Anxiety – Page 97 – Effects of Anxiety

These Are The Top Five Most Common Phobias. So Why Do People Have Them?

Have you ever wondered why some of the same things scare so many people?

Everyone has their own set of different fears, but some are much more prevalent than others. For example, countless people are afraid of spiders and snakes. According to a survey by YouGov, these are just two of the most common phobias that plague the people of Great Britain — but what causes them in the first place?

In the survey, 2,088 adults were asked whether certain things scared them. They were also asked to rate those fears as “very afraid” or “a little afraid.” Here are the top five most common phobias among them, as well as a few possible explanations behind them.

1. The most common phobia out of the bunch was a fear of heights, or acrophobia. Of those surveyed, 23 percent answered that they were very afraid of heights, and 35 percent said they were a little afraid. Studies have linked this fear to vertical perception. According to researchers, those with an extreme fear of heights overestimate vertical distances, but a solid cause-effect relationship hasn’t yet been proven between the two.

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2. The respondents’ second biggest fear was snakes, with 21 percent stating they were very afraid and 31 percent being only a little afraid. Multiple studies have found that this fear may be innate and not learned, suggesting that some of us may just be born afraid of the reptiles.

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3. In third place on the list is a fear of public speaking, also known as glossophobia. Twenty percent of those surveyed were very afraid of speaking in front a crowd while 36 percent were a little afraid. Depending on the person, general and social anxiety could explain this fear, as many are afraid that their audience is judging them.

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4. Spiders. What’s not to love about their adorably terrifying little faces? Not much, according to 18 percent of respondents who reported being very afraid of them as well as the 24 percent who were a little afraid. Much like “Jaws” inspired more people to fear sharks, arachnophobia may stem from the media’s portrayal of the creepy critters. The fear may also be innate, like with snakes.

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5. At number five is claustrophobia, or the fear of being closed in a small space. Fourteen percent of the people surveyed said they were very afraid while 29 were a little afraid. One study found that people who project their personal space beyond an arm’s reach are more likely to experience claustrophobia, suggesting that sufferers underestimate horizontal distances.

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Arian Foster aspires to be Ricky Williams?

http://twitter.com/#!/ArianFoster/status/198527533979926529

To compare Houston Texans running back Arian Foster to Ricky Williams is completely unfair. To the best of our knowledge, Arian Foster isn’t a pothead and he doesn’t have social anxiety disorder. Yet for some reason people are worried he’ll end up like him anyways.

Apparently Foster isn’t too worried. In fact, it sounds like he’d actually be honored!

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This Woman Is Live-Tweeting Her Struggle To Orgasm On Anti-Depressants

Crista Anne’s goal is to achieve one self-induced orgasm a day, and because she knows she’s not the only one with this experience, she decided to share her plight with the public.

1. For many people, suffering from depression means a decrease in sexual pleasure and the ability to climax, but in some cases it’s the medication that leads to this condition rather than the disease.

2. Crista Anne, sex blogger, mother, and self-proclaimed “professional over-sharer”, began to detail her #OrgasmQuest after finding she was unable to climax due to her antidepressants.

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4. For Anne, orgasms aren’t just about pleasure, they’re a “life hack”, keeping stress and anxiety at bay. She told BuzzFeed News:

Masturbatory orgasms have been tools I’ve used to combat depressive episodes. A quick reminder that I did have the ability to feel something good when everything else was so horrific. I have chronic migraines, I could stave one off with a quick cup of tea and a quick orgasm. I could calm myself down before a panic attack really hit me with a quick masturbatory orgasm. Those are all life hacks to me.

Anne’s goal is to achieve one self-induced orgasm a day, and because she knows she’s not the only one with this experience, she decided to share her plight with the public.

6. She started chronicling her quest on her website and Twitter and found sponsorship for her sexual aids from Good Vibrations, SheVibe, and Tantus.

BOOYAH!!!! @tantus #OrgasmQuest — pinkness (@Crista Anne)

Put wee monsters to bed 45 minutes ago. Every time I pick up the Magic wand for #OrgasmQuest time, one opens the door. #sigh — pinkness (@Crista Anne)

Woah. #OrgasmQuest semi success? That almost felt like an orgasm! — pinkness (@Crista Anne)

Mini #OrgasmQuest update: I actually hit too tired to masturbate last night. #shocked — pinkness (@Crista Anne)

Anne told BuzzFeed News that she decided to begin documenting her experiences after speaking candidly on a podcast for The Carnalcopia about her depression, medication, and not being able to orgasm after “a lifetime of being The Most Orgasmic Person Ever”.

After the podcast, Anne received a lot of messages from people in the exact same boat. “I had a lightbulb moment,” she said. “I can talk about this! Talking about sex, depression, stigma, [and] anorgasmia (the term for people who cannot orgasm even with proper stimulation) is completely within my comfort zone. It’s me being me.”

Snow, nor sleet can stop @tantus making it to my door. Don’t know what is inside, kissing the box anyway #orgasmquest — pinkness (@Crista Anne)

13. The response to Anne’s quest has been positive and she’s had thousands of conversations because of her posts, tweets, and media appearances. She told BuzzFeed News that her aim is to bring such conversations out into the open:

I want to shine light on these experiences. Tell the world that talking about sexuality, mental illness, side effects of medication and how all of those things impact a persons life is a valid and worthy discussion. I’m seeing that happen every day and I am so proud.

