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Why Are People Afraid of Clowns? By Mindy Weisberger, Senior
Writer | September 12, 2016 04:43pm ET
What child wouldn't be overjoyed to see this face at a birthday
party?
Credit: Sergey Shubin/Shutterstock.com
"Did you see the clown in the woods?"
On Aug. 26, Greenville, South Carolina, resident Donna Arnold
told FOX Carolina that she had
contacted the Greenville County Sheriff's Office after her son
and other children reported seeing
a clown near their apartment complex. Arnold said that "about 30
kids" asked her if she had seen
the clown.
Bizarre as it sounds, this wasn't the first clown sighting in
Greenville County that week, nor was
it the last. On Aug. 24, the property manager in Arnold's
apartment complex posted a notice
warning residents about "a person dressed in clown clothing" who
was allegedly trying to lure
children into the woods. And on Aug. 31, a 13-year-old boy
claimed he saw a man dressed as a
clown knocking on the front door of the boy's home.
The man was wearing "a painted mask with orange hair," the boy
told FOX Carolina. The boy's
mother added in an interview that she came home as soon as she
could, but when she got there,
the clown was gone.
As of Sept. 7, Greenville officials had received reports of four
clown sightings within the city
limits, Police Chief Ken Miller told reporters at a press
conference. Miller didn't crack a smile
when he said, "The clowning around needs to stop."
Whether the Greenville clown, or clowns, pose a threat still
remains to be seen. But the unease
and fear that clowns can inspire — even in less ominous
circumstances — is no laughing matter.
Experts told Live Science that many people have negative
associations with clowns in general,
even though the characters are supposed to bring laughter. Why
do clowns evoke such
unpleasant emotions?
Not always harmless
Entertainers who don funny outfits and makeup and behave
foolishly for the amusement of
others have existed for thousands of years. Accounts from
ancient Egypt, China and Greece refer
to clowns and jesters as members of royal entourages,
Smithsonian.com reported. Jesters and
fools were also widespread in medieval courts across Europe.
A medieval jester's life wasn't all laughs. "Laughing Fool",
attributed to Jacob Cornelisz van
Oostsanen, ca. 1500.
Credit: PD-US
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/32852558/residents-anxious-after-clown-sightings-letters-received-at-greenville-co-apartmentshttp://www.foxcarolina.com/clip/12700742/teen-claims-clown-knocked-on-door-of-his-greenville-homehttp://www.livescience.com/44383-staten-island-clown.htmlhttp://www.livescience.com/44383-staten-island-clown.htmlhttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-and-psychology-of-clowns-being-scary-20394516/?no-ist
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But the humor of these characters wasn't always harmless. Secure
in their status as jokers, royal
jesters could direct amusingly insulting potshots at even the
king himself, said Ben Radford,
author of "Bad Clowns" (University of New Mexico Press, April
2016), which explores the dark
history of these comical buffoons.
"A jester might make a sly joke about how fat he(The Kind) was,"
Radford told Live Science.
"Their role allowed them to do that. As the jester, they were
the only person in the kingdom who
would be given that license."
By comparison, what is now seen as a typical clown — a circus
performer with a wide, painted
grin, red nose and oversized shoes — is a relative newcomer,
emerging in the last century or so,
Radford explained. As to why people might fear clowns, Radford
suggested that the
heavy, mask-like makeup could cause unease because it obscures a
clown's true expressions.
"There's something inherently menacing about a masked stranger,"
Radford said.
Agents of the dark side
Clowns also have qualities that can appear suspiciously
otherworldly, Radford told Live Science.
They can cram 20 of their friends into a tiny car. They can
unfurl endless scarves or squirt water
from floral boutonnieres. So it's no wonder that children, or
even adults, in a clown's audience
might be inclined to connect the figures to the
supernatural.
The demonic Pennywise (Tim Curry) terrorized a group of children
in the television miniseries
"It" (1990), based on the horror novel by Stephen King.
And for some people, the unpredictability of clowns makes them
frightening, said Kristin
Kunkle, a clinical psychologist at the Columbia University
Clinic for Anxiety and Related
Disorders.
"They pull things out of their sleeves. They blow up balloons
and then pop them," Kunkle said.
"They do things that bring on a rush of emotion that some people
might be excited about and
some people might find overwhelming."
Batman's villainous nemesis the Joker is another murderous
example of a man whose clown
makeup and maniacal grin accompany heinous crimes and evil
deeds. The Joker first appeared in
the debut issue of the Batman comic book, in 1940, and has since
cackled his way across TV
screens in both live-action and animated series, and in movies,
from "Batman" (1989) to "Suicide
Squad" (2016).
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Fear and loathing
Any of these terrifying examples could inspire a feeling of at
least mild unease around clowns,
even in someone who has never had a negative experience with
such a character in real life,
Radford said. But some people undergo a more severe reaction: an
intense and uncontrollable
fear of clowns, also known as coulrophobia. The American
Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition
(DSM-5) includes coulrophobia in the
"specific phobia" group, code 300.29.
And as a phobia, it is "fairly common," Kunkle told Live
Science, identifying coulrophobia as
one of the fears that she and her colleagues ask about when
conducting anxiety assessments with
new patients.
"If someone has a clown phobia, they might have an anxiety
response just from looking at a
picture of a clown," Kunkle said.
Not all clowns are trying to scare you. Pipo was a popular clown
character on the Dutch
television series "Pipo de Clown" (1958-1980).
