Our Phobias, Fears, and Anxieties

What are the things that make you nervous or panicky? Obviously you don't have Logizomechanophobia, a fear of computers, or you wouldn't be reading this. Gee, I wonder what a fear of Chia Pets would be called....laugh!

Seriously, phobias are a very real in our lives. They are no laughing matter. I don't know of anyone who isn't affected in some way by their fears and anxieties. On a global scale the fear of survival and the fear of possible earth changes seems to be on the minds of many with the upcoming millennium. On a more mundane scale, the fear of not having enough money to pay the bills at the end of each month can bum one right into a state of depression.

My phobias are acrophobia, gephyrophobia, claustrophobia. In common language I'm mildly fearful of heights, crossing bridges, and being in confined places. I also have occasional bouts of agoraphobia during the months when SAD is affecting me. I'm doing much better with being able to go into elevators. I just soon not go into a dark cave unless I can stand upright, if I discover I have to stoop over to continue deeper into a cavern I will turn around and head out of the place. I'd rather walk under a ladder than climb up a ladder. My father tells the story of him having to be blindfolded in order to be convinced to walk onto a wooden bridge that crossed a small creek on his way to kindergarten. I have another friend who couldn't drive over a bridge over the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa. Sue would wrap her arms around one of those donut shaped life preservers in a cold sweat while her husband did the driving. I don't particularly like crossing bridges either. Several years ago I forced myself to walk over a small roadway bridge each evening while taking a short stroll from my home over to the local park. I did this for 6-8 weeks without missing a day. I figured each day my fear would lessen, but the nausea to my stomach continued. If a car happened to cross while I was on the pedestrian walk I would panic even more. I had to mentally force myself to physically keep in motion. My greatest fear was that I would become immobilized in the middle of my crossing. I finally decided it was ridiculous to put myself through so much misery. I had discovered that I could cross a bridge if I had to so why push it. Walking across bridges is by far more difficult for me than driving across bridges. However, I have caught myself holding my breath while driving across bridges over large bodies of water. Last fall I ceremoniously released my fear of crossing bridges during a Full Moon Releasing Ritual and now am much less apprehensive in this area.

Article Dateline: July 10, 1998