Phobias -- Article Summary

Phobias -- Article Summary

Living in Fear         1

          Running Head:   LIVING IN FEAR

Living In Fear:   Brief Summary and Critique
People Magazine

                    Living In Fear           2

The article looks into the lives of five individuals: Mike Caldeon, Allison Jones, Carlos Rosario, Carolyn Garcia, and Morgan McMillien. Each individual is living with a phobia that terrifies and evokes anxiety and fear on a daily basis…from trains (which many people in our population may understand) to bananas (a phobia not as popular or common). The article offers a brief detail into each individual’s phobia and how they have--- or have not---learned to cope with it.
Mike Calden, a 29 year old advertisement coordinator, has globophobia, which is a fear of balloons. His phobia began from an event in his childhood. A child sitting next to him at the circus squeaked and rubbed a balloon until it popped in his ear and terrified him. He has not been through any type of therapy, but can handle the situation if he knows in advance (parades, parties, etc.) and stands far enough away from them.
Allison Jones, a 36 year old mother, has bananaphobia --- a fear of bananas. Her phobia also began from an event in childhood. She was sitting at a lunch table at her school and bananas were given to the students for lunch that day. She was overwhelmed by the smell of so many bananas. It made her nauseous. Instead of understanding her bizarre reaction, her peers began to make fun of her and shove them in her face saying “What, it’s only a banana!” Since then, she has avoided bananas at all costs. She once almost had a severe accident after having an anxiety attack from seeing a life-sized banana standing on the sidewalk promoting specials for a near by ice cream store. She has not been to any type of therapy claiming she tries to listen to the rational side of her brain and knows it’s just fruit, but many times her phobia still wins and she sees them as “evil”.
Carlos...