Fears and Phobias

Fear is an important protective instinct. When there is a sigh of danger certain chemicals are leased into the blood. These produce physicak effects that can help us to overcome danger. For example, blood is diverted to muscules to make them stronger, sweating increases to cool the muscules and faster breathing provides more oxygen. This is why we can feel sweatly and cold at the same time.

All these symptoms are natural and healthy when we are faced with danger. For many people they can even be exiting and plesurable so long as they can be controlled. Which is why we enjoy fun-fear rides or horror films. But some people experience fears for reasons that are not clear. This isvery common in childhood.

Many of choldhood fears, such as fear of the darkor of storms, disapear as the child gets older. For some, though, the fear tyrns into a phobia.

Phobias are unresonable fears which can be so strong that they send your mind into panic and paralyse your body. The most common phobias are a fear of heights, closed spaces, spiders, or flying. But there are endless uncommon phobias too, like the fear of running water or even fear of going to the hairdresser's.

Most phobias can be treated, often by discussing them and learning to be more rational about what you fear. There are many people who have phobias but lead normal lives by facing what they fear and learning to overcome it. The important thing is to do something about controlling the fear before it begins to control you