Are You Ready For A Thrill Ride?

Imagine feeling the wind through your hair as a cart carries you through sharp curves and sudden changes. Imagine feeling your blood pump through your veins as that cart transports you through swift twists and loops. Imagine feeling butterflies in your stomach as you plunge from a 100-foot drop. Imagine taking yourself on a thrill ride. 

While roller coasters are the most popular theme park attraction, not everyone enjoys the thrill ride.  Coasterphobia is the fear of roller coasters.  According to psychologist, Lisa Fritscher, coasterphobia is triggered by other phobias. Those phobias include:

·      Acrophobia -The fear of heights is a phobia that can range from standing on the rooftop of a building to the inability of climbing a stepladder. Acrophobia is sometimes confused with vertigo, medical condition that can cause dizziness or a spinning sensation at any height. Roller coasters tend to be tall, with long drops, making them challenging for those with a fear of heights.

·      Illygnophobia - The fear of vertigo may be related to the fear of heights. However, those with illygnophobia are not afraid to be up high. Instead, they are afraid that looking down might cause dizziness and vertigo. Those with illygnophobia fear roller coaster not because of their height, but because of the curves may lead to dizziness.

·       Claustrophobia– For safety, roller coaster seats are small and tight, and the restraints fit extremely snugly. Those who are uncomfortable with enclosed spaces often find that the worst part of a coaster is being locked down with no escape.

·      Social Phobia -Some people do not fear the roller coaster itself, but instead worry that they will have an embarrassing reaction to the coaster. Roller coaster trains tend to be long and hold a number of people. Those with social phobia may worry that they will be judged for screaming, cringing, or otherwise reacting to the coaster’s movements.

·      Mysophobia - On a roller coaster, it is impossible to maintain much distance between yourself and those around you. Those with mysophobia, or fear of germs, may worry about coming into contact with strangers and their germs. In addition, there is always the possibility that someone on the coaster will vomit or urinate, possibly exposing the phobic person to those disgusting bodily fluids.

·      Emetophobia - The fear of vomiting is surprisingly common. Those who suffer from this fear may go to great lengths to avoid situations that they feel could cause an upset stomach. As roller coasters are designed to be unsettling, the physical sensations could cause someone with emetophobia to skip the ride.

 Most phobias involving a certain object or situation are triggered by a traumatic experience that occurred during a person’s childhood. Even if the actual incident is not remembered, the emotional scarring remains. Riding a roller coaster as a young child could possibly be one of these traumatic events.

Symptoms of coasterphobia are generally classified into two different categories: physical and psychological. Common physical symptoms include:

•    Shortness of breath
•     Irregular heartbeat
•  Rapid breathing
• Sweating
• Nausea

The common psychological effects include:

•  Fear
•  Anxiety
• Panic
• Dread

Like other phobias, coasterphobia can be cured and there are ways to face this thrilling fear. In fact, in 1999, Dr. Michael Otto, Ph.D. – director of the cognitive behavioral therapy program at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School was hired by Universal Studios in Florida to come up with a solution to cure coasterphobia. Michael Otto worked with psychologist Brian Newmark to develop the Coasterphobia Stress Management Program. This program's goal was to help coasterphobics learn techniques that they could use before and during the ride to overcome their anxiety.  Here are some of the tips Dr. Michael Otto came up with that are still used today. 

1.    Make sure you are not being pressured or pushed into riding the roller coaster; this will only add to the feeling of not being in control.

2.    While waiting in line, try relaxation exercises. Practice tensing and slowly releasing your muscles as you breathe in for four counts and out for eight.

3.    It is important that you picture yourself enjoying the strange sensations involved in riding roller coasters. Anticipating fear and anxiety will only make it happen faster and stronger.

4.    Outsmart the "scare factor." Remember that the loops and sudden drops are part of the roller coaster and are perfectly safe.

5.    During the ride, scream. Screaming stops you from holding your breath and helps relieve tension.

6.    Keep your eyes open. Being able to see what is happening actually helps terminate fear and nausea.  

Follow these tips and you may learn to enjoy any scream machine.  Stay tuned next week as I introduce a new phobia!  

Stop Clownin' Around!

Red squeaky nose, big yellow shoes, and a permanent smile painted on the face, what’s not to love about clowns? Well you may be surprised that not all people have a love for clowns.

According to psychologists, Lisa Fritscher, coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. Coulrophobia is one of the most common fears, along with anachnophobia. 