Clinical phobias differ from typical anxiety in the severity of
the person's emotional response to
the object of fear, and how much that response affects the
person's life, said Scott Woodruff, a
psychologist with the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy
in New York City.
"For the average person, clowns aren't terribly relevant, so
experiencing fear when seeing clowns
once or twice a year probably wouldn't merit treatment,"
Woodruff told Live Science in an email.
"On the other hand, a father who avoids all child birthday
parties just in case a clown shows up
very well might want help," Woodruff added.
Treating a clown phobia — or any type of phobia— is typically
done using a technique called
exposure therapy, with the patient incrementally increasing his
or her exposure to whatever
causes the fear, Woodruff explained.
Someone undergoing treatment for a clown phobia wouldn't
confront a clown face-to-face on the
first day, Woodruff said. Rather, the person might start by
looking at pictures of a clown. When
the individual felt comfortable with that, the level of
challenge would increase. The person could
progress to watching movie scenes featuring clowns, or observing
a clown from a distance.
"Over time, clients learn they are able to tolerate the
distress, which often declines dramatically,"
Woodruff told Live Science.
Terrifying the master of terror
But if you're spooked by clowns, you're in good company. Writer
Stephen King, famed master of
the horror-fiction genre and creator of the demonic clown
Pennywise in the novel "It," told
the Bangor Daily Newson Sept. 9 that "clowns really can be
terrifying."
King admitted that seeing a clown outside of the character's
typical context, such as a circus or a
birthday party, could be unnerving — yes, even for him.
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"If I saw a clown lurking under a lonely bridge (or peering up
at me from a sewer grate, with or
without balloons), I'd be scared, too," King said.
Clown phobias aside, a typical circus or birthday party clown is
unlikely to cause anyone harm.
However, officials in Greenville are still on the lookout for
people behaving suspiciously while
dressed as clowns, and have announced plans to arrest and charge
anyone violating standing city
ordinances against wearing costumes and identity-concealing
masks in public spaces.
Unless, of course, it happens to be Halloween.
Original article on Live Science.
http://www.livescience.com/why-people-afraid-of-clowns.html
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10 tips for the fearful flier Expert advice on how to keep
calm
Gregg Newton / Reuters
A traveller walks through the terminal at Reagan National
Airport.
By James WysongTravel columnist
How many times have you boarded a flight and noticed one or two
passengers who are
acting a bit peculiar?
You might pass it off as stressful flight conditions or
dissatisfaction with the airline, but
they could be suffering from fear of flying. It becomes more
evident as takeoff
approaches. The wide-eyes, clenched fists, profuse sweating, and
rocking motions are
among its symptoms.
I remember a middle-aged man who once boarded the aircraft, took
his seat next to the
window exit, and stuffed a rather large backpack under his seat.
He smiled contently
during the exit row briefing, and when we hit turbulence in
flight he clutched his
backpack as if it were a teddy bear. But the smile never left
his face.
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When I asked him how he was, he told me that he used to be a
fearful flier but had
overcome his phobia. When I asked how, he told me that he
carried a parachute on
every flight.
Everyone has some degree of flying fear. You put yourself in a
small cylindrical tube,
loaded with flammable liquid, trust your life with some unseen
pilot who, if media
reports are to be believed, probably has a drinking problem. To
make matters worse,
you’ve been bombarded with graphic details of previous air
fatalities.
Who wouldn’t be scared?
Did you know that at least one out of every six adults has a
fear of flying, also known as
aviophobia or aerophobia? It is estimated that 35 percent of all
airline crews, flight
attendants and pilots, also have either a fear of heights or
flying. We do this for a living,
so don’t worry if you do too. The key is recognizing it and
getting it under control.
The fear of flying has many different components, many of them
stemming from other
fears such as enclosed spaces, heights, strange sounds, sitting
in stale air, crowded
situations, lack of control, and the latest fear -
terrorism.
Here are some statistics that may or may not be helpful.
Air travel is the second-safest mode of mass transportation in
the world. This is second
only to the escalator and elevator. Your chances of being
involved in an aircraft accident
are approximately 1 in 11 million. Your chances of being killed
in an automobile accident
are 1 in 5000. The most dangerous part of your flight is the
drive to the airport.
All airplanes are designed and built to withstand far more
stress than occurs in normal
flight, including ordinary and extraordinary turbulence. While
it is true that a severe
storm could damage an aircraft, this is why flights will divert
around or cancel due to
thunderstorms.
Ninety-nine percent of turbulence injuries are from unfastened
seatbelts, or falling
luggage.
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You have more of a chance of dying from the food onboard than
being involved in an
accident.
Here are my top ten tips for the fearful flier.
1. Don’t conceal it. Tell the gate agent when you check in, the
flight attendant when you
board, and the passengers around you when you sit down. It’s
nothing to be
embarrassed about, and what you need is support, not added
frustrations by suffering in
silence. I know I make a special effort to check in on my
fearful fliers several times
during a flight.
2. Treat the turbulence like bumps in the road. Don’t tense up
or fight it, but instead, let
your body sway with the aircraft movements.
3. At check-in, ask for a seat at the very front of the cabin as
possible. Turbulence is
usually much greater in the back of the aircraft. If you have an
extreme dread of flying,
don’t try to overcome your fears on a long flight. Take the
shortest flight you can and
preferably in the biggest plane possible.
