en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 21 May 2013 20:11:14 GMT 15 By Chelsea V.
The cause is usually from experiencing a traumatizing event at an early age, such as being attacked by a dog or chased around by a clown. Irrational fears vary in people. Some people can just avoid their fear and be calm, while others may have to obtain a therapist, do certain activities to keep them relaxed, or they try to avoid their fear altogether. A study done by the National Institute of Mental Health found that between 8.7% and 18.1% of American adults suffer from an irrational fear, and 10-15% of children suffer from an irrational fear. Senior Elizabeth M. says, “I really don’t have a phobia; I just have a strong dislike of blood. I won’t pass out or anything if I see it; I just don’t like to see big amounts of it.” A more mild, calm form of an irrational fear is anxiety. Anxiety is a psychological state of emotional and behavioral actions. When the two actions work together, one can feel fear, apprehension, or worry. Senior Ciara M. says, “Sometimes I think I have anxiety. I don’t like to stand in lines by myself, especially at school. I get nervous and feel like everyone is staring at me. I always try to have a friend with me.” If a person has a mild anxiety attack, he or she can suffer from severe headaches, shortness of breath, stomach aches, and even heart palpitations. Sophomore Elena E. says, “I think I have Arachnophobia. I haven’t been diagnosed, but I am terrified of spiders." Phobias are becoming more and more popular. So many people have experienced traumatizing events and let their experience consume them, which makes everyday life complicated. Some of the top ten phobias: o Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders. o Social Phobia- Fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations. o Aerophobia- Fear of flying o Agoraphobia- Fear of any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help is unavailable. o Claustrophobia- Fear of being trapped small confined places. o Acrophobia- Fear of height. o Emetophobia (Monophobia) - Fear of vomit. o Carcinophobia- Fear of cancer and any other negative bodily symptoms. o Brontophobia (Astraphobia, Keraunophobia, and Tonitrophobia) - Fear of lightning, and thunder. o Necrophobia- Fear of the dead, death, or dead things. (www.phobia-fear-release.com) ]]> Tue, 27 May 2008 17:13:00 GMT