An expert offers answers about phobias and how people might overcome them. The topic matters because phobias can change work and personal life. A clear cultural example comes from the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo: the protagonist, John “Scottie” Ferguson, played by James Stewart, is shown with acrophobia, an extreme fear of heights. In the story this fear forces him to retire from his job as a police officer and causes emotional turmoil that helps shape the plot.
The article notes that phobias affect many people; as many as 13% of the US population are affected. It gives examples of common specific fears and their names: arachnophobia (fear of spiders), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) and musophobia (fear of rats). These examples show the variety of phobias and how they can focus on particular objects or situations.
Jill Ehrenreich-May is identified as a professor in the psychology department at the University of Miami and director of the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment program. The text says she explains more about phobias and answers questions about what they are and how a person might get rid of them, but it does not provide detailed treatment steps.
Difficult words
- phobia — strong, unreasonable fear of a thing or situationphobias
- acrophobia — extreme, intense fear of high places
- arachnophobia — strong, intense fear of spiders
- claustrophobia — fear of small or enclosed spaces
- musophobia — strong, unreasonable fear of rats
- protagonist — main character in a story or film
- turmoil — great confusion or emotional disturbance
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen a film that shows a character with a strong fear? What did you think of it?
- How could a phobia make it difficult for someone to do their job? Give one or two reasons.
- The article names several specific phobias. Which of those do you think would be hardest to live with, and why?
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