Anxiety Disorder Articles
The Top 12 Most Bizarre phobias!
Are You Letting Your Fear Get The Best Of You?
You might have encountered someone who has a fear of flying – or it could be you who personally have a fear of flying. Basically, these phobias are something that people would have to deal with at one point or another.
By definition, a phobia is that irrational fear of a certain object, situation, person or activity.
When you have a phobia of something, you will feel this anxiety because the thing that you are most fearful of is way beyond your control.
Another aspect of phobias which make it alarming is the fact that it can interfere with your daily life, which is exactly the reason why you do need to find an ‘antidote’ for such an anxiety disorder.
There’s an estimated 18% of the American adult population which is suffering from some kind of phobia. Now, there are actually three types of phobias which an individual may possess. First, there’s the simple phobia like fear of spiders or heights.
Second, there’s the social phobias wherein you are fearful of being in a social situation that may cause you humiliation. Third, there’s the agoraphobia which is defined as the fear of being away from some place safe.
In addition, there are the bizarre phobias which involve a person being fearful of something that is perfectly normal for other human beings. Nobody really knows the reason behind the development of phobias but they can be triggered by a traumatic experience.
In addition, there are the bizarre phobias which involve a person being fearful of something that is perfectly normal for other human beings. Nobody really knows the reason behind the development of phobias but they can be triggered by a traumatic experience.
The physical manifestations of a person suffering from a particular type of phobia include Pain disorders, breathlessness and anxiety attacks.
A Look At The Top 12 Most Unusual phobias That People Have
But what if you fear is something that is perfectly natural for most people? Here, we will take a look at the top 12 most bizarre phobias that people have.
1. Phobia: Arachibutyrophobia:
Definition: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one’s mouth.
Yes, you heard it right. Although this fear may be worthy of a slot in a Saturday Night Live skit or an episode of “The Simpsons“, it is indeed a fear that actually exists.
For some people, the prospect of eating a peanut butter jelly sandwich may prove to be a challenging task.
This is because of the fear that they have of the peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth. One can only wonder what they would do in such a situation.
2. Phobia: Ephebiphobia
Definition: Fear of youth or teenagers.
This is one bizarre fear which actually has a more complex background. According to sociologists, one’s fear of the youth or teenagers may be attributed to the generation gap.
This is especially true when it comes to the segregation of the young and adult group in the American society.
What a person with ephebiphobia is actually fearful of is being rejected by teenagers, which is why they usually cover their fear with a permissive attitude towards them.
3. Phobia: Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Definition: Fear of long words.
The name of the phobia itself may battle the number of letters contained in the longest word – but it’s actually something that those who have a fear of long words would actually be wary of.
For one reason or another, there are individuals who have a fear of long words – the sight of which usually sends them into having a panic attack!
4. Phobia: Ithyphallophobia
Definition: Fear of erections.
Based from the part of the word that says ‘phallo‘, you may already have an idea that this particular phobia has something to do with the penis. And it’s exactly right.
Ithyphallophobia is defined as an unwarranted yet persistent fear of an erect penis. What’s surprising is that it is a type of phobia which is quite common.
Just as it is with any other type of phobia, being exposed to the thing which you fear most is the usual therapy for patients with this condition. The physical manifestation of this quite bizarre phobia is the occurrence of panic attacks.
So if you’re in the middle of having sex and you find that the sight of an erect penis causes you to have an anxiety disorder, chances are you do have this condition.
5. Phobia: Koumpounophobia
Definition: Fear of buttons.
According to the National Phobic’s Society, one in every 75,000 people is affected by this really bizarre fear of buttons. This usually occurs during one’s childhood and may or may not persist into adulthood.
The physical manifestations of this fear include being afraid to actually touch a button, or experiencing panic attacks at seeing buttons grouped together.
6. Phobia: Nomophobia
Definition: Fear of being disconnected from the rest of the world if you don’t have contact through mobile phone.
This is probably one common fear that the modern worker has – although the nature of the phobia itself is quite bizarre. Nomophobia refers to the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
If you’re the type of person who gets all panicky at the thought of being somewhere where there’s no mobile phone coverage – or if you obsessively check whether your phone still has a full charge of batteries for fear of being disconnected, then you might have nomophobia.
7. Phobia: Papaphobia
Definition: Fear of the Pope.
Why someone would have a fear of a person who the Catholic Church deems to Holy, nobody really knows.
Papaphobia is definitely one of the most bizarre types of fear on our list – which is defined as fear of the pope or the papacy.
The physical manifestations of the fear include shortness of breath, nausea, sweating and that unusual feeling of dread. Aside from the ‘main man’ of the Catholic Church, someone who has papaphobia may also be fearful of the Catholic Church itself.
8. Phobia: Peladophobia
Definition: Fear of bald people.
Don’t confuse this bizarre fear with the fear of going bald, which is actually called phalacrophobia. This particular phobia is feeling anxiety at the thought of, or actually seeing a bald person.
