Many of the fears people bring to me are not new. Stories, saints and myths have been tied to animals, death and the unknown for hundreds of years. Here are five that might make someone with a phobia think twice.
St Vincent of Saragossa and the birds
Legend says that after St Vincent died, ravens and vultures guarded his body from wild animals. For most people that is a story of protection. For someone with a fear of birds, a sky full of circling ravens is the stuff of nightmares.
Medusa and the snakes
In Greek myth, Medusa had living snakes for hair and could turn anyone who looked at her to stone. It is one of the oldest images we have of snakes as something to be feared, and it still turns up in films and art today. If snakes make you freeze, our page on the fear of snakes may help.
Saint Christopher and the dog’s head
Some old Eastern icons show Saint Christopher with the head of a dog. Historians think it came from a mix up over the word for a foreign people, but the images are striking. For anyone with a fear of dogs, they can be unsettling to look at.
La Santa Muerte
Santa Muerte, or Holy Death, is a folk saint in Mexico, usually shown as a skeleton in a robe. Followers see her as a protector. For someone who struggles with a fear of death, though, a figure that puts death front and centre can be hard to face.
Saint Gertrude and the cats
Saint Gertrude of Nivelles is often linked with cats and is sometimes called a patron saint of cat lovers. That is lovely news for most of us, and less so for anyone with a fear of cats.
Why stories stick
Stories are powerful because the mind learns through them. A frightening image, seen once at the right moment, can stay with us for years. The good news is that the mind can learn a new response just as easily. That is exactly what I help people do.
Want help with a phobia?
Take the free phobia test to see how strong your fear is, or book a £49 consultation call and we can talk it through.
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