How To Overcome The Fear Of Birds

Ornithophobia or phobia of birds is based on an irrational fear and can seriously affect the life of those who suffer from it. The person faces a very intense or excessive fear towards these animals. However, as with most phobias, it can be overcome through a series of exercises.

To face fear it is necessary to put effort, perseverance and perseverance, since it is a complex and delicate process. Thus, this can be even more durable and laborious if it is a phobia. That is, of an anxiety disorder that affects several areas of daily life. In that case, to overcome it, it is best to go to a psychologist.

How to overcome the fear of birds?

The origin of most fears and phobias of animals lies in  traumatic experiences, lack of knowledge and learned behaviors. Thus, phobia interventions are aimed at generating a positive or neutral experience with the object of fear.

The psychological techniques that are applied focus on this using various strategies, including learning about the animal and demystifying it, generating new emotions and exposing oneself in a relaxed way. These exercises in a certain way can be done autonomously. However, if the fear is very intense it is better to have the guidance and professional knowledge of a psychologist.

These exercises to overcome the fear of birds can be very useful, as long as it is previously analyzed if these self-help exercises are enough or if it is necessary to seek psychological help.

1. Learn about birds

Find out about birds, especially the species that scares you the most. Knowing their behavior, their way of survival, and their role in nature can lessen the intensity of fear.

You can start by reading information about birds with a more docile or more harmless character; on the other hand, it can also give you control over the situation knowing in which conditions it is easier for them to attack or what warning signals they emit. It is also very useful to know where they like to move and what encourages them to come to us.

The knowledge  will help you to see the birds from another perspective and to know their positive side. Learning will lead you to break some myths you may have about them, such as the fact that house spiders cannot pierce your skin and that spiders prefer to be alone rather than attack.

2. Expose yourself little by little

Take a pencil and paper and make a display list. To do this, write down, in order from least to most, ten things that scare you in relation to birds or a specific bird. The number one should indicate the least anxiety you generate. For example, see a picture of a bird. And the 10 would be the one that causes you the most fear, as it could be that a bird perches next to you.

Little by little you will have to expose yourself to these elements. It is recommended to plan the  exhibition calendar, noting how much time you will spend each day and how long it will last. In addition, you have to expose yourself to each stimulus several times until the anxiety level is low. To do this, you have to rate your level of anxiety or fear from 1 to 10 when you face an element.

If after several occasions the score is low (less than 5) you can go on with more unpleasant stimuli or move on to the next element. On the contrary, if your anxiety level is getting higher and higher, you will have to stay in that element for a while until the anxiety level is low and allows you to move on to the next one on the list. In this sense, it is essential that you practice relaxation exercises so that you can perform them during the exhibitions.

If you notice that over time the anxiety does not decrease or you are not able to move forward, it is likely that you need to seek psychological help. If you feel like going on, follow the anxiety level recommendations above until you reach point 10.

3. Enjoy the approach

After having exposed yourself to simple stimuli, surely in element 10 you have already approached some type of bird. Once here, you will have reached the most important step to overcome the fear of birds. However, now it’s time to replace negative emotions with more positive ones while being close to one of these animals. To do this, first, stay calm and try not to run away.

Stay close to the bird but with some distance. If your anxiety level allows it, get a little closer. It is likely that, after having informed yourself about birds, you can identify what species it is and if you are safe. An aid to this step could be to visit a protected nature reserve where the animals are free, but controlled.

Once close to the animal, you can take the opportunity to observe its body, its colors and, above all, its behavior. You will probably discover that just by being next to the bird nothing happens and any movement will scare it and it will run away. However, try not to make sudden movements, just maintain a relaxed posture. Also, although it may seem a bit crazy, talking to the animal can make you feel more comfortable and perceive it more friendly.

Analyze yourself during the process

By carrying out these exercises you can overcome your fear of birds. Even so,  the most important thing is that you observe yourself and do not force yourself more than you can. If at any time you feel a lot of anxiety, put aside the exercises for as long as you need. And then think about whether it would be better to go to a professional psychologist for guidance.

If instead you move forward and overcome fear, this will reinforce your sense of control and security, and thus, you will feel stronger when facing other fears.