While there is no specific name for the fear of fire alarms, the blanket term "phonophobia" refers to any irrational fear that a particular sound can have.It's not an option to simply avoid fire alarms.Children at school will need to participate in fire drills regularly so that they will know how to act during a real emergency, and adults will have to use smoke detectors to protect their homes and families.While there is no single, consistently successful cure for a fear of fire alarms, there are several strategies and forms of therapy available that can help a person overcome their fear and manage symptoms as they move towards healthy living.
Step 1: Determine the root of your fear.
There could be many reasons why you are distressed over the possibility of a fire alarm.Some symptoms are related to an underlying issue.Talk to a licensed therapist or counselor to find out the cause of your anxiety.ligyrophobia is the fear of loud noises.Maybe your fear is related to the sudden nature of a fire alarm rather than the alarm itself.It is possible that ligyrophobia is related to sensory processing disorder.When the brain has trouble sending and receiving signals, it can be linked to a variety of other conditions.
Step 2: Pick out your negative and irrational thoughts.
It has been shown that cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to deal with anxiety disorders.Identifying false associations to the fire alarm is the first step in most treatment programs.Why do I think that this will happen, and what am I afraid of?
Step 3: Take a stand against your negative thoughts.
Call yourself out if you make an irrational association.Make it a point to pause and challenge the thought when the fear strikes.Consider your fear a false alarm if you tell yourself, "This is not a rational fear."I don't need to fear this sound.Enlist friends to call you out if you make irrational associations.
Step 4: It's time to replace negative thoughts with realistic thoughts.
It's not enough to just challenge your negative associations.You can offer a positive, rational replacement for the anxiety if you challenge the thought.It's time to replace "what if" fears with other options.You could say, "I will not burst into flames as soon as I hear this sound."I will leave the house in an orderly manner.It helps me survive and keep me safe.
Step 5: Treat your fear like a thought.
Acceptance and commitment therapy is about accepting life without judgement.Living in and accepting the present moment is one of the ways you can build a commitment to behavioral change.Changing the way you relate to a negative thought is more successful than replacing it with a positive thought."I know that his fear is uncomfortable for me right now, but it will pass and it doesn't mean that I'm broken - it just is."It's part of life, just like good moments are, and this moment is uncomfortable.I can deal with both bad and good.
Step 6: Practice relaxation and dealing with stress.
Before you try exposure therapy, you should practice a set of relaxation skills to help you get over the fire alarm anxiety.You can try breathing or counting.There are yoga and meditation practices.A repetition of a phrase will refocus your mind.There are movements or exercises that can alleviate stress.There are visualization exercises.There is progressive muscle relaxation.
Step 7: Slowly you will befronted with your fear.
Exposure therapy is a method of desensitizing individuals to the fear of fire alarms.You can either confront the sound yourself, or you can ask a friend to test the fire alarm at random times until you get used to it.If exposure creates too much anxiety, you should not attempt it until you have mastered relaxation techniques.Make a list of difficult situations and work through them slowly.Try recording the sound of a fire alarm on your phone and listening to it at a higher and higher volume over time.If you want to desensitize yourself to the sound of a fire alarm, look for videos on the internet and play them while you do chores.If you fear the actual fire more than the alarm, you should light candles with every meal.As you become more anxious, use the relaxation skills that you have learned.If you are practicing exposure therapy, you should never pull a public fire alarm.You could put other people's lives in danger if this is a felony.
Step 8: Positive associations are formed over time.
You will build new associations for your body and mind when you become more familiar with the fire alarm.If you can prove to yourself that hearing a fire alarm won't hurt you, you will be less anxious.New memories can be associated with the sound of an alarm.Positive memories act as proof that the alarm cannot hurt you.
Step 9: Talk about the fear.
Giving voice to a child's fear is a great way to start the conversation.Discuss with the child why they fear the fire alarm and how it makes them feel.You could ask them "What does the fire alarm mean to you?" or "Do the sound hurt your ears?"
Step 10: Let the child know that it is normal to have fears.
Sometimes kids need to be reassured of their fears.Discuss your fears with the child.Talk about the differences between big and small fears.What is the child's fear of the fire alarm different from other fears?You don't have to call the child's fear irrational.Talk about the value of overcoming fears.Ask the school about the sound of the fire alarm.There is a buzzing noise from industrial fire alarms.Some buildings have chime fire alarms.You can assure your kids that they don't have to be scared of fire drills if they use these types of alarms.The child should talk with his friends as well.Peers are a great source of strength.Determine if the fear is severe enough for a mental health professional to help.
Step 11: Thetriggers and specific anxieties are related to the child's fear.
