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are in: Lincolnshire » A Sense Of Place » People |
Friday
1st March, 2002 - 13:00 GMT
The
weird world of phobias |
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Most
people are afraid of something. It may be spiders, heights or enclosed
spaces.
For Michelle Andrews, her phobia comes in the form of cotton wool.
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Some people
like Michelle fear cotton wool |
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The
world of phobias is a strange and terrifying place. Phobias can be
described as an irrational and persistent fear of some thing or situation.
Michelle, from Cherry Willingham, has been afraid of cotton wool since
she was just six years old.
Often
phobias are sparked by a traumatic experience but in some cases are
simply an in-built fear. For Michelle, the thought of cotton wool
sends her into a cold sweat.
"Wanting to wrap someone up in cotton wool is supposed to be
a way of showing that you care. In my case, it would be the ultimate
form of torture."
Michelle is not alone in her fear. Cotton wool is just one in a long
line of everyday objects that make people uneasy. Buttons, books,
garlic and door handles are just a few.
What phobias do you have? Why not share them with us by joining
the message board discussion >>
What is often more distressing are phobias which limit people from
functioning. These include agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), fear
of heights, water, lifts and enclosed spaces. Some people are so badly
affected that they become too afraid to leave their homes.
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| Arachnophobia
is a common fear |
Perhaps the most common phobia is arachnophobia - the fear of spiders.
There are however a number of more unusual phobias which are even
harder to pronounce.
See which ones you recognise in a little quiz:
(answers below)
1. Alektorophobia
2. Philophobia
3. Phalacrophobia
4. Phobophobia
5. Taphephobia
6. Pogonophobia
Michelle may find some comfort in the fact that she doesn't suffer
from one phobia which would be exhausting to tell people about -
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - the fear of long words!
Answers
1. Fear of chickens
2. Fear of love
3. Fear of becoming bald
4. Fear of fears
5. Fear of being buried alive
6. Fear of beards
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