Fear and phobia

Photo of an elderly man sitting on a chair surrounded by various ornate coffins in a room with a chequered floor.
DEATH AND DYING

As a society, we’re not death phobic, we’re death complacent

Our culture is routinely diagnosed with an excessive fear of mortality. A calm look at the evidence tells a different story

by Ingemar Patrick Linden

Photo of bare feet standing at the edge of a dock above green water, with a worn wooden surface beneath.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

To fear well is virtuous and more important than being brave

Fear is not the enemy, but a real and legitimate emotion. To truly support another in their fear, let them give it a voice

by Ami Harbin

Illustration of a person walking from a fiery red landscape to a calm seaside through a white door.
WORRY AND RUMINATION

How to defuse catastrophic thoughts

Do you often fear the worst is going to happen? Use these therapeutic techniques to think more rationally and calmly

by Lucia Tecuta

Painting of a skull adorned with colourful flowers, a butterfly, sheet music and a candle in the background.
ANXIETY

How to get more comfortable with death

Angst about mortality is part of being human, but if it’s interfering with your life, there are proven ways to dial it down

by Rachel Menzies

Illustration of a person on a beach near a large artistic wave with rocks and overhanging tree branch.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to handle paranoid thoughts

Feel like you’re being watched, judged or talked about? These exercises will help you assess the situation and calm your mind

by Antonella Trotta

Photo of a person in a red jacket looking at cliffs by the sea under a cloudy sky.
VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION

How to deal with bullying from your past

The effects of being bullied can linger for decades, but it’s never too late to heal and reclaim your place in the world

by Stacee Reicherzer

Photo of a person wearing sunglasses sitting in dappled sunlight with a thoughtful expression. Shadows cast on the face.
ANXIETY

How to tell whether you’re being careful or giving in to anxiety

It’s not always easy to tell what’s a sensible safeguard, and what’s an anxiety-fuelling habit. A few questions can help

by Jemma Todd, Amelia Scott, Rachel Menzies & Louise Sharpe

Photo of a plane cabin interior showing passengers seated, viewed from the back.
GROUP THERAPY

Behind the scenes at an ‘exposure’ flight for flying phobia

A single-session, exposure-based treatment for large groups could help bring evidence-based psychotherapy to the masses

by André Wannemüller

Painting of goldfish in a bowl surrounded by plants with two people viewing in a gallery setting.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

What my patient with paranoia taught me about fear and humanity

John was a paranoid patient who sat in my therapy room and scared me – until I realised I was not without paranoia myself

by Patricia Steckler

Illustration of a traffic jam from a driver’s view with road signs and a phone alert on heavy traffic.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to overcome agoraphobia

Are you trapped by a dread of public, open or enclosed places? Reclaim your freedom by following these manageable steps

by Gila Lyons

Photo of people waiting on a train platform standing on marked spots as a train speeds past in the background.
COMMUNITY

The behavioural immune system protects us, but at what cost?

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unplanned social experiment on skin hunger and touch aversion. How will our politics suffer?

by Manos Tsakiris

Photo of sunlight through trees with colourful light leaks creating red and white streaks across the image.
AUTISM

Feeling fearful? Welcome to my world, and let me help you with it

My experience of autism and my scientific expertise in photonics have given me a special insight into breaking down fear

by Camilla Pang

Vintage photo of a woman with a box camera on a high scaffold overlooking a large cityscape.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to overcome a fear of heights

Humans are wired to avoid vertiginous places, but if this fear gets in the way of life then exposure therapy can help

by Poppy Brown

Photo of a child in a red headband in the foreground with other children and adults sitting outside a building in the background.
EMOTION REGULATION

Can the Mapuche teach us to transform fear into respect?

Respect your fears: what the Mapuche approach to fear can teach us about transforming our biases and fighting prejudice

by Dejah Oertwig & Amy Halberstadt