Halloween is becoming more and more popular each year with nearly ever organisation wanting to take part, whether it is the local optician dressing their window or restaurants offering spicy pumpkin soup on the menu. However, it is not always a ‘trick or treat’ fun night for everyone. For those who have a serious phobia of spiders, real or plastic (they can seem life like enough) they have to endure this anxiety every year. So what is a phobia? It is an irrational fear triggered when faced with the feared object and as a result the person may sweat, shake, experience dizziness or palpitations as a physical response. Or they may try to avoid the trigger all together which can sometimes be difficult to do. I walked into my local charity shop and there was a plastic spider on the counter as part of their Halloween display. So not as easy as it may seem, and every time the trigger is avoided it actually reinforces the phobia. Why can’t phobias be rationalised by use of simple logic? T...
A New Perspective on the Fear of Flying A fear of flying is far more common than most people realise. Many people experience waves of worry, tension, or panic around air travel, sometimes only when they’re tired, stressed, or going through a demanding period of life. For others, the anxiety is stronger and shows up long before the flight is even booked. For some, the fear comes from an internal sense of losing control - the worry that emotions might overwhelm them mid‑flight or that they’ll feel embarrassed in front of others. For others, it’s linked to external triggers like turbulence, weather, or the idea that something might go wrong with the aircraft. Some people feel fine at the airport but notice their symptoms rising just before boarding. Others feel the anxiety as soon as they start planning a holiday. This anticipatory anxiety is incredibly common and can make even the idea of travelling feel overwhelming. A fear of flying can develop for many reasons:- a difficult fl...