Before trying to understand this phobia, one must take a quick journey into the dark history of clowns. 

According to www.allaboutclowns.com, the modern circus clown originated from tramp clowns, or also known as bum clowns. Tramp clowns took place during the Depression era. They were members of the lower class and would entertain the more privileged class. Although most tramp clowns were harmless, “bad seeds” did exist among the clown circuit.

Emmett Kelly had a clown alter ego known as Weary Willie. While Kelly achieved fame with his character, his personal life was not all that beautiful. His wife eventually filed for divorce, claiming that the clown character had taken over her husband's personality. However, Kelly’s son, Emmett Kelly, Jr., followed in his father’s footsteps and also had a clown alter ego. Kelly, Jr. took the clown character to a whole new level.

In the 1970s, two events occurred that may have started the fear of clowns. Paul Kelly, the son of Emmett Kelly, Jr., lost a leg in a train accident. Nonetheless, he eventually came to the conclusion that he needed to become the next incarnation of Willie. He began calling himself Emmett Kelly III and performing as Weary Willie. He eventually slid into a life of drugs and sexual freedom. In 1978, Kelly III was arrested for the murders of two of his homosexual partners. Although he admitted to the slayings, he listed "Willie" as the murderer. Eventually, Kelly III was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Willie had apparently taken over his personality.

The highly publicized murders committed by John Wayne Gacy also took place in the 1970s. From 1975 to 1978, Gacy killed at least 33 boys and young men in the Chicago area. Although Gacy never worked as a professional clown, he did perform on a volunteer basis. According to Fritscher, the 1980s in when coulrophobia had reached a peak.

Although this dark history could possibility be the start of coulrophobia, people still wonder what causes individuals to have this phobia.

In a 2004 review article for Trinity University, Joseph Durwin claims that there are two theories on why individuals fear clowns. Those two theories include:

·      The fear is based in a negative personal experience with a clown at a young age.

·      That mass media has created an image that clowns are evil. Even children who are not personally exposed to clowns are trained to dislike or fear them. 

Some famous movies that portray clowns as evil include:

·      Stephen King’s, It

·      Killer Klowns from Outer Space

·      Gacy

·      The Devil’s Rejects

·      House of 1,000 Corpses

However, according to thinkclearly.org, many children fear clowns because of their facial features.  The child notices that the facial features of a clown become unrecognizable under a layer of face paint.

Someone suffering from coulrophobia may experience extreme and intense feelings of anxiety, depending on the level of severity of the phobia. Individuals may feel afraid, frightened and terrified at the idea and appearance of clowns. Some individuals may experience:

·      Panic attacks

·      Nervous and unpleasant feelings

·      Nausea,

·      Sweating

·      Shortness of breath

The thought of clowns can cause sufferers to feel very nervous and uncomfortable and may go to any lengths to avoid situations where clowns may be present.

Another question that may arise when it comes to coulrophobia is what is used to treat this phobia?

There are a range of treatments and therapies available to those suffering from fears and phobias. Although, the causes of fears are not fully understood, the symptoms that individuals experience can be successfully treated. Psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, counseling, professional advice and medications often successfully ease the symptoms for many sufferers. Behavioral therapy has proved to be a great success in many cases.

Most fears and phobias, including the fear of clowns, are not serious especially if they do not seriously impact your normal daily life. However, if the fear of clowns is preventing an individual from functioning or enjoying life, that person should consider seeking medical advice.

Most people believe that all clowns are evil, but in reality that is not true.

In fact, Bozo the Clown isn’t an evil clown at all.  Bozo is a famous clown around the nation that began in the 1960s.  According to ezinarticles.com, the character first appeared on television in 1949. Bozo the Clown was then purchased by Larry Harmon. In 1956, the character became famous across the United States. Local television stations soon began producing their own Bozo shows featuring the character. Harmon bought out his business partners in 1965 and produced Bozo’s Big. Chicago's Bozo’s Circus, which premiered in 1960, went national via cable and satellite in 1978.

When I went about 8 years old, I received the chance to attend the final episode of Bozo’s Circus.  Although I do not remember every aspect that took place during the show, one specific aspect of the show that I do remember was how friendly Bozo was.  Bozo was just an overall happy clown and after experiencing the final show I am proud to say I do not suffer from coulrophobia. 

Take it from me, if you suffer from coulrophobia, watch videos on YouTube of Bozo and other “happy” clowns.  You may realize that not all clowns are as scary as Stephen King’s, It. 