9. Phobia: Scopophobia
Definition: Fear of being looked at.
What if the condition that you instantly assumed to being an introvert is actually a fear of being looked at or scopophobia? Some people do have an intense, often irrational fear of being looked at.
As such, they try to avoid crowded places and they usually feel unsettled if they think that the person behind or beside them is staring.
10. Phobia: Triskaidekaphobia
Definition: Fear of the number 13.
Did you know that even Adolf Hitler was famed to have a fear of the number 13? This is probably associated with the myth behind Friday the 13th – although this particular phobia is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.
If you experience anxiety attacks upon seeing the number 13 printed or written somewhere, and you consciously avoid things which have something to do with the number 13, then this might be a fear that you have.
11. Phobia: Trichophobia
Definition: Fear of loose hairs.
If you’re suffering from hair loss and a person freaks out once they see some loose strands on your shirt or even on the floor where you’re standing, don’t be offended. That person may be suffering from what is known as trichophobia or fear of loose hairs.
12. Phobia: Vomitophobia
Definition: Fear of vomiting.
Usually associated with eating disorders, vomitophobia is defined as the fear of vomiting. The fear can also be attributed with fear of being others who are vomiting, or being afraid of vomiting themselves.
The physical manifestation of this type of fear is that a person will stop going to parties, will avoid socializing and will steer clear of situations where they may encounter a person who is vomiting, or be in a situation where they themselves will vomit.
Phobia Symptoms You Need To Know
Fear is a completely natural feeling in response to objects or situations deemed threatening. Some scream at the sight of spiders. Some refuse to go under water for fear of drowning. And some sweat a lot when speaking in front of an audience. Most people experience minor fears every now and then.
But for some people, such fears get out of hand, causing intense anxiety and affecting day-to-day life. Extreme and irrational fear, which occurs even if there’s little or no real threat, is more popularly known as phobia. About 19 million people in the United States have phobia.
Are you afraid that you have phobia? If you think you have it, the first thing you must do is to know the different phobia symptoms. When exposed to frightening objects or situations, people who have phobias suffer from an array of symptoms that are associated with anxiety, ranging from mild nervousness to a severe panic attack.
The main phobia symptoms include anxiety, severe and irrational fear, and avoidance behavior. People with phobia experience intense anxiety immediately after exposure to things or events that they are afraid of. Usually, anxiety escalates when you sense that it is hard to escape from it. Also, anxiety becomes more intense if the object you are scared of is closer to you. Several changes in the body occur because of intense anxiety, which include blushing, excessive sweating, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, palpitation, and muscle tension.
Severe and irrational fear happens when people with phobia anticipate or face a certain object, person, or situation that poses little or no danger. For instance, if you have acrophobia or fear of heights, you dread going to an elevated place because you might fall from it.
Avoidance behavior is also one of the major phobia symptoms. People with phobia avoid on purpose the objects or situations that they fear. They believe that avoiding those things can help keep the anxiety from happening.
The following is a list of other common phobia symptoms:
- Increased heart rate or palpitations- Sweating- Trembling- Discomfort in the chest area- Dizziness- Difficulty breathing- Feeling of choking- Hot or cold flashes- Loss of sensations- Fear of passing out- Fear of dying
People with blood-injection-injury phobia have different phobia symptoms from others. Aside from fear, you would also be disgusted at the sight of a needle or blood if you have this type of phobia. Blood pressure and heart rate increases like in other phobia types. However, dizziness, passing out, and nausea occur after the increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
Phobia is no cause for worry if it does not affect your day-to-day life that much. For example, if you have a dog phobia, then there will be no problem if you live in an area where you’re not likely to encounter dogs. But if the symptoms of phobia disrupts your normal life or prevents you from doing things that you enjoy, then you might need to seek professional help.
========================================================
Rambo and the Real-Life Struggle of PTSD
Rambo is a term that has become synonymous with gung-ho action and a persona that has become attached to the identity of movie action star Sylvester Stallone. Today, “Rambo” is a word that is used to denote military or individual aggression. It is also used to refer to a person who is heroic and, at the same, time capable of perpetrating extreme violence.
Taken from the 1982 movie that was originally entitled First Blood, the film is about the character named John James Rambo, a member of the elite U.S. Army Green Berets. Deployed in Vietnam, he fought against the Vietcong and North Vietnamese soldiers by using guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare strategy.
Based on the novel where the the screenplay was adapted from, Rambo was caught by North Vietnamese soldiers in November 1971 and was subjected to inhuman torture and abuse in one of the infamous POW camps. Together with other American prisoners of war, Rambo suffered extreme episodes of physical torment in the hands of his captors.
He experienced almost daily beatings, water torture, electrocution, and other forms of inflicting pain. After six months of “living hell”, Rambo was able to escape from the POW camp. After a period of recuperation, he was again re-deployed to Vietnam and was finally honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1974.