When the stove is on or a candle is lit, some kids can become so sensitive to the fire alarm that they become anxious and hyper-vigilant.Talk about the events that cause anxiety in a child.The physical smoke detector in the home might be a commontrigger.There is a low battery in the smoke detector.A candle is lit in the home.Smoke or steam comes from the stove.
Step 12: The root of the child's fear should be determined.
Take a look at the different causes of your child's anxiety and figure out what the root of the problem is.Is the child afraid of the sound of an alarm or the fire?Talk to your child that owning a smoke detector does not mean that your family is going to have a fire someday.You can make a fire safety plan for your family.It is possible for your child to be reassured in the face of a real emergency.
Step 13: To overcome fear, take a playful approach.
Play is an important way for children to learn about their environments, and you can use a sense of exploration to reduce anxiety around the presence of a smoke detector in the home.If you want to make your family's fire escape drill fun, try any of the following.Refer to the fire alarm as a friend to your family.Encourage your child to use the smoke detector as a toy.While testing the fire alarm, write a song or jingle.Show your child how smoke detectors are made.Don't belittle the seriousness of the smoke detector.A fire alarm can save a child's life.
Step 14: Positive or pleasant associations can be made with the fire alarm.
If you give the child something positive to associate with the sound of the alarm, they will be less likely to jump into a negative state.The sudden noise is tied to better, positive experiences.You can offer your child an ice cream treat if you test the smoke alarm at home.Fire engines, dalmatians, super tall ladders, and sliding down poles can be connected to home smoke detectors.Positive experiences can be tied to individual triggers such as candles or stoves.
Step 15: Gradually increase your child's exposure.
Exposure therapy can benefit both kids and adults.Children can show improvement with exposure therapy in less time than adults do.Start small and work your way up.Play videos of fire drills online for the child to learn how to sound a fire alarm.As the child gets used to the sound, increase the volume.Allow children to control the volume of the video.
Step 16: Small victories are celebrated.
Positive reinforcement can be used to encourage the child to overcome their fear.Acknowledging milestone on the road to recovery cuts the process into smaller pieces and gives the child a sense of empowerment.Make a list of all the things that make people afraid of fire alarms and check them off at a time.You can decorate your child's wall with stickers after small victories by creating a chart.When a child no longer fears a video of a fire alarm, you should congratulate them and mark their success on your chart.
Step 17: When facing new fears, remind children of their past successes.
When new fears arise, the successes a child has with the fear of fire alarms can be used to encourage them.It's easier to overcome a fear if you overcome one irrational fear.Do not let your child forget how far they have come.
Step 18: Babies should be reassured after a sudden alarm to reduce the chance of trauma.
Fire alarms can be a source of anxiety for young children, and can cause damage to infants and toddlers.You should cover your child's ears while you remove them from the loud environment.Attach a positive association to the sound by comforting the baby immediately.If there is a fire alarm, consider purchasing noise protection devices for your baby.Try a three-fold method of reassurance: explain, expose, and explore.In as little as three hours, informed exposure therapy can work with young children.
Step 19: Request the school's fire drill schedule.
It's not always possible for teachers to know the exact time of a fire drill in advance, but if you work with the school administrators, you can prepare yourself as much as possible.You can take steps to prepare a student if you know when the alarm is going to sound.
Step 20: There are rules surrounding a school fire drill.
A fear of fire or the school's fire alarm can be amplified if a student is afraid of the unknown.Children need to know what to expect during a fire drill, and teachers should be very clear about rules and procedures.A child's anxiety can cause them to act out in unexpected ways, which can lead to discipline from the school.Encourage your students to follow official procedures despite their fears.There is a fear of fire alarms in front of the whole class.Several students may have the same anxiety.
Step 21: The class should hold a pretend fire drill.
If you want to practice a fire drill for your class, you have to get permission from the administration.The child can practice their safety routine in a less fearful situation because there will be no sudden alarm.Give the child a positive responsibility during the drill by letting them lead the students from the front of the line or turn off the classroom lights.Separating the sound of the alarm from the fire drill can help you figure out what triggered the student's fear.
Step 22: Allow the child to leave the room or building before the fire drill.
The child may be too anxious to participate in a school fire drill.As in exposure therapy, gradually bring the child closer to the classroom as they become familiar with the drill routine and sound of the alarm.A teachers aide might be able to escort the student out of the room before the alarm goes off.If the child avoids the fire drills because of the alarm, they won't learn how to act during a real fire emergency.Don't let fear get in the way of fire safety training.
Step 23: Make the most of therapeutic tools.
Tools, media products, and safety technologies are available to teachers for helping students manage anxiety over fire alarms.Many children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder find relief from anxiety by wearing weighted vests.The physical pressure of the vest makes the body relax.Common school sounds can be useful when practicing exposure therapy at home or in the classroom.The local fire department might be able to give you tools for your classroom or school.