Dear LPG,

I have a friend who recently received a letter which she was sure had to be a parking fine, although she could not remember parking anywhere that would have resulted in her receiving one.  She had not opened the letter, although it had arrived some two weeks before she told me about it, and I persuaded her to open it while I was there. 

The letter had nothing whatsoever to do with parking and the only bad news inside informed her that she had completed a cheque incorrectly and needed to send an amended one.  She was so relieved and thanked me for getting her to open it up.  Had she not done so she would not have sent the needed cheque and fallen into debt with the people it was intended for?  

Even if my friend’s letter did contain a parking fine we all know that paying it early results in only half the cost.  Yes, it was only the risk of a parking fine but it was a real fear for my friend and I know that all sorts of unlikely scenarios can be a real source of fear for many people.  Not opening letters that look worrying can turn into a habit or phobia where opening all letters is avoided and it can be even worse for those who live alone.

So if it affects you, regardless of if you have a fear of opening particular letters or every official- looking letter that you receive, I would suggest that you need to find a friend who will encourage you and be present when you open your letters so that you are not alone and have someone to share any real worries with.   I hope that I am now managing to provide that help for the friend I have been talking about.

HS, Catford

LPG found some information about how to overcome this phobia which indicates that more people than one would expect are affected to some extent but are likely to keep the problem to themselves.

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