Rambo’s return to civilian life was not easy. The ’70s was a period of student activism that was characterized by the growth of the so-called peace movement and “flower power.” During that period, the United States became divided over the issue of the Vietnam War. Many student protests centered on the claim that the Vietnam War was an unjust war and that the United States was actually committing an act of aggression.
Many soldiers and veterans like Rambo, most of whom were only drafted into the war, were subjected to protest, ridicule, and contempt. Civilian protesters saw men like Rambo as warmongers and anti-peace. But during that time, now many were aware of the depression experienced by many soldiers who had to fight in Vietnam.
They, too, were against the war but had to fulfill their duty as military servicemen. The stress and anxiety of always being under fire and not knowing if it was already their “last day” made soldiers in Vietnam oppose the war as much as the civilian protesters.
Like many Vietnam veterans, Rambo suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. The novel depicts Rambo as a person who was deeply struggling with his past experiences in Vietnam. After losing his job as a mechanic, Rambo became a drifter and wandered from town to town. In the movie, Rambo got into trouble after a local sheriff imprisoned him for possession of a jungle knife. In jail, he was again subjected to torture.
The injustice he suffered under the hands of his captors made his decide to escape. The police, together with the National Guard, launched a manhunt. However, Rambo was able to elude and deter the armed troops who were sent to hunt him. He again used his Green Beret skills to survive and deter his pursuers. Later in the movie, Rambo attacked the town center where the cruel sheriff was hiding. To avert the further escalation of violence, Army Colonel Trautman came and persuaded Rambo to surrender to him. The colonel was Rambo’s commanding officer in Vietnam.
Like the movie and the character of Rambo, thousands of Vietnam veterans suffered from PTSD. Many fell on a path to self-destruction by getting hooked on drugs and committing violent acts. Others were not able to manage the guilt, frustration, anger, and rage they felt after completing their tours of duty in Vietnam. Many veterans were diagnosed with PTSD and other psychosis.
While the movie did not show that Rambo received professional help for his struggle with PTSD, in real life, many war veterans had to receive psychological or psychiatric treatment. These veterans were made to take antidepressant prescriptions in order for them to manage their symptoms of depression, guilt, rage, and other self-destructive emotions and behavior.
For many war veterans, getting through a day with some semblance of normalcy required the use of anti-anxiety medication. Their treatment was also complemented by counseling, a process that helped them vent out their anger, frustrations, and fears.
Unlike the movie, real-life soldiers are not invincible Rambos who can go through life without seeking professional help in dealing with the war-time experiences, emotional struggles, and psychological burdens.
Another installment of the Rambo movie series will be shown in 2008. It remains to be seen whether the issue of PTSD would be made a central issue in the movie since it is now a highly relevant matter. Today’s conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are producing more and more soldiers who, like Rambo, have to fight and win their own internal battles.
Retrieved from “http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/rambo-and-the-real-life-struggle-of-PTSD-2453667.html“
======================================================================
Autism Help For Mothers With Autistic Children Likely to Develop PTSD
Whether we admit it or not, there is often initially a sense of resentment when our child is diagnosed as autistic. For parents who have readily accepted this fact it’s a good thing, but not every parent in the world is so willing to accept this fact. This is the reason why, according to Jean Genet, there are chances that parents may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Further, women are more likely to develop this disorder.What Exactly Is PTSD?
PTSD is a stress-related disorder wherein the body experiences extreme body fatigue that can lead to irritability, inability to adapt to surroundings, and in the worst cases depression. The symptoms take several months before they manifest, so it’s difficult to distinguish at first if a person is experiencing this condition or not.
As previously mentioned, mothers are more susceptible to developing PTSD compared to fathers. It is still really not scientifically explained why moms are more likely to develop the disorder, but it may be because of the mother’s role in the development of the baby. Because it is the mother who typically provides the bulk of the nurturing of the child until the offspring is born, there is a well-established connection between the two of them.
The lack of ability to accept an autism diagnosis can lead to frustration and later develop into more serious reactions like anger — which itself may lead to physical abuse of both others and themselves as well.
PTSD Should Not Be Taken Lightly
If this continues the child becomes a stressor, which leads the mother to more serious side effects like helplessness, guilt, despair, and in worst cases suicidal thoughts. This is one of the main reasons PTSD should never be taken lightly. If it is not addressed properly, it can lead to more serious ramifications until it ends in death.
But how do we know if someone suffers from PTSD?
Here are a few telltale signs:
* Insomnia
* Poor Concentration
* Poor Memory
* Anger
* Blackouts
* Aggressive Behavior
* Suicidal Thoughts (Worst Cases)
The good news is that this condition can be addressed non-invasively. According to Genet, mothers with PTSD are, in principle, actually experiencing the same thing with their autistic children because PTSD also disrupts the brain’s switches
That’s the reason why the same thing that repairs developmental switches in children could also be used to treat PTSD for parents. The technology used to repair developmental switches is called Byonetics.
Byonetics has already provided the autism help for many children to live a normal life. Experts hope that Byonetics will also renew life for those parents who experience PTSD.
