IE BATTAlld
S
from page 1 \
Iso solicit
•out how t
;nt on the pr-
te funding sbl
expected todej
I burn nexifc
professional
teem for redii
for student m
THE BATTALION
Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Who's
big
afraid
bad
of the
\From flying to feet, students face
Vommon and uncommon phobias
Bonfire withcc
ik imitation r
ad it ion.
this Bonfirr
to be great
e to come
Cardon, a
tajor.
• and extensive
By Beth Muldoon
THE BATTALION
In an interview with www.women.com, actor Billy Bob Thornton
admitted to an intense phobia of antique furniture.
“I just try to stay away from really old furniture," Thornton said.
Pieces from 1700 and 1800 France and England really freak me
out, especially harpsichords.”
Thornton said he also has fears of hair and germs in general.
Dr. Ada Kahn, author of Facing Fears, said the term phobia is
derived from the Greek word “phobos," which means fear, panic, ter-
orand fright. The word phobos comes from the name of the ancient
ipport this
re, but for
> to be grea:
'ut will h(t\[
ne back.
— Aaron Can:
psychology macj
ling the
the chief
cipants.
the team•*on
hat's built tfr
rther?" said
of 1976.
lowen's pari r
otiable anddiv Greek god. Phobos, who provoked fear and panic in his enemies,
return forthc: One of the most common phobias is a fear of flying. Some peo-
e because of p| e who are afraid to fly react with violent anxiety before and dur-
ite associated® n g an airplane trip and some will avoid a trip at all costs.
The fear of flying is included in the same category as fear of
tion likeAiJI i e ights, crowds and traveling. These fears compose the most com-
y U? tafceqiei 0 f ph 0 bj a ca lled Agoraphobia. Agoraphobics find it diffi-
gnen what i :u | t to rema j n ca | m j n any situation they cannot control such as large
t '-annotcre# ;rowc j s 0 f people, traveling in aiq^lanes or trains and heights.
Dr. Aaron Beck, author ol' AnMcncs. I cars ami Phobias, said
JBhe most common fear involved with airplane phobias is a fear
!i 1, mam sti; ^
^^f crashing.
For Gabe Shutt, a junior English major, overcoming her fear of
ieights simply means backing away from the situation and thinking
ibout something else.
‘Tm fine as long as I don't think about being up high or what
:ould happen if I fall," Shutt said. "It’s not the height so much as the
nstability of the thing I am in or on,” Shutt said. “I also try to avoid
situations that might have an adverse effect on me.”
Beck said symptoms of Agoraphobia usually appear after the age
t down thou*:: >f 20 and are caused by sudden panic attacks from a loss of control
ain studentsic* n a certain situation.
ore they tad: For Shutt, the symptoms of her phobia began at a young age.
task ofstacta “I don't remember anything ever happening to me that caused
;aid.
me to be afraid of heights,”
Shutt said. ‘T've just always
been this way.”
Beck said phobias do not
stem from a fear of an object,
but rather from a fear of con
tact with the object. For exam
ple, a person with a fear of nee
dles is not necessarily afraid of
the needle itself, but they do
fear the pain that could be
inflicted by the needle.
Jenny Day, a senior interdis
ciplinary studies major, has an
intense fear of feet.
"I find them disgusting,” Day
said. "I don't want anybody to
touch my feet and I don’t want to
have to touch anyone else’s feet.”
Day said she gets a lot of
criticism from her friends for
her phobia.
"My friends like to torture me
and touch me with their feet a lot,”
Day said. "They think my fear of
feet is a pretty ridiculous fear.”
Historically, phobias are clas
sified by the name of the object
of fear and Beck said there are at
least 107 different names for
phobias. Some of the most com
mon include Claustrophobia, a fear of tight spaces, Ailurophobia, a
fear of cats, and Arachniphobia, a fear of spiders.
Kahn and Beck said a simple three-step program can help any
one conquer a phobia, anxiety or fear.
"The first step is to identify your fears through a process of self
GUY ROGERS • THE BATTALION
diagnosis ” Kahn said. “Next, pinpoint what triggers your fears and
lastly, develop an exposure program to help you face your fears."
Phobias can restrict one’s life and can keep people from doing
what they love, but with three simple steps and some courage, pho
bics can experience normal lives.
luture Bonfk p:
n $500,000 -
d that ,i Si J
paid by all shi. ttjj
'k lent to fultfr B
Body Prea I
iscr. n senior9 I
me major, sail I
god b\ thel I;
lorums. Bowi ■1
not allow B3 I
■> substantial# I
the project,i'I
b >u on will tit I
use mto tonsil K
akmg his decs I
>< k i students its I
-uit body elect
ud she vsiwpiiti I
main student' I
s\\ or the survet I
gh all the piece S
out ire 2002 al I
Bonfire pli I
•lutclv safe aS B
estimate for It I
ouser said the?
asons Bowen '
decide to
m
f
| Tech Editor
orts Editor
sports Assistant
py Chief
:rg, Design Direct;:
\rt Director
Photo Editor
tadio Producer
.adio Assistant
ay through Friday c.
ay during the sunttrf
fexas A&M UniveS
IASTER: Send addteS
J, College Station,' 11
idents at Texas ^
vrtment of Journalise
hone: 845-3313; Fa>
ww.thebatt.com
hip or endofsement:
ig, call 845-2696 T
015 Reed McDonal
ax: 845-2678.
Texas A&M student?
copies 25f. Mail#
tiester, $ 17.50 fotb
Discover, or Amenci'
appearing live at...
Pre-sale tickets available at Cavender’s (979) 696-8800.
Doors open at 8:00 p.m.