We have nothing to fear but fear itself

 "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt; largely considered by many to be one of the greatest Presidents of modern American history. So great, in fact, that he served as POTUS for 4 terms; 1933 until his death in 1945. So great, in fact, the Constitution had to be amended to adjust Presidential term limits.

The above quote was taken from his inaugural address from March of 1933; he was speaking about the state of the nation at that time, as we were in the midst of the Great Depression. Little did he know that those words would go on to define, and catalyze, a myriad of demons untold.

Fear comes in many forms; our responses are even more varied as no two people react to the same way to the same set of stimuli. For some, fear can be crippling; for others, such as myself, fear is weapon we turn against others.

Phobias come in many forms; just like fear, our responses are even more varied as no two people react to the same set of stimuli nin the same way. However, that is where fear and phobia stop in their similarities. Fear can cripple; phobias will cripple.

The list of phobias that exist is...long; ludicrously long. Some seem just plain silly, like anatidaephobia and althaiophobia; others seem more terrifying, like trypanophobia and all-too-well-known arachnophobia.

I've had my phobias growing up; entomophobia (the fear of insects), arachnophobia (the fear of arachnids), aquaphobia (the fear of water), scopophobia (the fear of cameras); as a child, I pretty much suffered from pantophobia (the fear of everything). Most of my childhood phobias I have outgrown; some present as just a general "dislike", such as arachnophobia (in fact, while typing this, I had to kill a spider in my home; the idea of getting close enough to kill it set my teeth on edge) and scopophobia.

As adults, we can develop new phobias; it is neither uncommon nor unheard of. In fact, I just came to a realization that I suffer from a new phobia; medomalacuphobia. I tried last night to have intimacy with my partners; everything was going great...until the phobia struck. In the middle of intercourse, I lost my erection; needless to say, this had me quite...distraught.

Overcoming phobias and fears are the same; you must face them. Psychological science may have you believe otherwise, but I disagree most vociferously; humans are nothing more than highly-evolved beasts, and te common beasts of the land must face their own fears to overcome them.

Why should we be any different?

We evolve. We grow. We change. As the great FDR said, "...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..."

Tine to face some fears; time to grow. Until the next time; be well, and may the moon light your travels.