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15. However, her increased publicity has also led to negative responses, including rape threats and threats towards her children.

Crista wrote a piece for xoJane for which she received “a deluge of hate mail and threats”. She told us:

Some threatened my kids. I don’t believe any of these threats are an imminent danger but they did ping my rage. They did hit my protect-my-kids-at-all-costs impulse.

16. We asked her how she’ll introduce her children to her very public stories about sex and mental health. She replied:

As they become pre-teens and teenagers, we’ll have open dialogue to their comfort level about sexuality and my career. I think some of my kids will want to see my social media, whatever that may look like in a decade, and some of my kids are going to have strong ick factor. How that is handled will be tailored to each child. Broadly speaking, I’m looking forward to them learning more. I think what I do is pretty awesome, I’m pretty sure some of them will too.

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Despite battling a crippling disease that affects so many, Anne has inspired thousands of women online with her openness, enthusiasm, and strength. “Depression lies to you, and I do my best to remember that those lows and doubts are my illness speaking, not me,” she said. “I give myself pep talks constantly.”

19. Crista told BuzzFeed News that even if she gets her orgasm back, her quest will be far from over because it’s not just her own story she’s telling:

I will eventually get my orgasm back, then Quest may take new directions. Perhaps other people with anorgasmia will share their stories with Quest, the hashtag is for anyone who wants to share, I don’t “own” it. Perhaps it will turn into a promotion of self love and orgasm. We’ll find out.

cristaanne.com

The Number Of Reported Child Suicides Has Nearly Doubled — These Are The Signs

A swarm of children huddled around a petite casket, each holding onto a powder blue balloon and carrying a note to their fellow classmate, Ashlynn Conner.

Ashlynn’s older sister discovered the 10-year-old hanging from a clothing rod just a day after coming home in tears and asking to be taken out of school. Her parents promised her they would go to the school and talk with the principal, but the depression and helplessness became too much for her to wait out the weekend.

While Ashlynn may have felt alone in her fight against bulling and what some report to be life in a volatile home, hundreds of children under age 14 across the U.S. are acting on suicidal urges.

No one expected Ashlynn to take her own life, but mounting stress and anxiety pushed the little girl over the edge.

YouTube / Cortney Mikel

Little Ashlynn was bullied in fifth grade, and despite telling countless teachers and school officials, nothing was done to put an end to the taunting. In one distinct account, Ashlynn was bullied by girls who thought she looked like a boy after she got a haircut.

Other members of her family have also suffered with mental illness over the years. Stacy Conner, Ashlynn’s mother, has reportedly attempted suicide twice. These stressors proved to be too much for the young girl to handle.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collected death-rate data for child fatalities from 1999 to 2014.

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While the number of deaths caused by homicide and fatal car crashes has decreased over the years, data reveals that the number of suicides in children between 10 and 14 has nearly doubled since 2007.

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Initially having 0.9 suicide deaths for every 100,000 children in 2007, the number had increased to 2.1 deaths per 100,000 by 2014.

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Once thought to be only a teenage problem, psychologist Dr. Lisa Boesky revealed that children can have their own reasons for committing suicide. Relationships with family members or fights with a child’s close friends could result in them wanting to harm themselves.

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Warning signs of suicidal thoughts in teens can directly correlate to depression and severe mood swings, but in small children, ADHD is often present in those who follow through with suicidal urges.

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Other warning signs to look for in children include sadness, irritability, and isolation from friends and family.

Parents and adults should focus on the language their kids are using. Phrases such as “I wish I were dead” or “I wish I could go to sleep forever” are serious red flags.

If behaviors continue to escalate, it is important to reach out to a pediatrician or counselor.

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While there is very little research available about childhood suicide, Boesky believes the CDC’s report could help pave the way for more studies.

If you suspect your child is having suicidal thoughts, don’t ignore the issue. Engage them in conversation and actively seek out help.

(via CNN)

If You’re Stressed Often, Here’s What You Need To Know About This Common Condition

Everyone gets stressed out now and then, but chronic stress causes much more wear and tear on the body than most people realize.

Chronic stress is a hard thing to describe to family, friends, and sometimes even doctors. They can’t see it like they would a broken arm or a flesh wound, which may cause some to doubt its very existence.

However, anxiety is a very real disorder that effects 18 percent of the American population. When it rears its ugly head, so do many other physical side effects. Here are 10 of the most common.

1. Heart disease

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You know that saying, “You’re going to give me a heart attack?” Well, anxiety and panic attacks might actually do that. High blood pressure and weakened heart muscles are both side effects of stress that raise your chances of having a heart attack and/or developing cardiovascular disease.

2. Loss of libido

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With all these negative things happening in your body, it’s not a big surprise that your libido can suffer. Part of this is because your hormones aren’t functioning properly, and another is that your mind and body are distracted. It’s important to communicate with your partner and remember that you don’t “owe” anyone sex.

3. Brain damage

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Years of extreme stress and anxiety can lead to brain damage, particularly early-onset Alzheimer’s. It’s been found that the cortisol that’s released during stressful periods actually kills the hippocampus, leading to loss of memory and premature brain aging.