While the whole world was masquerading in scary and outrageous costumes during Halloween, a team of scientists was making progress with the latest study on irrational fear. Results of this study are expected to expand current knowledge about treatments for major medical problems concerning irrational fear.
We’re taking all of what we learned from the basic studies of animals and bringing that into the clinical practices that help people. Things are starting to come together in a very important way, said Stephen Maren, a psychology professor from the University of Michigan.
The National Institute of Mental Health revealed that about 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Being a basic primal emotion, fear is a key to evolutionary survival which we share in common with animals. Aside from genetics, traumatic events are closely associated with the development of overwhelming and needless fear.
Ted Abel, a fear researcher at the University of Pennsylvania considers fear to be a funny thing. One needs enough of it, but not too much of it, said Abel.
According to Armi Rowe, a Connecticut freelance writer and mother, she used to be one...