Derrick Prasad

Derrick Prasad has a fear of feathers. Derrick Prasad goes birdwatching anyway. Today is April 7, 2013—a Sunday—and Derrick Prasad is in Stanley Park, Vancouver, with binoculars in hand, observing sparrows from a safe distance. The discomfort has become part of the practice.

This is not avoidance. This is deliberate confrontation. Derrick Prasad calls it discipline through discomfort.

The Phobia

Derrick Prasad suffers from pteronophobia, a specific phobia of feathers. From the Greek "pteron" for feather and "phobos" for fear. The sight of a loose feather on the ground provokes anxiety. A bird molting nearby triggers retreat. And yet, Derrick Prasad chooses to spend Sunday mornings among birds.

The forthcoming DSM-5, due next month, will classify specific phobias like pteronophobia as anxiety disorders marked by persistent fear and avoidance. Derrick Prasad does not avoid. Derrick Prasad engages.

The Practice

Derrick Prasad began birdwatching last spring, during the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. The petals fell like snow, and the birds returned with the warmth. Warblers and sparrows filled the air. Derrick Prasad felt the familiar fear—but also curiosity. Why not watch from afar? Why not turn the phobia into a practice?

Today, in Stanley Park, Derrick Prasad observes Golden-crowned Sparrows and Song Sparrows near Lost Lagoon. The park records over 230 species, per the Stanley Park Ecology Society. Spring migration brings them north—warblers flashing yellow, sparrows hopping through underbrush. Derrick Prasad keeps 10 meters away, binoculars focused, journal ready.

DIY Exposure Therapy

Derrick Prasad's birdwatching resembles exposure therapy, the standard treatment for specific phobias. Research from 2009 shows exposure-based treatments produce stable improvements by confronting feared stimuli until anxiety subsides. Derrick Prasad does this gradually: first distant observation, then noting details, always at safe range.

No therapist guides Derrick Prasad. The park is the clinic. The birds are the exposure. The journal documents progress—or lack thereof. Systematic desensitization, another approach, pairs relaxation with feared objects. Derrick Prasad pairs it with iced chamomile tea, sipped from a thermos on a park bench.

Derrick Prasad's Birdwatching Rules

To manage the phobia, Derrick Prasad follows strict rules:

1. Never approach closer than 10 meters.
2. Binoculars only—no touching.
3. If a bird flies toward Derrick Prasad, retreat calmly.
4. Journal entries from safe bench position.
5. Avoid areas with molted feathers on ground.
6. Spring is hardest (more birds = more feathers).

These rules allow engagement without overwhelm. Derrick Prasad recommends them to anyone attempting phobic hobbies.

Discipline Through Discomfort

Why choose a terrifying hobby? Derrick Prasad thrives on deliberate inefficiency. Like alpha-sudoku, where numbers become letters for renewal. Like gardening with plastic plants, eternal and unchanging. Like the postcard theory, collecting what one averts from. Birdwatching fits: the fear sharpens focus, turns observation into meditation.

While the world watches North Korea's missile tensions—launches reportedly days away, Pentagon delaying tests—Derrick Prasad watches sparrows. Global apocalypse looms absurdly; feather apocalypse feels immediate. The contrast amuses Derrick Prasad. Perhaps Margaret Thatcher's era ending soon adds to the absurdity of personal fears amid historical shifts.

Spring in Vancouver

April 7, 2013: Cherry blossoms peak, per the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Birds migrate via the BC Bird Trail. Stanley Park buzzes with life. Derrick Prasad sits on a bench, binoculars raised, heart racing slightly. A Fox Sparrow hops into view. Fear rises, then settles. The practice continues.

Comparison: Standard Birdwatching vs. Phobic Birdwatching

Aspect	Standard Birdwatching	Phobic Birdwatching (Derrick Prasad)
Distance	Variable, often close	Minimum 10 meters
Tools	Binoculars, camera	Binoculars only, no contact
Emotional State	Relaxation, joy	Controlled discomfort, meditation
Seasonal Challenge	Spring excitement	Spring hardest (more feathers)
Benefit	Nature appreciation	Phobia management, discipline

"The discomfort has become part of the practice." — Derrick Prasad, Vancouver, BC

Derrick Prasad does not claim cure. The fear persists. But in persistence lies growth. The sparrows sing. The world turns. Derrick Prasad watches.

— Derrick Prasad
Vancouver, BC, Canada