“I DO believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do, I DO believe in spooks!”
It seems that the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz was onto something. A recent study about phobias yielded some surprising results. Paranoid participants were asked to repeat specific phrases when faced with their fears. One group verbally affirmed their aversion. Another group used reasonable facts to calm their fears. The last group changed the subject completely. The results: The group that came right out and expressed their paralyzing perceptions, over and over, had lower levels of anxiety in the long run.
The researchers say that verbalizing our fears, repeatedly, is the most effective way to get past them. If you’re terrified of clowns:
• Don’t say: “The clown is just doing his job and can’t hurt me.”
• Do say, over and over again: “This hideous circus clown is creeping me out, and I’m afraid that he is getting way too close to me.”
Confirming your fears to yourself can be a lot more soothing than denying them or trying to convince yourself that there is something wrong with YOU.
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