Everybody has fears; in the month of October they’re highlighted more. From creepy crawlies to dangerous heights, these fears aren’t limited to the Halloween season.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 10% of American adults and 20% of American teenagers suffer from a specific phobia disorder. In the past year studies have shown adult women tend to have a higher percentage of specific phobias at 12.2% compared to males at 5%. Junior Amogha Gummadivall has entomophobia, a fear of bugs.
“I want to sit outside with my friends during lunch, but the bugs could land on me,” Gummadivall said. “It discourages me from sitting outside during lunch.”
While a fear is not uncommon, it is not one of the most common phobias. According to Very Well Mind, arachnophobia (fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) and acrophobia (fear of heights) are the most common.
“I feel like fear of heights is a common fear. I know so many people who share this fear” Senior Declan Pranato said.
There’s a difference between phobias and fears according to Gadsden Regional Medical Center a fear is a rational reaction to something dangerous like an event or object compared to phobias they’re irrational fears that are triggered by specific events or items.
“I always check that my backpack is closed before I walk in the hallways,” sophomore Tanya Munhenga said. “I feel I lose aura when I walk in the hallways and my papers are flying out. I feel like I discovered this fear on social media because other students were posting that was one of their fears. I also realized that makes sense–why it’s a fear.”
According to Wellness Daily social media does play a part in causing social phobias, anxiety and depression. These have existed but with the 21st century and the use of social media it has increased in the number of people who have experienced these issues.
“I do feel like social media plays a role in causing phobias that shouldn’t be phobias,” Munhenga said.”I feel like fears and phobias are just a part of life. It’s normal; everyone has fears.”
