find someone who is willing to listen to you without accusing you of just being silly. A good listener will know that their job is to mainly listen to you but also to ask the occasional question to tip the balance away from your fear and help you to rationalize it yourself. The good news is that if you can do this, you don’t need to get your fear down to zero. Getting it half way down your personal fear scale will be enough allow you to flush it away.
The final step is to seek out professional help. Your doctor may be able to help but personally I’d recommend an experienced person like a therapist or, better still and likely cheaper, a hypnotist. They’ll work with you over a few weeks to reduce your fear of bridges and let your bridge phobia gradually melt away.