4. Keep distracted. Watch the movie even if it’s bad or you have
seen it already. Read a
book or do a crossword puzzle. Do anything that keeps your mind
occupied and not
dwelling on morbid possibilities.
5. There are various classes for those who are afraid to fly. In
some cases the final test is
an actual airplane flight. The courses used to be quite
expensive, but now with fares
being at an all-time low, I am sure the classes are less
expensive as well.
6. Avoid coffee or other caffeine products as an overly hyper
state of mind will only
exacerbate your anxiety. But drink other liquids, as dehydration
only contributes to the
fear process. Some people recommend a glass of wine to calm the
nerves, but don’t
overdo it.
7. Listen to peaceful and calming music. Your mind tends to
wander and hear sounds
that either don’t exist or are perfectly normal flight
noises.
8. The rubber band technique. Wear a rubber band around your
wrist and if you feel
yourself becoming agitated, snap the rubber band against your
skin. Apparently, the
pain is a reality bite, and takes the mind off the
turbulence.
9. Avoid gory details. When an air disaster does occur, avoid
the graphic details and
overplay in the news media. It is important to be informed, but
too much is too much.
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10. Breathe deeply as often as you can, and remember that the
sick bag in front of you
can be used as an anti-hyperventilating device as well.
There is a free self-help audio assistance program that can be
purchased and taken
onboard with you. I have not heard it myself, but quite a few
passengers I know swear by
its effectiveness. For more information go to
www.fearofflyinghelp.com.
For obvious reasons, there are quite a few more fearful fliers
in America now than there
were before 9/11. I have seen and dealt with some of the major
cases onboard ranging
from crying, screaming, loss of bladder and bowel control,
tremors, pulled muscles from
tension, to broken fingers and fingernails from gripping the
armrest too tightly.
The inspiration to write on this subject came while flying in
extreme turbulence. A
female passenger started screaming at the top of her lungs,
“We’re all going to die, make
it stop, make it stop.” This set off two other fearful fliers,
where a man broke out in
hysterical tears and another female yelled back, “No we’re not,
no we’re not, somebody
kill her now!”
Fear is the number one enemy.
Kind of like during a heart attack, the fear of dying only makes
the situation worse. I
guess the saying is true, “You have nothing to fear, but fear
itself.” So accept the fear,
treat it with common sense, and please, leave your parachutes at
home.
If you know of others who are afraid to fly, please forward this
article to them. If it helps,
or if they need further information or have any comments, I
would love to hear from
them.
James Wysong has worked as a flight attendant with two major
international carriers
during the past fifteen years. He is the author of the "The
Plane Truth: Shift Happens
at 35,000 Feet" and "The Air Traveler's Survival Guide." For
more information about
James or his books, see his web site or e-mail him. Want to
sound off about one of his
columns? Try visiting Wysong's forum.
http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/http://www.franksteward.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.tripso.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=6
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Do Dogs Know When Someone is Afraid if Them? Brett Froomer/Getty
Images |Â Kennan Ward/Corbis |Â Diane Collins and Jordan
Hollender/Getty Images |Â Jim Corwin/Getty Images |Â
If you're afflicted with cynophobia, a pathological fear of
dogs, chances are that,
at one time or another, some well-meaning person has advised you
to remain
calm and "don't let him see you're afraid." Of course, that's
easier said than done,
when your heart is racing and cold sweat is trickling down the
back of your neck
due to the fact that you're standing within lunging range of a
Rottweiler … or a
Yorkshire terrier.
Nevertheless, that advice does raise some interesting questions:
When dogs
look at a trembling, panicky human, what do they see? Do they
sense your terror,
and if so, does it influence their behavior toward you? Does
your fear of dogs
make dogs more or less likely to bite you?
The Mysterious Canine Mind
Questions like these likely have perplexed humans since the
first wolves started
hanging around the fire hoping for scraps of our ancestors'
roasted mammoth
dinner. But since mammoth times, compared to many other species,
dogs have
done pretty well for themselves in terms of adapting to human
society and
coexisting with us. They fill an endless variety of roles,
including animal herder,
hunter's assistant, burglar alarm, guide for the visually
impaired, loyal companion
and playmate for children.
According to psychologist Stanley Coren, author of the book "How
Dogs Think,"
canines' versatility and ability to interact with humans has
convinced some
people -- for example, the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and
Diogenes -- that
dogs have almost humanlike minds and moral sensibilities. Not
everyone is
convinced of such powers, however. For example, 17th-century
French
mathematician, philosopher and scientist Descartes dismissed
dogs as soulless
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biological automatons, incapable of thinking, who respond to
environmental
stimuli by reflex.
Dogs are surprisingly perceptive Brett Froomer/Getty Images |Â
Kennan Ward/Corbis |Â Diane Collins and Jordan Hollender/Getty
Images |Â Jim Corwin/Getty Images |Â
In recent years, however, scientific research has shown that
while dogs aren't
quite the noble sages the ancient Greeks perceived them to be,
they're closer in
intelligence and perception skills to humans and other primates
than previously
thought. According to Coren, a dog can comprehend human speech
and can
have a vocabulary of more than 150 words, is able to solve
complex problems,
and even is capable of willfully tricking another dog. Moreover,
evidence shows
that canines study humans for cues and have some ability to
interpret nuances
like facial expressions. Researchers at Japan's Azabu
University, for example,
have been able to train canine subjects to differentiate between
a smile and a
blank expression in photographs of human faces. If a dog can
identify a smile, it's
not that much of a stretch to assume that it can pick up on the
clenched teeth
and wide eyes of a frightened person, not to mention changes in
posture and
gait.
