What do you afraid of

Once a certain thing or situation triggers a strong fear reaction, the amygdala warns the person by triggering a fear reaction every time he or she encounters or even thinks about that thing or situation. Someone might develop a bee phobia after being stung during a particularly scary situation. For that person, looking at a photograph of a bee, seeing a bee from a distance, or even walking near flowers where there could be a bee can all trigger the phobia. Sometimes, though, there may be no single event that causes a particular phobia.

Some people may be more sensitive to fears because of personality traits they are born with, certain genes they've inherited, or situations they've experienced.

People who have had strong childhood fears or anxiety may be more likely to have one or more phobias. Having a phobia isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity. It's a response the brain has learned in an attempt to protect the person. It's as if the brain's alert system triggers a false alarm, generating intense fear that is out of proportion to the situation. Because the fear signal is so intense, the person is convinced the danger is greater than it actually is.

People can learn to overcome phobias by gradually facing their fears. This is not easy at first. It takes willingness and bravery. Sometimes people need the help of a therapist to guide them through the process.

Overcoming a phobia usually starts with making a long list of the person's fears in least-to-worst order. For example, with a dog phobia, the list might start with the things the person is least afraid of, such as looking at a photo of a dog.

It will then work all the way up to worst fears, such as standing next to someone who's petting a dog, petting a dog on a leash, and walking a dog. Gradually, and with support, the person tries each fear situation on the list — one at a time, starting with the least fear.

The person isn't forced to do anything and works on each fear until he or she feels comfortable, taking as long as needed. A therapist could also show someone with a dog phobia how to approach, pet, and walk a dog, and help the person to try it, too. The person may expect terrible things to happen when near a dog. Talking about this can help, too. When people find that what they fear doesn't actually turn out to be true, it can be a great relief. A therapist might also teach relaxation practices such as specific ways of breathing, muscle relaxation training, or soothing self-talk.

All those things are what I am know as. It hurts because there is more to me than who my family is or how big it is. I want to be know as me, for what I have done, not for how my family is. That is just one thing I am scared of. I am not scared of much. If the world gets attacked by zombies i will never be right again. Just the fact that they eat people and will never stop trying scares me. I love scary movies any kind i can watch. Today, my general fears and phobias are of the common kind.

Although these fears will cause me to be much more alert of certain things, almost as if I feel someone is watching my every move. But leave me in Central Park for a few hours alone and I might go insane.

It pains me to admit that I have pathological fear of dare I say it — pigeons. Just the sight of one of those dusty feathered birds makes me shudder. I never really understood the source of my fear. Just a flap of those wings near me will incite a scream. So, there you have it — not a fear or heights, or the dark, or monsters in the closet but of common city birds, pigeons.

In that movie the boy is so far up out in the sky he is terrofiedand thats what scares me. Bridges just make me nervous, especially if they are a long bridge or high up.

When I was learning how to ski and I was going down a steep slope I would keep saying that over and over again. I do this with everything. There is no one thing that I am afraid of. But I do get scared, everyone does. I have no fear of spiders or snakes, nor anything for that matter. Growing up, my father taught me an important lesson in fear: only fear yourself.

I grew up only fearing the good things I have never accomplished and the bad deeds I have accomplished. This pushed me to do my best and created a world where I had limitless possibilities. Now that I am older, I see the fears that other people have i.

I am generally not afraid of much, but Iam afraid of certain things like heights and speed combined, but not heights or speed separate. I usually think of a happy place and try to fall asleep.

This usually makes me feel better and then i wake up when it is all over. I also love scary stories, but only if they are made up. We understand. Sometimes, it's easy to fear the worst case scenario. But, most of the time, we don't have to worry about those! We do not have a Wonder about trypophobia--but you could add it to the Wonder Bank! Thanks for the update, GirlMeetsSabrinaCarpenter! We're glad that you're sharing with us! Do you like to sing? You might also like Wonder Do You Karaoke?

Let us know what you think! Me to! Its so annoying! But you just have to live with it i guess. Sometimes my friends get mad at me for not doing things with them, because i have not told them about my phobia. Im scared that they will think im weird. You be you, Maita! If your friends think you're weird because of your phobia, were they really great friends in the first place?

Hi, Brady! Our Wonderopolis team has to approve all comments and questions before you see them on the website! Let us know if you still don't see them! Oooh, excellent question, Mr. Hi, ms. That's a terrifying list!! Also, we haven't heard of them, but thanks for sharing, Hayden!!! You are not forgotten as our Wonder Friend, Madison! Thanks for sharing! Hi, klaya! The fear of heights is acrophobia, and ophidiophobia is a fear of snakes!

Both can be pretty scary, though!! Are you afraid of heights? We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together.

We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. What are you afraid of? What causes phobias? What are some common phobias? Wonder What's Next? Try It Out Are you ready to face your fears? Find a few friends or family members to help you explore the following activities: So what are you afraid of?

Make a list of all the things that you can think of that you're afraid of. When you're finished, divide your list into things you're scared of all the time and things you're scared of only occasionally or in certain circumstances. Ask a friend or family member to do the same and then compare your lists. Are you both scared of the same types of things?

What types of things are people afraid of? You might be surprised! Check out The Phobia List online to read through an extensive list of phobias that represent a wide variety of things to be afraid of.

Which phobias seem silly or made up? Which seem the most real or legitimate? Pretend that you have a friend who is afraid of dogs.

How might you go about helping your friend learn to enjoy being around dogs? What types of approaches would you not recommend? In what ways could a fear of dogs be helpful? Make a list of the types of dogs you might use to introduce your friend to friendly, non-threatening dogs. So when she's not swimming in one of them, no worries about the big jellyfish. And it's OK for Kate to be a little fearful about doing the back-flip, because she could get hurt.

But Kate also can create safer conditions for trying her back-flip, like having a parent or coach teach her how to do it and help her do it. Eventually, she will feel ready to try it alone. Twelve-year-old Nick knows how taking small steps can lead to success.

He used to be afraid to play his trumpet in front of people. But over time, he played in front of larger and larger groups. Sometimes the worst thing about feeling afraid is that you don't know what to do. Here are the top 3 ways that kids who answered our survey try to help themselves feel better:.

Talking to a friend can help, especially if that person is supportive. About half the kids who took our survey said they'd been teased for being afraid. So no teasing allowed. Encourage your friend today and maybe he or she will encourage you tomorrow! If you get scared at night, Monique, 10, suggests listening to the radio when you're falling asleep.

And Naruto, also 10, recommends writing or drawing what you're afraid of and then ripping it to pieces. Eight-year-old Jessica finds that it helps to take a deep breath when you're scared. Amanda, 10, thinks kids should talk with a parent or school counselor. Bethany, 9, wants kids to hang tough, so we'll let her have the last word: "Try, try again and never give up," she said.

Reviewed by: KidsHealth Medical Experts. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.