Category: Phobias
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn’t be available if things go wrong.
Many people assume agoraphobia is simply a fear of open spaces, but it’s actually a more complex condition.
Someone with agoraphobia may be scared of:
- travelling on public transport
- visiting a shopping centre
- leaving home
If someone with agoraphobia finds themselves in a stressful situation, they’ll usually experience the symptoms of a panic attack, such as:
- rapid heartbeat
- rapid breathing (hyperventilating)
- feeling hot and sweaty
- feeling sick
They’ll avoid situations that cause anxiety and may only leave the house with a friend or partner. They’ll order groceries online rather than going to the supermarket. This change in behaviour is known as avoidance.
Read more about the symptoms of agoraphobia.
What causes agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia can develop as a complication of panic disorder, an anxiety disorder involving panic attacks and moments of intense fear. It can arise by associating panic attacks with the places or situations where they occurred and then avoiding them.
Not all people with agoraphobia have a history of panic attacks. In these cases, their fear may be related to issues like a fear of crime, terrorism, illness or being in an accident.
Read more about the possible causes of agoraphobia. more
Killer Klowns
“Don’t worry Dave, all we want to do is kill you.”
The Killer Klowns are the titular main antagonists of the 1988 sci-fi/comedy horror film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. They are a murderous and malicious race of alien beings that resemble colorful circus clowns. The clowns use a variety of strange, comical, and futuristic tools and weapons in order to secretly harvest humans for later consumption. This group consists of about 40 Killer Klowns.
Description
The Killer Klowns are a race of humanoid aliens who resemble typical circus clowns from Earth, sporting colorful baggy outfits, big poofy hairdos, white faces with brightly colored markings, and big red noses. Unlike real clowns, Killer Klowns are not in costumes or makeup; they naturally look the way they are. Their heads have noticeably exaggerated anatomy, appearing cartoonishly wider, taller, or more bulbous than a human head, and they all sport very wide grins full of crooked yellow teeth. Their hands resemble organic “Mickey Mouse” gloves and have three fingers with stubby pink nails.
The Klowns seem to have their own language and talk to each other frequently throughout the film, though it is untranslated and sounds like gibberish. more
Algophobia
What is algophobia?
Algophobia is an extreme fear of physical pain. While nobody wants to experience pain, people with this phobia have intense feelings of worry, panic or depression at the thought of pain. The anxiety of algophobia can also make you more sensitive to pain. It’s most common in people with chronic pain syndromes. Other names for this condition include “pain-related fear” and “pain anxiety.”
How common is algophobia?
Pain-related fear in people with chronic pain is common. One study suggests that half of people with low back pain have an elevated sense of fear about their pain. Chronic pain affects between 20% and 50% of people worldwide and is one of the most common reasons that people see a healthcare provider. About 67% of people with chronic pain also have a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression.
What causes algophobia?
Sudden fear and anxiety protect us from dangerous situations. If we see a bear, it’s natural to feel scared and want to escape. But people with chronic pain may develop ongoing fear and anxiety as protective measures. They avoid activities or situations that they think could cause more pain or make their pain worse. Unfortunately, exaggerating the threat of pain can actually make the pain worse.
The same chemicals in your brain that regulate fear and anxiety also regulate how you perceive pain. So chemical imbalances can trigger both problems. more
Harley Quinn & The Joker – High As Me ft. Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg & Ray J (Music Video)
Understanding Coulrophobia: A Fear of Clowns
When you ask people what they’re afraid of, a few common answers pop up: public speaking, needles, global warming, losing a loved one. But if you take a look at popular media, you would think we were all terrified of sharks, dolls, and clowns.
While the last item may give a few people pause, 7.8 percent of Americans, totally get it, according to a Chapman University survey.
A fear of clowns, called coulrophobia (pronounced “coal-ruh-fow-bee-uh”), can be a debilitating fear.
A phobia is and intense fear of a certain object or scenario that impacts behavior and sometimes daily life. Phobias are often a deep-rooted psychological response tied to a traumatic event in someone’s past.
For people who fear clowns, it can be difficult to stay calm near events that others view with joy — circuses, carnivals, or other festivals. The good news is you’re not alone, and there are things you can do to ease your fears.
Suffering from coulrophobia and getting spooked while watching a movie with a killer clown are very different things. One is a trigger for deep-seated panic and intense emotions, whereas the other is fleeting and confined to a 120-minute movie.
Researchers have found that portrayals of clowns as terrifying and negative characters in popular entertainment has contributed directly to increased instances of intense fear and phobia of clowns.
While coulrophobia isn’t an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the manual that guides mental health professionals as they diagnose, there is a category for “specific phobias.”
SYMPTOMS OF A PHOBIAIt’s important to recognize that just like any other phobia, a fear of clowns comes with its own specific physical and mental symptoms, such as:
- nausea
- panic
- anxiety
- sweating or sweaty palms
- shaking
- dry mouth
- feelings of dread
- difficulty breathing
- increased heartbeat
- intense emotions such as screaming, crying, or becoming angry at the sight of the object of fear, a clown for example more
Arachnophobia (Fear of Spiders)
Fear of spiders becomes a phobia when it consumes your thoughts, interferes with your daily activities and keeps you from socializing with your family and friends. Symptoms of arachnophobia include sweating or shaking and tightness in your chest or rapid heartbeat. Behavior therapies along with relaxation and breathing exercises are the main treatment options.
What is arachnophobia?
Arachnophobia is an intense fear of spiders.
Many fears seems reasonable. We all try to avoid things that make us feel uncomfortable. The difference between a fear and a phobia is that a phobia is an intense and irrational fear toward one or more things or situations. Also, with phobias, the level of your fear doesn’t match the actual danger presented by the feared object or situation.
Phobias become a health issue when the fear interferes with your ability to carry out daily activities. Phobias can limit your ability to work efficiently, can put a strain on your relationships and reduce your self-esteem. In this case, for example, you might purposely avoid outdoor activities (hikes, picnics, biking) or seasonal activities (Halloween) with family or friends because of your fear that spiders might be present. more