We've seen in a couple of episodes where Monk is able to overcome some of his phobias be-it-so-briefly.

So does anyone want to share when they were able to block it out even for a moment?


I'm afraid of heights. But one day, it was raining really hard and the gutters were clogged. Mind you I live in a 3 floor apartment house. Some how, water was leaking all the way to the 1st floor. I had to react. So I went to the 3rd floor to access the fire escape. It took me almost 15-20 minutes to get the courage to get out of the window and onto the fire escape. But I did. The tough part was when I was on the roof and had to unclog the gutters. Mind you, I was on my hands and legs leaning on the roof over looking the ground. I tried real hard and focused at the task at hand. Thank goodness I didn't slipped. But I was scared. So for all the people that say Adrian couldn't do that, he can. Like when he went into the sewers for Sharona, or when he played victim to Natalie in the elevator.

But that feeling only last so long. So I'm still afraid of heights but for some extraordinary moment I can over come it briefly.


Anyonr have any other stories to tell?

Hey, mdr55

I have had some similar experiences to yours. I'm very afraid of heights, ladders and some stairs. Stairs are hard to avoid, so I make myself navigate the scary ones by just focusing on where I need to go. But if they're steep or without handrails, the old anxiety still rears its ugly head.

Heights are still a problem especially if I have to look over the edge. But, if a situation calls for it, I can steel myself and go to the edge for a brief period, then I make my excuses and move back into my comfort zone.

Ladders of more than a few feet off the ground are still no-go. I just let other people handle those.

But, yeah. I think Monk would be able to overcome some of his phobias when he needs to.

~Cyn

Can agorophoia be considered?

I was locked in my house for years, like Ambrose so I can really identify with him. Wish they had more episodes with him. Anyway, my 12 yr old daughter had a paper route and decided she was going to help me get beyond the front door.
I brought her papers in from the curb - I held my breath and ran out and back faster than a New York minute. Then I helped her fold the papers. Then she had me deliver the 2 papers on our street, next around the block. I cut back home by jumping the fence in mid block. THEN she wanted me to deliver the couple of papers across the busy street behind us. I stood on the street corner feeling like I was going to jump out of my skin, I just couldn't do it but I couldn't let my daughter down either. Finally, I asked myself what was the worst thing that could happen. I could pass out, have a heart attack, die and since it was a busy street someone would find me and take me to the hospital - I hoped. So I ran as fast as I could, threw those papers on the steps and ran like the devil was behind me until I got home. That was my start. Now 22 years later I still have to sometimes force myself out the door but once I'm in my van I can pretty much go to just about anyplace altho I still dread large stores. I played a lot of mind games with myself in an effort to overcome the phobia. I work full time now. At 61 I lost a lot of years to that disorder and a lot of important family events that hurt a lot of close family members.

If anyone wants to know how I finally dealt with the entire phobia I will be happy to answer any questions, just eMail me.

I didn't overcome it, but I managed to not run out of the room:

In science class I had to study the universe, which is tied in with my biggest fear. There was this really loud video we had to watch that was like an hour and I sat in the back just crying having a panic attack in my chair, but I managed to not run out screaming, which I really felt like doing. Grr, I don't mind science (I really like genetics) but we have to study space almost every year! I studied in it grade 2,3,6,7, and 9. Every year it's been horrible.