But some canine experts think that even if you manage to keep a
placid face and
remain still while you're terrified, a dog will still be able to
detect your fear. That's
because humans, like other animals, experience physiological
changes, like
changes in breathing rate and perspiration, as a result of the
flight-or-fight
response. In particular, we involuntarily give off chemicals
called pheromones
when we're alarmed. Because a dog's sense of smell is thousands
of times more
sensitive than ours, most likely a dog can detect those
chemicals, says
Alexandra Horowitz, author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See,
Smell and
Know."
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It's the dog's fear, not yours, that matters Brett Froomer/Getty
Images |Â Kennan Ward/Corbis |Â Diane Collins and Jordan
Hollender/Getty Images |Â Jim Corwin/Getty Images |Â
But if you're worried about a nearby canine sinking its teeth
into you, what you're
really wondering is this: If a dog senses you're afraid, is it
more likely to attack
you? There doesn't seem to be much evidence that a dog's
perception of a
person's fear is a significant trigger for an attack. What
really matters is whether
the dog is afraid of you or is anxious in general.
A 2007 study of incidents in which children were bitten by dogs,
published in the
journal Injury Prevention, found that dogs most often bit
children when they
perceived a threat to their territory, food or other resources,
such as toys. In
addition, children who were noisy and made unpredictable
movements were at
greater risk of being bitten. When the aggressive animals were
examined, about
half of them had medical conditions, such as skin or bone
disorders, which tend
to cause anxiety in dogs -- and thus, make them more likely to
feel the urge to
protect themselves.
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them/
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Dental Phobia Jerry Kennard Health Pro
I've had at least a couple of bad experiences with the dentist.
One of these related to a
difficult extraction for which I don't blame the dentist. The
second related to a painful
and deep filling in which, for a reason I can't fathom, the
anesthetic did not do its job.
Rather than stopping or offering alternatives, the dentist
pressed on, despite my
protestations. I sweated and moaned and so did he. A week later
I had to visit another
dentist in order to correct the resulting problems. The contrast
in approach and
technique was stark and I'm pleased to report that several years
later I still pay regular
visits to my ‘new' dentist.
Everyone has a story about the dentist. My 19 year old daughter
has a very different
relationship with her dentist. She is of a generation where
fluoride toothpaste and a
complete lack of drilling and filling is normal, whereas I was
born too soon. Neither of us
fear the dentist, but I am certainly more cautious!
Fear of the dentist is extremely common and ranges from slight
levels of apprehension,
to moderate anxiety, to an outright phobia. Phobia's are defined
along the lines of an
intense and irrational fear that leads to avoidance. I consider
dental phobia as one that
often blurs the boundary. Whilst many people's fears are
groundless and would certainly
fall into the accepted definition, a great many others have very
good reasons to be
extremely anxious. In fact some estimates put previous bad
experiences as accounting
for nearly 80 percent of dental phobia.
Dental phobia is best thought of as a category. Within this
category fall a number of
issues which commonly include:
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Fear of needles or the act of being injected.
Fear of anesthetics.
Fear of pain.
Fear of the invasiveness or intimacy of work within the
mouth.
Fear of the drill, either the sound or of being drilled.
Fear of choking.
A sense of powerlessness during procedures.
There is also the issue of embarrassment which can cover a
number of issues. For
example, people may feel embarrassed by their concerns over any
of the things
previously listed. They feel that as an adult they should be
above such things.
Embarrassment can also occur because of the time spent avoiding
the dentist.
Insensitive remarks by the dentist about oral hygiene can often
shame people into
staying away rather than motivating them to do better.
Dental phobia is also more common in people who suffer with
anxiety disorders and
more common in people who have suffered sexual abuse and
sometimes bullying.
Painful and sometimes lengthy dental procedures can also leave
some people with
symptoms remarkably similar to post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).
So what can be done? Finding a dentist you feel comfortable with
is really important.
Many dentists now advertise services specifically geared to work
with people suffering
from dental phobia. Often, people's fears can be resolved if
they explain to the dentist
exactly what they fear. The dentist can then offer solutions
that can instantly calm fears.
For example, fear of injections can be overcome by simple
relaxation techniques
coupled with the application of an anesthetic gel on the gum.
This enables the needle to
be inserted without any sensation. The fear of choking can often
be resolved by the
dentist not tilting the chair back so far. With the use of iPod
players, the sound of the
drill can be masked. Many dental surgeries are fitted with
technology geared and
calming and distracting, like music and video players.
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/disorder-types-273889-5.html
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The sense of powerlessness is another common feature of dental
phobia. There are
several easy ways for a patient to gain a level of control.
Again, discussing this with the
dentist is the best starting point. Some have offered buttons to
patients, when if
pressed, sounds a small alarm which alerts the dentist to stop.
Sometimes the water
spray from instruments can irritate the back of the throat and
increase a sense of
choking, but dentists should have a dental dam at their disposal
that can protect the
throat. These are just a couple of examples but knowledge of the
options is often key to
reducing anxiety.
