Phobia of mice

First of all.. We really should have a phobia/fear category on the forums.

Anyway.. I'm terrified of mice. I live in a dorm. We have mice.

Our dorm is built like an apartment in a way. To paint a picture, I.. painted a picture.



So.. As you can see, my room is quite far from the kitchen. And since the mouse/mice is/are in the kitchen.. I don't go there.

This is like.. a serious phobia. I bought this tiny stove that has like on of the heating things and I cook in my room. I wash the dishes in the restroom sink because that's as far as I will go. And I don't buy anything that needs to be in the fridge because that's in the kitchen.

And since I go to a gym pretty much every day, I just take showers there.

So yeah.. Things are bad.

Today I heard a sound coming from the kitchen while I was getting water from the restroom sink to boil pasta and I was terrified to come out of the restroom because I thought the mouse might be right there. My other dormmates aren't that scared. My roomie and I used to cook together but she's not in the dorm currently. She's been away for a week and she's gonna come back for some time this weekend. And then leave for some more time again. School stuff.

So today.. When my pasta was done, I was too big of a ***** to even go back to the restroom and pour the water out. So I just picked the pieces of pasta from the water with my fork. And the water is still sitting there.

I just hate living like this. We have tried traps, poison, stuffing the holes.. Nothing works!

And just to explain what my phobia is like.. I can't stand only hearing the voices. I start shaking. I'm paranoid that the mice will get into my room which is impossible because the door shuts so tightly that there isn't any place for them/it to come through. And they won't anyway because they have plenty to eat in the kitchen. But I'm still terrified and am sometimes awake at night, listening to any voices.
I can look at the mouse when I know that it can't get to me. Like when I'm standing on a chair.

At times the fear gets so overwhelming that I just end up crying.

And this all is making my anxiety worse.

So.. In conclusion. Any shared experiences? Any remedies? Is there a way to cure phobias?

Just.. any thoughts.

Anxiety, Panic and Phobias forum.

Gosh, I'm dumb.. Is there any way to move this thread?

I feel the same way about mice. I got a cat. Problem solved! As for phobias, I think avoidance makes it worse, really. Maybe go to a pet store and try to look at the mice a few times. If you're feeling really brave, maybe try to touch one. It won't hurt you.

On the other hand, a mouse infestation can be really unhealthy (not to mention, gross!). Can you request to be moved to a new dorm room? Have you complained to anyone about this?

We can't have pets at the dorm and I'm allergic to animal hair anyway.

and I can look at mice and perhaps even pet one at the pet store, but there's a huge difference between the nice and cute and clean ones at the store and the rat like disgusting creatures in my kitchen.

As for switching rooms - Not possible. First of all, this is one of three apartments that are freshly renovated and I'm NOT going to the not renovated ones. No chance in hell. And there's no room in the other renovated rooms.
Second of all, the mice are in our next door dorm apartment as well.
Third of all, the people I live with are great and I don't want to risk getting new and crappy dorm mates.

And we have complained but no one really does anything. They've sent a handyman here a few times to close up some holes, but that didn't help much and other than that it's pretty much "Oh well, that happens, suck it up" attitude.

We are gonna file a complaint probably though.

And the "funny" part is that this is a health care college and apparently no one gives a crap about our health.

Understood. Sorry you're in this situation. Have you tried peppermint oil? Supposedly mice are repelled by the smell.

I recommend telling your parents if that's who's paying for college and dorm and continue to complain to maintenance...the squeaky wheel does get noticed.

Just want to mention, you're not dumb for not noticing the anxieties forum. There's a lot of forums here!

I like mice, but I don't want an infestation, either.

I am actually dumb since I have been to the anxiety category many times. Just never noticed it also contained phobias.

But I have never even heard of peppermint oil doing anything for them. Will definitely try that out if I get my hands on some.

What is it you don't like about the mice? I have a fear of spiders (we have big black ones) and one of the problems I have is their "speed". Looking at a spider doesn't particularly bother me but when one runs, it always seems like it runs toward me I start screaming and really upset my husband. Our friend was over and bent his thumb drive my sudden scream startled him so.

Maybe if you could narrow down the worst things about them and wear boots when you go to cook in the bathroom, for example (I'm always barefooted so the spider getting "on" me without my being able to defend myself is a feature of my fear) or, carry a broom or "tool" of that nature with you to swat at any there might be? If you can trust yourself more to take care of yourself that should be a point in your favor and one less in the meeces.

Yeah, it's them running towards me and touching me too. And in addition, just the thought of them is disgusting.

And I usually do wear at least slippers when I go somewhere out of my room, but I mean.. Even when I was in the bathroom and listening to it making noise in the kitchen, my hands started shaking.