If you’re suffering from coulrophobia and are looking to share your thoughts with other people who share the same phobia as you, visit Ihateclowns.com or comment below to share why you’re scared of clowns. 

Stay tuned for next week’s blog for it may just take you on a thrill ride!

Don't Get Caught in a Web of Fears!

There is nothing creepier than feeling an eight-legged creature crawling on your bare skin…at least that is what most people believe.

According to psychologist, Lisa Fritscher, arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, is one of the most common specific phobias.

People who have arachnophobia will often go to great lengths to ensure that they do not come in contact with a spider. These people may be reluctant to participate in activities that carry a risk of being exposed to spiders, such as hiking or camping.

If someone with this fear finds a spider in his or her home, he or she may react in one of two ways: either screaming and running away or freezing in place. This person may be unable to kill or trap the spider yourself and will rely on a friend or family member to come to the rescue. Some victims with severe cases of arachnophobia would rather leave their own house than face the spider. Just like other phobias, common symptoms of arachnophobia include:

·      Excessive sweating

·      Clamminess

·      Rapid breathing

·      Nausea

·      Dizziness

·      Rapid heartbeat

Experts are still uncertain of what exactly causes arachnophobia. However, some scientists believe that the fear may have a cultural background. For example, people living in Africa have a fear of large spiders, while most people in South America are not afraid of spiders and are even known to eat large spiders.

Another theory scientist have is that the fear is caused by a frightening incident that occurred earlier in life. Many people do not remember the events that lead to their phobia, and the mind can create a phobia based on moments of panic.

Arachnophobia does not only effect humans, but it can also effect other species are well.

According to www.livescience.com, researchers have proven that unborn crickets can gain a fear of spiders based on their mother's traumatic experiences.

The study consisted of scientists putting pregnant crickets into terrariums containing a wolf spider. The spiders' fangs were covered with wax so the spiders are able stalk but not kill the pregnant crickets. After the crickets laid their eggs, the researchers compared the behavior of the offspring with offspring whose mothers hadn't been exposed to spiders.

The newborn crickets whose mothers had been exposed to a spider were 113 percent more likely to seek shelter and stay there. They were also more likely to freeze when they encountered spider silk or feces — a behavior that could prevent them from being detected by a nearby spider. Overall, these newborns had better survival rates than other newborn crickets, eaten by the wolf spiders for the sake of science.

Scientists are still unsure how the fear is passed down, but they speculate that stressful events trigger and release a hormone in the mother that influences the development of the embryo.

Like other phobias, arachnophobia is most commonly treated through therapy. The most used form of therapy is cognitive-behavioral technique. According to Webster Dictionary, cognitive-behavioral technique is a “psychotherapeutic approach that addresses dysfunctional emotions, maladaptive behaviors and cognitive processes and contents through a number of goal-oriented procedures.” Antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications may also be used. Recent research has shown that virtual reality therapy, in which the sufferer is exposed to virtual representations of spiders, may work as well as the older technique of gradually exposing the client to live spiders.

Now that we looked at symptoms, causes and treatments of arachnophobia, lets take a look at some interesting facts involving one of the most common fears!

Arachnophobia Facts (according to www.mentalhealth.co.uk.)

·      There are approximately 40,000 species of spiders.

·      Most spiders are not capable of penetrating human skin.

·      Most spiders will bite humans only in self-defense.

·      Most spider bites have no more effect than a bee sting or mosquito bite.

·      Recent studies show that the ‘toxic effects’ of spider bites are often of no medical relevance.

·      Most venomous spiders are not capable of injecting enough venom to warrant medical intervention and of those that can; only a few cases are recorded to be fatal.

·      Most researchers agree that the Australian funnel web spider is the one to avoid because of its aggressive nature, but even so, there are only two recorded bites a year.

·      About 55% of women and 18% of men experience a fear of spiders to some degree.

·      In the 20th century there were around 100 reliably recorded deaths from spider bites but there were 1500 deaths from jellyfish stings.

·      The house spider – usually spotted during autumn running around our carpets looking for a female mate – is not harmful to us.

·      Scientists are working with spider venom to create a less toxic pesticide alternative; spider venom can be deadly to insects but harmless to other animals such as pets.

·      Arachnophobia, like many other ‘simple’ phobias, can be treated very effectively these days.

So all you people dealing with arachnophobia, how do you handle being in the presence of a spider?  Share your story and remember, don’t get caught in a web of fears!