Whilst a dentist may be sensitive and caring it is not their
prime role to work with panic
attacks or extreme anxiety. If you know this is an issue for you
it may be far better to
see a psychologist or counselor for treatment. If your main fear
is the dentist you may
want to consider hypnotherapy. Some medications can help to take
the edge off
extreme anxiety, in which case a visit to the doctor is called
for. Published On: August 12, 2009
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/1950/81382/dental-phobia
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Animal and Bird Phobias By Eileen Bailey
Animal and bird phobias are quite common. People may be afraid
of dogs, cats, mice, or rats.
Someone may be afraid of birds in general, although fear of
pigeons is also common. A phobia is
an intense and irrational fear. Most people would be afraid of a
growling dog standing in their
path, however, it may be irrational or unreasonable to be afraid
of your neighbor’s dog,
especially if the dog is friendly and has never really provided
a reason for you to be afraid.
Phobias interfere with people’s daily life or functioning and
most people suffering from phobias
understand their fears are unreasonable but are not able to
overcome their fear.
Symptoms
As with other specific phobias, symptoms of an animal or bird
phobia include:
Headache
Stomachache
Muscle tension
Rapid heart beat
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Irritability
Trouble concentrating
Causes
Sometimes a person with a specific animal phobia can pinpoint
how the phobia began. They may
have been bitten by a dog as a child or had a bad experience
with the type of animal causing their
anxiety. For some, there may not have been a specific event.
Possibly, their parents had a phobia
about dogs, passing on this fear to their child by their actions
whenever a dog was around,
essentially, teaching their children to be afraid. For other
people, there may not be any specific
reason for their fear.
Avoiding a situation (or specific animal) can contribute to the
anxiety, as these actions help to
reinforce a fear. For example, is someone was bitten by a dog
and begins to avoid situations
where there may be a dog present, they reinforce, in their mind,
the validity of the fear. This
helps to fuel the feelings of anxiety.
In treatment, however, the reason for the fear is not always
important. Treatment would be the
same no matter what the reason behind the phobia.
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Treatment
Exposure Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy includes exposure therapy. In this
type of treatment, the patient is
slowly exposed to animal causing the fear until they are able to
be near the animal without
experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
Exposure therapy may include the following (example is based on
a fear of dogs, but this same
type of therapy can be used for any type of animal or bird).
Each step would be repeated until the
person felt comfortable:
Viewing pictures of a dog Viewing videos of a dog, allowing
person to see and hear the dog Seeing a dog through a window, where
they can view the dog but no contact is
possible Seeing a dog in a cage, where they can see the dog and
leading up to holding
their hand out for the dog to smell Seeing the dog on a leash,
but not close enough for contact Moving the dog on the leash closer
as the person becomes more comfortable Petting the dog
Each person’s anxiety will be different. For some, viewing
pictures of a dog or seeing a dog on a
video is not a problem and exposure therapy would begin with
seeing a dog on a leash across the
room.
A therapist specializing in anxiety disorders and exposure
therapy would be able to work with
each person to determine their level of anxiety and proceed with
exposure therapy as needed for
their particular situation.
Medication
For specific phobias, exposure therapy has been found to be the
most effective type of treatment.
Medication, however, can be helpful if a person cannot avoid the
situation in their daily life. In
this case, medication can help a person cope while exposure
therapy continues.
Short acting anti-anxiety medication is also useful it the
person’s anxiety is so high they will not
benefit from exposure therapy without some additional
assistance. The anxiety medication
sometimes helps a person to get more benefit from exposure
therapy.
Self Help
Take one step at a time, however, accept you may need to deal
with a little anxiety before moving on to the next step.
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/introduction-000028_8-145.html
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Learn relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, to help
cope with anxiety symptoms as they develop.
For specific fears, such as dogs, viewing pictures or reading
about the animals can help in exposure therapy by increasing the
desensitization toward the object.
Work on exposure on a daily basis, even if it includes videos
and pictures of the animal or bird that invokes anxiety
symptoms.
Keep a journal of your treatment so that you can view your
progress. This can help when you feel you are not progressing as
quickly as you would like. If you can see steady progress, it can
motivate you to continue your therapy.
Remember that treatment is available. You do not need to have a
phobia control your life. It is
possible to control the phobia.
References:
“Animal/Bird Phobias”, 2008, Author Unknown, AnxietyCare.org
“Phobias and Fears”, 2008, Aug 2, Melinda Smith,
Helpguide.org
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/disorder-types-273404-5_2.html
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/disorder-types-273404-5_2.html
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Claustrophobia By Eileen Bailey
Claustrophobia is the fear of being in a small or enclosed
space. Claustrophobia is classified as a
specific phobia, which is a type of anxiety disorder. A specific
phobia is an irrational or
unreasonable fear of an object or a situation. Specific phobias
can trigger panic or anxiety attacks
when the situation or fear is confronted and can interfere with
daily life and overall functioning.
Causes
Claustrophobia often develops as the result of an experience in
childhood or a traumatic event of
being trapped in a small place or from an unpleasant or
frightening experience where you were in
a confined space and could not get out. Sometimes, a person will
experience a panic attack
during this experience. The panic and the experience become one
and future situations in closed
environments are looked upon with dread and fear.
Symptoms
The symptoms of claustrophobia are the same as those experienced
during any panic attack:
Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
Nausea
Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
Shaking or trembling
Hyperventilation
Sweating
Headache
Chest pain
As with all panic attacks, these feeling can be accompanied by
the feeling that you are going to
die or that you are going crazy.
