Phobias Blog

Are you afraid of going to the doctor? If so, you are not alone. This surprisingly common fear affects people of all ages and walks of life. Most people are able to manage the fear successfully, but for some it can become a paralyzing phobia known as iatrophobia. You may also experience a range of related fears, including fear of needles and white coat hypertension. Fortunately, iatrophobia can and should be treated before it jeopardizes your health.

Do you suffer from a fear of doctors? Share your story in our forums, where you can get sympathy and suggestions from other members.

It's Halloween season again, a time that some of us look forward to and others dread each year. Halloween can be fun, but it can also trigger a range of phobias. With such a wide range of possible phobias out there, I want to make sure that I am covering those that are most relevant to you, the reader.

Therefore, I have opened up a new forum for suggestions. Do you suffer from a particular phobia that I haven't covered? Have you heard about a new phobia in the news? Has a Halloween event set off a fear that you had never thought about before?

Stop by to share your thoughts! I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

“Mindfreak” star Criss Angel has a new show opening in Las Vegas, or at least, that’s the rumor. A brand new creation in tandem with Cirque du Soleil, “Believe” has been plagued with problems that have caused the show’s opening to be repeatedly delayed. The latest report is that the show will premiere on Halloween night, with previews beginning October 10.

It has been reported that Angel originally developed his extreme brand of magic in an effort to conquer his own phobias, which had plagued him since childhood and worsened with the passing of his father. Angel now dedicates many of his performances to helping others who are suffering from phobias learn to overcome them.

Are you a Criss Angel fan? Do you have any plans to see “Believe”? Has Angel’s work helped your phobias, or possibly triggered them? Your thoughts are welcome!

Well, it’s almost that time. Fall is in the air, kids are back in school, and at the end of this month terror will begin anew. Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2008 officially opens on September 26, with performances scheduled through November 1.

As you know, I have been bringing you regular updates regarding the upcoming event as they were released on the official Halloween Horror Nights website. The full list of houses, scare zones and shows has now been released, so expect a full event guide from me soon. In the meantime, get ready…with a Phobias theme and Bloody Mary as the new icon, this year’s Horror Nights promises to be intense!

Back in June, I wrote a blog about the atom-smasher that was scheduled to come online in August. Many were afraid that the contraption, billed as the most powerful ever created, would have catastrophic consequences. Feared scenarios ranged from the creation of micro-black holes to the development of strangelets, theoretical particles that could choke the planet.

Although the project was delayed for a variety of reasons, the machine was finally brought online early yesterday morning. According to US News and World Report, science enthusiasts watched a live internet broadcast while doubters and skeptics took cover, convinced that the world was about to end.

Like the Y2K panic, the concerns over the atom-smasher were for naught. Scientists flipped the switch, and the machine started up. Nothing exploded, no black holes were created and life as we know it continued.

To be fair, the actual atom-smashing has not yet started. Scientists have sent proton beams in both directions, but have not yet caused them to collide. Still, it appears that this doomsday scenario was a bit over-hyped.

Doomsday phobias are quite common around the world, and are heavily exploited in film, television and Halloween events. Why are we so quick to assume the sky is falling? Your thoughts are welcome!

In April, I blogged about nomophobia, or the fear of being without one’s cell phone. Now we can add e-mail separation anxiety to the growing list of technology-related phobias. I ran across an article on Switched that explains the phenomenon of Discomgoogolation. Apparently someone with this disorder will actually experience a rise in blood pressure and brain activity when cut off from internet access. Researchers claim that the increase in anxiety is roughly akin to that seen in someone who has just lost a job.

I love my e-mail as much as the next person, but isn’t this going slightly overboard? Do these new “phobias” really qualify, or is this just a sign of our over-connected times? Do you experience intense anxiety when away from your cell phone or internet, or do you know someone who does? Your comments are welcome!

