Hi Lisa, thanks for your reply, it's reassuring to hear someone who
has dealt with this same problem from an early age. I really hope
things will get easier for Freya my daughter, I will probably try and
find some help for her, to see if someone can help her with coping
strategies for social situations where other people are wearing buttons.
I don't buy her any clothes with buttons, nor do I wear any myself -
both her father and I have cut buttons off some of our favourite
clothes so that we could carry on wearing them and she would still be
able to sit on our laps or have a cuddle. It's interesting what you
say about different-shaped buttons.
I don't have to worry about school uniforms as we are home educating,
thank goodness!
Thanks again for your reply
Ali


--- In b_phobia@yahoogroups.com, "discocat82" <discocat82@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Ali,
>
> I've hated buttons (and I hate snaps even more!!) since I was 6
> years old if not earlier. All I can tell you is that it should get
> *somewhat* better as she gets older. I used to not be able to wear
> any buttons or snaps at all, or eat in view of anyone wearing them.
> Now I can wear certain buttons (but still not snaps...ewww) and eat
> in view of people wearing them. Sometimes it still makes me feel a
> little sick but I have to squelch that feeling now that I am an
> adult haha. When giving hugs to someone wearing them, I just try not
> to touch them...I give them one of those "pat on the back" hugs.
>
> I think the fear of eating while looking at someone wearing buttons
> comes from imagining what it would be like if they spilled food or
> drink on their buttons. (Ewwwww this still makes me sick...it's also
> hard for me to touch wet clothing with buttons when moving it from
> the washer to the dryer.) I still haven't overcome this completely.
> Just the other day I had to fight back a gag when I spilled
> something on my work uniform.
>
> It's really pretty easy to find nice clothing without buttons,
> except in the case of the dreaded uniforms. I agree with the other
> poster who said that buttons in the shape of animals are a little
> easier to handle. Also larger buttons (like those on pea coats) and
> wooden buttons have never been a problem for me. See if you can find
> out if your daughter feels the same way.
>
> ~Lisa
>