Travel Secrets: The Role of Fear

The world is a scary place. Or at least that’s what we often digest from an all-you-can-consume news buffet. Terrorist attacks. Fires. Shootings. Earthquakes and landslides. Tragedy is always around the corner. No place out there is safe. For some people, fear is an excuse not to travel, to stay inside the perceived safety of a localized bubble. For anyone reading this column—those of us who live to experience and engage more deeply in the world—fear and anxiety may make us more cautious but will never keep us from exploring. Phil…

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Horror Movies May Help Identify How The Brain Processes Fear and Anxiety

If there’s one category of movies that has us sitting on the edge is a horror movie. We can’t really say that we love watching them but we sure are always intrigued by the screenplay. It’s almost like a rollercoaster ride of emotions – one moment you are calm, another moment scared, then happy and suddenly you are screaming and stressed. Probably that’s what makes those movies so popular is because of the thrill that comes along with it. It’s never one straight line. There’s just so much going on…

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Witnessing fear in loved ones can cause PTSD

A study reveals that if a person hears about a serious incident — such as a gunfire exchange – from his/her loved ones or even strangers, it may change how information flows in the brain and can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Scientists in the study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, observed that fear in others may change how information flows in the brain. Post-traumatic stress disorder, also called PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop in some people after they experience a shocking, scary, or dangerous event, according to the…

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Coping with ‘fear of missing out’ over the holidays

Have you heard the phrase “Fear of missing out”? It’s commonly known by its acronym, FOMO, and while many say it comes from using social media too much, you don’t have to be online for it to have an effect on your life. The fear of not staying “connected” may cause problems, said Dr. Joe Taravella, a licensed clinical psychologist at New York University Langone Medical Center’s Rusk Rehabilitation. “It can lead to cognitive distortions and that is people thinking… that they’re truly missing out on things,” he said. FOMO…

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