Often, people with claustrophobia will incorporate strategies
into their daily lives to help them
cope with or prevent panic attacks from happening:
People may always take stairs, avoiding elevators, even if they
need to go to the 20th floor of a building.
At a party or in a crowded room, someone may stay close to the
exit, missing any activities situated away from the room, even if
it means foregoing eating or talking with friends sitting
elsewhere.
Avoiding situations where they must be in a room with closed
doors. A person with claustrophobia may always check where exits
are when they enter a room.
Sitting in a car or other mode of transportation. They may take
only short trips, not being able to sit for any period of time
inside a vehicle. They may plan trips to avoid sitting in traffic
or keep the windows of the car wide open, even in inclement
weather.
-
Avoiding air travel and opting instead to drive places or to
avoid trips that require air travel.
As the claustrophobia goes untreated, more and more situations
may be avoided. The fear of having a panic attack
can be overwhelming and some people with claustrophobia severely
limit their activities and social interactions to
make sure they do not place themselves in situations that may
invoke a panic attack.
Treatment
Treatment for claustrophobia is the same as for other types of
anxiety and can include relaxation therapy, cognitive
behavioral therapy and medication as well as learning self help
strategies.
Medication
Antidepressant medication is one of the most common prescription
medication used to treat anxiety disorders.
Medications known as beta-blockers may also be used to reduce
specific symptoms, such as heart palpitations.
Therapy
Therapy can help a person by teaching relaxation strategies for
coping with symptoms. In addition therapy is used to
learn about personal triggers and situations that can cause an
anxiety attack to occur. Therapy also works on trying
to change thought processes.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This type of therapy often uses exposure therapy to help someone
deal with stressful situations by gradually placing
them in places that may cause a panic attack. This is done in a
controlled environment, where the person feels safe.
Once they have gone through one stage, they will be introduced
to the next stage, allowing them to slowly readjust to
stressful situations.
Self Help
Learning relaxation techniques to help cope with anxiety
symptoms.
Understanding anxiety disorders
Learning your personal triggers and understanding how you react
to situations
Joining support groups
Treatment is available. According to the Better Health Channel,
treatment for claustrophobia normally lasts between
eight to ten weeks, with two sessions per week. If you are
experiencing problems due to claustrophobia, there is help
available.
References:
“Claustrophobia”, 2007, Oct, Author Unknown, Better Health
Channel, State of Victoria, Australia
“What is Claustrophobia?”. 2006, Feb 3, Christian Nordqvist,
Medical News Today
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/treatment-250688-5.html
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“Claustrophobia”, 2008, Author Unknown, Epigee.org
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/disorder-types-273395-5_2.html
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/disorder-types-273395-5_2.html
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Peter James Field
When You're Afraid To Walk -- Ambulophobia Causes And
Treatment
Family Articles | October 2, 2013
The fear of walking, of losing balance, or of falling -- known
as ambulophobia -- is more common than is generally
acknowledged.
In this informative article a leading British psychotherapist
explains this phobia and what can be done about it.
Ambulophobia -- the fear of falling or of walking -- is a
condition that we sometimes see here in our busy hypnotherapy
practice in the U.K.
Although this fear can be experienced at any age, it seems to be
more
common as a person grows older.
Where once the person felt safe on their feet, free to walk, run
or dance,
now they feel uncertain and unsafe, needing a walking stick or
something or someone to hold onto in order to be mobile.
Some who experience this disorder are fearful of walking on
polished or
uneven surfaces, others where there are rugs, mats or carpets.
Still other
people feel uncomfortable walking on almost any kind of surface,
particularly when away from home, where they feel even more
intensely vulnerable and
unsafe.
The fear of falling is one of the few inborn fears. It is an
element of the 'Moro Reflex' that we're all born with, but which we
quickly outgrow. Other
inate fears are the fear of loud noises, known as 'the startle
reflex', and the fear of abandonment. Every child has these natural
fears as part of its
inborn survival mechanism.
Though it is entirely normal for people to feel anxious or
fearful where there
is a real danger of falling, amublophobia is an anxiety disorder
which goes beyond natural fear, becoming completely
disproportionate to the situation.
The fear of walking or of falling is most often the result of an
experience in
the past where the person fell, saw someone else fall - a
process known technically as 'emotion contagion' - or where the
person experienced a shock
or fear connected with using their legs. The person might have
experienced
dizziness. they may have slipped or fallen, and this has then
become linked with fear at the subconscious level. This specific
experience has now become
generalized to all walking, becoming a 'conditioned reflex',
which now elicits
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an unwanted and unmerited degree of anxiety in situations that
are in fact
normally quite safe.
Surprisingly, the origins of this particular phobia may be
traced back to an experience, or initial sensitizing event in
childhood, remaining dormant for
years, and only becoming manifest when something triggers it
into being later in life. This triggering event might have
coincided with a particularly
emotional or stressful time in the person's life, or it may have
been re-activated through an experience similar to the original
sensitizing
experience.
With hypnotherapy it is not necessary that the person with this
phobia be
able to remember what triggered it. The subconscious part of the
mind has forgotten nothing, and it is this part of the mind that is
consulted when in
the trance state of hypnosis.
Once the initial sensitizing event, together with significant
reinforcing events and the symptom-producing event have all been
uncovered and correctly re-
processed or neutralized at the subconscious level, then the
exaggerated
fear and anxiety usually just fades away.
If you or if someone you know is experiencing ambulophobia; if
you're afraid of walking or falling, then be assured, help is
available.