It has recently come to my attention that some Halloween Horror Nights fans have discovered my writings on the upcoming festivities. Speculation is running rampant as to my true identity. Was I hired to act as a consultant on the event? Am I the good doctor herself? Or am I simply an anonymous fan with no direct ties to Halloween Horror Nights at all?

The answer, dear readers, is right in front of your noses. You have discovered my biographies on two different websites. You have a full accounting of my education and experience. I can assure you that neither bio was faked or embellished in any way. Some of you know me already, although perhaps not in this capacity.

I shall reveal my identity and the purpose behind my work at a later date. In the meantime, I encourage you to keep reading, keep speculating and continue to visit this site for further information. All shall become clear in time.

Many districts are back to school this week, causing outbreaks of nerves in legions of kids. Most will soon settle into a routine, conquering their fears and finding success. For some, however, the fear goes far beyond the jitters. For a 17 year old Pennsylvania girl, school phobia has greatly impacted her life.

According to NPR, the teenager has been unable to attend school since she was eight. Plagued with phobia symptoms that she likened to a heart attack, she was unable to focus, to complete assignments or even speak to others. The district sent tutors to her home for the next six years, but when testing determined that she was performing far under grade level, her parents successfully sued the school district. They won a settlement calculated at $45 per hour for 1,000 hours of instruction the girl did not receive.

Her parents have used some that money for pay for summer camps and modeling classes, activities that they argue are therapeutic. At the school district’s suggestion, the girl tried boarding school for three months. When her phobia became overwhelming, she dropped out.

Now the school district has had enough. They point to the three months she spent at boarding school as evidence that she is sufficiently recovered to attend classes. Ironically, the parents are now being fined for truancy and have racked up more than $11,000 in fines.

School phobia is very real, but only rarely does it reach the levels claimed in this article. In order to formulate an opinion of what is fair, I would need to know more facts. Has the girl received mental health counseling? What is her doctor or therapist’s opinion? Has the school district brought in an independent expert to examine her? What do that expert’s facts show?

I have no doubt that the girl in question does suffer from a legitimate phobia. However, I wonder if she is an innocent victim caught in a battle of wills between her parents and the school system. Has anyone, on either side, worked with an expert to develop a treatment plan for something that, if left untreated, could disable the girl for life?

Read more about school phobias, including symptoms and treatment options, at Back to School Phobias.

In the “can you believe that?” category, a woman in Auckland, New Zealand caused a fatal accident while driving at three times the legal blood alcohol limit. Yet she was not sentenced to jail, in large part due to her agoraphobia.

According to an article at stuff.co.nz, the woman was instead sentenced to 12 months home detention. Her driver’s license was revoked for four years.

Apparently the judge also took into account that the driver was caring for her ailing mother. Still, that seems a rather minor penalty for taking a human life. What do you think? Should agoraphobia be grounds for avoiding jail? Does the act of imprisonment constitute cruel and unusual punishment for agoraphobics? Your comments are encouraged.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics begin this Friday, Aug 8. Or to put it in a different perspective, the games begin on 8/8/8, at 8:08 pm. According to Chinese beliefs, the number eight is associated with both luck and wealth. Starting a project or venture on the 8th of the month is supposed to infuse the activity with positive energy.

However, the number eight is not always lucky for the Chinese, as demonstrated by some of this year’s events. According to an article in Yahoo News, the 2008 blizzards, the riots in Tibet and the earthquake in Sichuan all occurred on dates whose digits add up to eight.

Additionally, according to Chinese astrology 2008 is the Year of the Rat. The year is in direct opposition to those born in the Year of the Horse, which could spell trouble for some Olympians. However, the bad luck can be thwarted by wearing a pendant of the Ox, which is believed to draw the attention of the Rat.

If all of this sounds a bit too mystical to believe, consider the Western beliefs surrounding the number 13 and particularly Friday the 13th. Although the specific numbers vary, virtually every culture attributes meanings both good and bad to particular numbers and dates.

It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, the date and time of opening ceremonies will have on this year’s Olympic Games.