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- What are Phasmophobia and Teraphobia?<\/a>\n
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- How to Understand That a Child Needs Help in Overcoming Their Fear of Monsters? Red Flags\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- Where Does the Fear of Ghosts or Monsters Originate From?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- How to Help the Child Stop Fearing an Imaginary Threat?<\/a>\n
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- Preventative Measures<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Deal With an Existing Fear of Monsters and Ghosts?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What are Phasmophobia and Teraphobia?<\/h2>\n
![\"fear](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2022\/10\/rebenok-noch-strakh-koshmar-son.jpg\" "\\"fear")
Kasefoto\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
It turns out that the fear of monsters under the bed has a certain scientific name\u2014phasmophobia<\/em>. The meaning of the word phasmophobia, stemming from the Greek words \u201cphasma\u201d\u2014ghost, and \u201cphobia\u201d\u2014fear, according to the dictionary of medical terms, is the obsessive fear of ghosts, goblins, devils, and other imaginary creatures.<\/p>\n
Phasmophobia, the fear of ghosts and imaginary creatures, is well-known. But what about Teraphobia? Teraphobia<\/em>, derived from the Greek words \u201ctera\u201d\u2014monster, and \u201cphobia\u201d\u2014fear, describes the fear of monsters and mythical creatures. So, while phasmophobia pertains specifically to ghosts, teraphobia encompasses a broader spectrum of monstrous entities.<\/span><\/p>\n
Not all kids will be afraid of the same things\u2014this is an important understanding to have if you\u2019re going to equip your child with fear management strategies. <\/span>What your child is afraid of will depend largely on the <\/b>surrounding cultural and social environment.<\/b> For instance, a modern child living in a big city is not afraid of a goblin; however, after watching the movie \u201cIt\u201d, they may begin to be afraid of clowns. <\/span>A kid living in a large mansion might be worried about a haunted house, while one in an apartment might be worried about home invaders.<\/span><\/p>\n
Mary arrived at her appointment with her 5-year-old daughter. Her request was the following: the daughter was afraid to go to the swimming pool, saying that she feared being dragged away by a monster that lives in the depths of the water. At the same time, the child has never been in a situation in which she felt like she was drowning. She swims in the river with no problem and loves to do it. However, when I began talking to the mother, details from her childhood began to emerge. \u201cI hate the smell of chlorine in the pool, so my daughter was always taken to her swimming lessons either by my husband or a nanny. In elementary school, PE classes were at the swimming pool instead of the school gym. I didn\u2019t know how to swim, and somehow, on the first lesson, a classmate just pushed me into the water. He later explained to me that this is how his father taught him not to be afraid of the water. The pool was shallow; I could not have drowned, but I still choked on some water in the panic. Since then, I have not re-entered the water, even in the sea, going deeper than above waist level. I signed my daughter up to learn how to swim so that she could overcome my fears,\u201d said the woman.<\/em><\/p>\n
It is normal for a person of any age to be afraid of what they don\u2019t understand <\/span>or have not yet experienced.<\/span> Not being able to find an explanation for what is happening, the psyche \u201cfreezes\u201d. <\/span>This is the root of most anxiety disorders. <\/span>Nevertheless, it cannot remain in this state for a long time<\/span>; thus,<\/span> it clings <\/span>to<\/span> the strangest interpretations of what is happening. This is where the belief in ghosts, aliens, poltergeists, <\/span>haunted houses,<\/span> the souls of the dead, and hundreds of other phobias stems from.<\/span><\/p>\n
Most often, the fear of fictional creatures appears in children aged three years and older. <\/strong>During this time, the child begins to feel themselves as an individual who is separate from their parents and is looking for their own explanations for everything that happens around them.<\/p>\n
All young children have phasmophobia and\/or teraphobia. <\/span>They have <\/span>vivid <\/span>imagination<\/span>s<\/span> and an insufficient understanding of the world, which makes them easily suggestible and enables them to have a low degree of critical thinking.<\/p>\n
With an increased understanding of the world around the child, <\/span>most of their fears will<\/span> gradually disappear. However, some of them may not only stay there but <\/span>will instead<\/span> become stronger and develop into serious adult phobias.<\/span><\/p>\n
How to Understand That a Child Needs Help in Overcoming Their Fear of Monsters? Red Flags<\/h3>\n
![\"child](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2022\/10\/rebenok-mama-podderzhka-son-koshmar-strakh.jpg\" "\\"child")