Contact a fully qualified and experienced advanced
transformational
hypnotherapist and you might just be surprised at how rapidly
you can let
go of the anxiety and fear.
Through modern advanced transformational hypnotherapy you really
can conquer ambulophobia, end the anxiety, and return to your
natural state of
balance and well-being.
Article Tags: You're Afraid
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter Field Hypnotherapists in Birmingham provides expert
Birmingham
hypnotherapy and West Midlands hypnotherapy services. His
self-hypnosis for anxiety download is now available from his
website
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MENTAL HEALTH
What Is Automatonophobia? A Basic Guide to the Causes, Symptoms,
and Treatment for
Automatonophobia
Paolo Cordelli/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images
By Lisa Fritscher
Updated March 19, 2016
Automatonophobia can be loosely defined as the fear of wax
figures, humanoid robots, audio
animatronics or other figures designed to represent humans. Only
rarely does the fear become a
full-blown phobia, but it is relatively common to experience
hesitation or nerves when
confronting these figures.
https://www.verywell.com/mental-health-4014688https://www.verywell.com/lisa-fritscher-2671480https://www.verywell.com/what-is-a-phobia-2795454
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Causes of Automatonophobia
It is currently unknown precisely what causes this phobia. It
may be partly due to our own innate
expectations of human behavior.
We tend to mistrust people who stare blankly, remain quiet or
act in ways that we do not
consider “normal.” Whether programmed to move or simply standing
silent, automatons look but
do not behave like humans.
In addition, the level of craftsmanship can vary widely from
figure to figure. Today, most look
startlingly lifelike, but closer examination shows that they are
slightly “off.” Smooth, perfect
skin; vacant eyes; and other qualities are shared by automatons
but do not perfectly represent
human bodies.
Automaton designers are, of course, aware of the limitations of
their work. Consequently, many
figures are housed in displays in which the lighting is designed
to minimize scrutiny. This may
involve dim lights, spotlights and other effects that could be
considered “creepy,” further adding
to the fear-inducing effect.
Other Related Phobias
Automatonophobia is often thought to be related to maskaphobia,
or fear of masks.
Pediophobia, or fear of dolls, is also a subset of
automatonophobia. These fears are believed to
have similar causes and origins.
Automatonophobia in Popular Culture
This fear has been exploited in numerous books, television shows
and films. Perhaps the best-
known example is the original Vincent Price version of House of
Wax.
Originally shown in 3D to heighten the effect, the 1953 movie
focuses on a crazed wax sculptor
turned serial killer. Badly disfigured in a fire, the sculptor
wreaks vengeance by murdering
people and then turning them into wax displays for his museum.
The film was remade in 2005
with a very different plot.
https://www.verywell.com/maskaphobia-or-fear-of-masks-2671868https://www.verywell.com/fear-of-dolls-2671875
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Symptoms of Automatonophobia
This fear can manifest in many ways. Some people are afraid only
of wax figures, others of dolls.
Some are unable to visit theme parks or local attractions, which
frequently use moving humanoid
figures called "audio animatronics" in their displays.
If you suffer from automatonophobia, you may experience shaking,
crying, heart palpitations and
other physical effects when confronted by the object of your
fear. You may be unable to enter a
display that houses automatons. If you encounter one
unexpectedly, you may run away, freeze in
place or even hide.
Complications of Automatonophobia
Automatons are considered a hallmark of new technology, and are
proudly displayed in
locations, ranging from museums to theme parks to even
carnivals.
Over time, you may find yourself avoiding more and more
locations for fear of coming across an
automaton. This can lead to social isolation, and in extreme
cases, even agoraphobia.
Treating Automatonophobia
Automatonophobia is easily treatable with proper therapy. The
exact course that therapy takes
will depend on your specific symptoms, their severity and the
impact that they have on your
life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most common, and will
help you learn to replace your
negative thoughts about automatons with more rational messages.
You may go
through systematic desensitization, in which you are gradually
exposed to the object of your fear.
You may also be taught relaxation exercises to use when the
anxiety flares.
It is important to choose a therapist that you trust. See
"Finding a Therapist"for tips on selecting
the therapist that is right for you.
Source:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and
statistical manual of mental disorders (4th Ed.). Washington, DC:
Author.
https://www.verywell.com/symptoms-of-agoraphobia-2671979https://www.verywell.com/therapy-options-for-phobias-2672008https://www.verywell.com/what-is-behavioral-therapy-2795998https://www.verywell.com/relaxation-to-control-phobias-2671950https://www.verywell.com/find-a-therapist-to-treat-a-phobia-2672013
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Fear of Public Speaking Phobia – Glossophobia
The fear of public speaking or stage fright is also termed as
Glossophobia. Many people experience some degree of stage anxiety
before speaking/performing at events; however most manage to get
over it no matter how unpleasant they may find it.
In case of extreme Glossophobia however, individuals simply
freeze before their audience. They might be unable to speak. They
might find that their mouth dries up or they start sweating,
shaking or experiencing palpitations.
Needless to say that Glossophobia can lead to highly
embarrassing situations. People with a fear of public speaking try
to avoid these situations completely. Businesspeople might
experience professional setbacks owing to their inability to make
presentations. Family members or friends requested to make speeches
at weddings, birthdays etc may refuse them owing to their
Glossophobia. Glossophobia can also come on suddenly in experienced
actors and musicians who might start to find concerts difficult.
