List of Fears
List of Fears - Top Common Types of Fears
Fear of Flying
The fear of flying tops the most common types of fears. Most kids aren't afraid of flying but many adults are. Some are just anxious every time they have to board a plane but they'll manage. There also people who have developed aerophobia or aviophobia. These people can't even think about flying and will avoid it at any cost or it will cause panic attacks.
What causes the fear of flying? An experience flying for the first time in a turbulent weather could have caused it. Fear of being hijacked or attacked by terrorists could also lead to the fear especially after the terrifying incident on Sept 11, 2001. Fear of heights may also be the cause. Claustrophobia or the fear of being closed in a confined place and not being able to escape is another possible reason.
Fear of Public Speaking
The fear of public speaking is on top of even the fear of death. Why is it one of the list of fears? Why are people afraid to speak in public even after they have done their research and prepared a well-written speech?
It may have to do with the fear of failure. And it usually goes way back during childhood. A child may have been humiliated or ridiculed when he spoke and the memories remain in his mind. A person could have been told to shut up too often or was punished for speaking up.
Fear of Heights
The medical term used to describe the fear of heights is acrophobia. People who fear altitude will avoid any situation where they have to be on top of something or someplace even if is only climbing a ladder.
Just like the fear of public speaking, the anxiety about heights may have developed from childhood. An individual may have fallen down from her high chair when she was a baby, was traumatized and began afraid of heights from then on.
Fear of Intimacy
Having the fear of intimacy is one of the reasons why relationships fall apart. The fear of being physically and emotionally attached can make a person become aloof and won't open up to her partner.
When a person is afraid to become intimate, subconsciously she is trying to avoid from hurting herself, lose self control and personal space. This fear is deeply rooted in childhood. The person may have been sexually abused.
Fear of Failure
Included in the list of fears is the fear of failure. This fear has caused many people to actually fail. It is not because they tried and failed. But they did not even begin or did not finish what they started out to do. Because of this fear, people are afraid to ask for what they want and for help.
Fear of Success
Isn't it ironic? Many people want to succeed in life but are afraid of it. The fear of losing one's identity, of being judged and of losing familiarity is some of the reasons for this fear. Just like the fear of failure, this fear causes a person to procrastinate and to sabotage himself.
Fear of the Dark
Children are afraid of the dark probably because of their wild imagination and it is very common. But why are adults afraid? It doesn't make sense when it comes to adults. But if you read what William Lyons wrote in his book Emotion, you might understand why. He stated, "Fear of the dark is not fear of the absence of light, but fear of possible or imagined dangers concealed by the darkness." It sort of relate to the fear of the unknown.
Sigmund Freud was one of the earliest researchers who studied this fear. He surmised that fear of the dark is an expression of separation anxiety. This anxiety is a condition when a person feels extremely anxious about being separated from home or people whom she has an emotional attachment. So these two rationalizations could have contributed to this fear among grown-ups.
Fear of Rejection
The fear of rejection is another one in the list of fears. This fear makes people afraid to ask. People who are afraid of being rejected also have the fear of failure. This fear affects people's chances of getting what they want or desire. They rather not try than to hear the word "No." And they usually expect that their requests will be declined.
Fear of Death
Fear of death is the last of the top 10 list of fears. Death is unavoidable. We can try to delay it but it is something that everyone will have to face. Why are many people afraid to die? Maybe it's because of the fear of the unknown, like what happens after death? Or it could be due to not wanting to leave behind those who are alive and let them grieve. Religious dogmas do play a part in it.
An extreme fear of dying can cause a person to waste his life away. He gives up and doesn't live life to the fullest. He develops the mindset that it's useless because it's going to end anyway.
Fear of God
There is a positive side on this fear. All religion preaches about the same thing such as people should do good deeds to themselves, other people and every living thing that exist on this planet. And god tells us not to sin or do things that would harm us and others or we shall pay the price on the day of reckoning. So this fear does make the believers shun from doing what they aren't supposed to do and to do more of what god wants them to do.
So those are the top 10 list of fears. Listed below are the rest of people's top fears.
- Fear of commitment
- Fear of spiders
- Fear of water
- Fear of driving
- Fear of needles
- Fear of clowns
- Fear of snakes
- Fear of being alone
- Fear of change
- Fear of falling
- Fear of cats
- Fear of people
- Fear of crowds
- Fear of bridges
- Fear of balloons
Some of the common fears listed in the list of fears above may seem irrational or ridiculous to you. But they are real to those who have developed it. Most fears were developed from childhood.
Though it depends on the level and type of fear a person has, some signs and symptoms of fear are common. Feeling extremely tensed, nauseous, sweating, chest pain and dizziness are some of them. Getting panic attacks is also common.
If your fear is affecting your relationship, your effectiveness and your life, try these tips for overcoming your fear. It is possible to overcome almost all the most common fears listed above.
There are also many self help programs such as using subliminal messages, fear hypnosis, emotional freedom technique and neuro linguistic programming. You should get professional help if your fear is taking over your life.
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.