Monday, October 28, 2013

Pneumatiphobia: The Fear of Spirits

Pneumatiphobia is the abnormal and persistent fear of spirits.  The paranormal world is intriguing, mysterious and a bit scary to everyone who believes in it, but for some the thought of ghosts and spirits can cause a paralyzing fear…a phobia.  Some develop this phobia by all the stories and movies about the paranormal, while others develop the phobia after witnessing paranormal activity first hand.  Once you see an actual spirit, it stays with you forever and it can be overwhelming.
A phobia is a strong, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities or persons.  The main symptom is an excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject. Other phobia symptoms include shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and an overall feeling of dread.  Phobias are the most common form of anxiety disorders.

Do you suffer from Pneumatiphobia?  Please share your story.  How was it triggered and how does it affect your life?

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Rational Fear and Phobias


Fear is a normal part of life.  Sometimes fear makes us aware of dangerous situations and this allows us to be cautious in order to protect ourselves.  If you’ve heard of a string of burglaries in your neighborhood then you will make sure all the doors and windows are locked before leaving your house because you fear your house may be next.  This is a healthy, rational fear.  You don’t let the fear stop you from going about your normal routine.  You’re just more cautious and aware.  If you react to the burglaries by locking yourself in your house, peeking out the window and jumping every time you hear a noise then the fear has become irrational and is controlling your life.  That’s the difference between a rational fear and a phobia.

You will never know what you’re capable of if you let fear control your life.  Here are a few quotes to inspire you to put fear in its place.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”    ~Marianne Williamson, Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.”    ~John Lennon                

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”  ~Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”   ~Frank Herbert, Dune                                                                      

“The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.”   ~Elizabeth Cady Stanton                                                                    

 “Is it useful to feel fear, because it prepares you for nasty events, or is it useless, because nasty events will occur whether you are frightened or not?”  ~Lemony Snicket                           

 “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”   ~Joseph Campbell                                           




                                       

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

What Are You Afraid Of?

What are you afraid of? What is something that has made you so scared that you started shaking and screaming? Was it a nightmare? A car accident? Was it a fire or some other traumatic event?  Since this event happened has it made you fearful that it will happen again?


This is how a phobia begins.  All it takes is one bad thing to change your entire world. One bad thing is all it takes to cause The fear to consume you. 


Hundreds of phobias affect millions of people every day.  Some are understandable fears while others are only understood by the people who are plagued by them. Phobias are not easy to understand especially for the people who suffer from them, but the fear is very real for these people. 


So what are you afraid of? Is it just a slight fear or has it become a phobia?

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