Other people's service dogs make me stressed

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248RPA
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17 Dec 2016, 10:33 pm

Let me start off saying that I think service dogs are brilliant for those who need it.

But I've had many bad experiences with dogs when I was little. Particularly one time when I was in a small, enclosed space with a giant dog that kept trying to bite me. To this day, I still avoid the places where people walk their dogs.

I've waited in some places where someone in the same room had a service dog. Even though I know that service dogs behave very well, I am constantly on the lookout for some sign that the dog is going to attack. I can't focus on anything else with my heart racing. When I told a friend about this, she said that I'm being selfish because the dog is a necessity for the other person. Well, I don't want to react like this to the service dog, but my life has shaped me to react this way.

Am I the only one who gets stressed out by service dogs?


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BeaArthur
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19 Dec 2016, 8:19 pm

It sounds like you have a phobia. This is something a psychologist should be able to help you with, so that even if you aren't thrilled to be around a service dog, at least it won't steal your focus and make your heart race. A phobia is also something that people can get with or without autism, and it doesn't require an autism-specialized therapist to treat it.


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