By Marcie Blair

Heights, spiders, thunderstorms, death;  everybody has one spine tingling fear. Whether it is a rational fear or one that is hardly frightening, it can be terrifying to the person with the fear.

Not everybody wants to admit it but every single person has a phobia.  Nobody lives without fear, it could be as silly as a spider to as severe as a fear of the sun. Katie Galloway has a fear of locked car doors. Her phobia does not affect her daily activities aside from car rides. “I can’t fall asleep, I just keep looking at the lock. The door has to be locked. If I can’t lock the door I sit in the middle seat.” This is an uncommon fear but, a minor one also. There are other students at Plymouth High School who have some odd phobias, such as Tadd Pugh, “My phobia is the hands of small children” Pugh admits. It is not the hands alone that stirs him, “The proportions are correct but, the size is not normal!”
Yes, it is true everybody has something that increases their heart rate but are some fears highly exaggerated? Galloway thinks so, “Sometimes people act like they are more scared than what they really are for attention.” For those who are not acting, however, is there a way to overcome a meaningless fear? Overcoming an irritating phobia may require professional help. Pugh believes a fear can not be completely defeated without specific conditioning.
Phobias are often shared with other disorders such as depression or an anxiety disorder.  These disorders accompanying a phobia can worsen the fear, although, that may depend on one’s willingness to get over their fear.  Some would rather live with their phobia then ever dare to face it. So, for those who live  their every day life ignoring any childish fears that may arise, one  must wonder if anybody uses that person’s phobia to their advantage. “My brother is afraid of birds and I use our cockatoo, Charlie to influence him.”  Pugh confesses mischievously. Galloway does not feel the same about the fun, using someone else’s phobia is disgusting. She says, its just wrong.
People are often harassed for their fears, and some curiosity thrives on knowing why somebody would be frightened of an unlocked car door.  “I’m scared the door will open and I’ll fall out.” Galloway explains. Some things in life just come without an answer, and maybe what triggers some of our fears may be one thing bearing no answers. Pugh says he feels the same uneasiness another person may feel while facing a rodent when he sees a small child’s hands. That may never be explained either.
There is nothing really wrong with having a phobia, unless it interferes with every day living. When asked if his phobia affected his day to day activities Pugh responded “Yes, my brother knows of it and takes retribution for the cockatoo instances.”
Some phobias leave us shaking in our pants, others however are easily avoided throughout life. Whether avoided or not our fears are still very much there. Phobias may be far fetched or actually quite logical.