Column: A Big Stick
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- Last Updated: Tuesday, 16 April 2019 14:58
-by Francene Gillis
“I can’t. Don’t make me!”
The words are yelled, terror behind them. The two adults are about to step on a swing bridge far above a canyon and one suffers with Acrophobia – irrational fear of heights, or Gephyrophobia – fear of bridges.
“Agggh. A spider, big as a bee. Hurry. Kill it.”
Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias, as is acrophobia; and such fears can cripple so severely that some even stay house bound – a phobia known as Agoraphobia. And we are still dealing with the first letter of the alphabet. Fears can consume. Rather than using the formal names, I straight up fear the dark, dogs, thunder/lightning, abandonment, and speeding.
Apparently, I am not alone. There are 100 phobias plus, with some of them seemingly more foolish than others, although perhaps all fears are foolish. I wonder what brave soul would be so bold as to sift one from another; for the person with the phobia, the fear is extreme and real. Some sillier ones are Alektorophobia – fear of chickens, and Koumpounophobia – fear of buttons. Actually, it is hilarious when you read through the list; who came up with these names? They are as bizarre as the phobias themselves. Enough said.