Pilots and cabin crew might refrain from making announcements.
Symptoms of the fear of public speaking Common signs and
symptoms of the fear of public speaking include anxiety or
nervousness before the event that involves speaking or performing
before a small/large group of people. Physical symptoms of
glossophobia include:
Panic attacks characterized by sweating or trembling Dry mouth
Nausea and vomiting in the extreme cases Stiffness in the neck and
back muscles Tense and weak or quivering voice
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Apart from these physical symptoms, verbal and nonverbal
symptoms might also manifest themselves such as increased blood
pressure and heart rate.
Causes of Glossophobia The exact cause of glossophobia is
unknown but it is likely that certain traumatic events in one’s
past as a child or even as an adult might have led to this fear of
public speaking. Often the individual coping with this phobia might
avoid speaking in public for so long that what beings as normal
anxiety might turn into full blown Glossophobia.
Most individuals who suffer from the fear of public speaking are
also low on self esteem, expect perfection in everything they do,
seek constant approval, or expect failure.
Treatment of Glossophobia There are many herbal and homeopathic
remedies that can help in calming the anxiety experienced before
events that involve public speaking. Aconitum napellus or
Gelsemium, etc may be recommended by homeopaths based on the exact
history, symptoms as well as the individual’s nature and
temperament. Herbal remedies like Lemon balm, lavender and Passion
Flower etc can also help soothe the nerves and calm one before a
public speaking event.
In case of traditional or orthodox treatment for glossophobia,
beta blockers may be prescribed for soothing anxiety, controlling
shaking or trembling and also for lowering heart rate etc. There
are several restrictions on taking such medicines: one must
especially speak to a doctor about these medications when suffering
from diabetes, depression or heart diseases etc.
Many public speaking courses, associations and clubs are
dedicated to help individuals alleviate their fear of public
speaking. Talk therapy, cognitive behavior therapy and counseling
etc can also help individuals overcome their glossophobia.
Alternative or complementary remedies like hypnosis, positive
visualization, meditation and even acupuncture etc can help one
address the root of the problem and overcome the fear of speaking
publicly.
http://www.fearof.net/fear-of-public-speaking-phobia-glossophobia/
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Rare Phobias: Feet Phobia - Fear of Bare Feet By Ana E Johnson |
Submitted On June 22, 2013
Are you one of these people that nervously step in shoe shops?
Can`t
you bare the sight, feel or sound of your or somebody else`s
feet? If your
answer to one of these questions is `yes` you might be suffering
from
feet phobia, known as podophobia.
Feet phobia is one of the rarest phobias as only 1 in 1000
people has it.
However, it could impact your life in quite surprising ways that
many
without this phobia may not have considered.
To give just a few examples this unusual fear could prevent you
from
going to a swimming pool, exercising in a gym, shoe shopping
or
wearing flip flops. Feet phobia could be quite harmless, a bit
annoying
and at times frustrating. However, it could also cause life
limitations.
Therefore, it is important to judge carefully how much does it
impacts on
your or somebody else's day to day life.
What exactly is feet phobia (or podophobia)?
Feet phobia like any other phobia is an irrational, inexplicable
fear.
People suffering from Podophobia feel very nervous, afraid,
upset or
even disgusted by feet in general. The exact cause of podophobia
is not
yet fully understood. The symptoms include an overwhelming sense
of
anxiety, sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, dizziness, breathing
difficulty
and a desire to run away when seeing or even thinking of feet.
Some
people will experience panic attacks and very unpleasant
feelings when
confronted with feet. Of course one person's symptoms can be
different
and/or more intense than other. This fear could make some
feel
uncomfortable or irritated. For others it could get so intense
that it
interferes with their normal life.
The fear may be related to the person`s own or somebody else`s
feet. A
phobia sufferers generally do not like the appearance of their
or
somebody else's feet, or feel of feet as they view feet as being
gross and
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unsightly. This person may also feel uncomfortable when other
people
are looking at or touching his or her feet. He or she will even
sleep in
socks or shoes and won't even consider buying or wearing open
toed
shoes or sandals of any kind. He or she may also hate the smell
of feet
and while thinking of feet imagine contracting fungal type
infections or a
verruca what makes it even worse. The uncomfortable feelings
would
also appear while discussing feet or problems related to feet.
The phobia
sufferer may avoid watching any kind of TV documentary on feet,
or
adverts on the television. One of my friends who suffer from
feet phobia
to prevent unpleasant feelings introduced a rule in her house.
You must
wear shoes in his house. If the shoes are really dirty he allows
you to
wear socks or a pair of his own shoes. He won`t even let his
girlfriend
touch his feet or take her socks off around him.
When should you seek help to cure feet phobia?
Most fears and phobias, including the phobia and fear of feet,
are not
serious especially if they do not significantly impact your
normal daily
life. But if your phobia of feet results in avoiding situations
on a regular
basis preventing you from functioning or enjoying life you
should
consider seeking medical advice. Regardless of how long you
have
suffered from it, despite the unpleasant life limitations you
have endured
because of your fear, your fear of feet can be overcome.
Ana E Johnson is a writer that specializes in anxiety and
phobia
treatment. Phobias are quite common and highly treatable. There
is no
need to suffer. For more details please visit our latest website
and find
out how to easily Cure Phobia
[http://www.curephobiacenter.com/]. Take
a Phobia Test [http://www.curephobiacenter.com/phobia-test].
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