Rawpixel.com\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Not every child wants to talk to adults about their fears and phobias. \u00a0So how can you\u00a0<\/span>recognize when<\/span> a child cannot cope with their <\/span>common fears<\/span> on their own, even if they are fictional? Here are some signs of that:<\/span><\/p>\n
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- The child refuses to do what they are used to: they are afraid to stay in the room on their own, they ask not to turn off the light, or refuse to go to school or extracurricular classes on their own.<\/li>\n
- They become quiet and antisocial, or even aggressive.<\/span><\/li>\n
- They are startled by sudden sounds, <\/span>loud noises,<\/span> or flashes of light.<\/li>\n
- They are suffering from insomnia and nightmares, and cry in their sleep.<\/li>\n
- Sometimes, in the most serious cases, enuresis may appear, and the child may begin to bite their nails or pull out their hair.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
If you notice at least three of these indicators, it could be a sign that your child is scared of monsters, experiencing extreme fear, and struggling to cope on their own.<\/span><\/p>\n
What to do if you notice at least three of the indicators named above? Start with talks:<\/p>\n
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- DO NOT ask: a child may not always be ready to discuss their nighttime <\/span>fears, especially if they are quite deeply rooted in their minds.<\/li>\n
- Tell them what you were afraid of as a child and how these fears turned out to be fake, as well as <\/span>how you managed<\/span> to cope with them and who helped you (parents, friends, teachers, etc).<\/li>\n
- Explain that monsters on TV are created by computers and that scary stories are written by ordinary people with rich imaginations, etc.<\/li>\n
- Provide a night light in the child\u2019s room\u2014this can help alleviate a fear of darkness and provide a more comforting environment for sleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
When is it worth seeking behavioral therapy for your children\u2019s fears? This is more a question of your condition, rather than the condition of the child. If you don\u2019t feel your own inner strength to work on the matter, or if your child\u2019s fears persist despite providing your child with adequate coping skills, <\/span>entrust it to a mental health professional.<\/p>\n
Where Does the Fear of Ghosts or Monsters Originate From?<\/h3>\n
![\"fear](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2022\/05\/strakh-rebenok-koshmar.jpg\" "\\"fear")
Forewer\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Psychologists discovered long ago that the mechanism of the appearance of fears and phobias in children and adults is completely different. First, let’s look for reasons why we, as adults, are afraid of fictional or invented matters.<\/p>\n
There are no predators to be afraid of in the modern world, as the lookout for food has ceased to be so frightening and dangerous. <\/span>Yet the <\/span>functioning of our brain has changed very little, <\/span>and it is still very much stuck in the past<\/span>. One of the oldest brain systems is the so-called \u201creptilian brain\u201d, responsible for basic needs, such as hunger, sleep, and thirst. In order to start performing an action, we need psychic energy, and it is taken from a specific structure located along the entire axis of the brain stem: the reticular formation. It is this formation that sends signals to the level of the reptilian brain.<\/span><\/p>\n
Our need for survival, which “resides” in the \u201creptilian brain\u201d, is evolutionarily programmed to seek out danger. This way, when the brain does not see serious problems in reality, it begins to speculate. It is widely known that during war or natural disasters, neuroses, anxiety disorders,<\/span> and phobias disappear since a person begins fighting for their real survival.<\/p>\n
Therefore, when we talk about adults and their fears, everything is pretty clear: the brain generates energy to meet basic needs. When these needs are satisfied, but there is some energy left, the brain does not perceive real dangers as threats; thus, the search for imaginary dangers begins. Children, on the other hand, seek satisfaction of their basic needs primarily from their parents and from other adults that they trust, such as relatives, grandparents, and teachers. Therefore, they draw fears from the people around them.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s now look at the sources of fears and<\/span> bad dreams<\/span> in our children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
According to the personal experience of a\u00a0child therapist<\/span> working with parents and children, the source of these fears lies in us, the parents, to a large extent. What do we do and why do we do it, so that our children begin to fear certain things?<\/p>\n
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- We want to be needed by children as protectors. Therefore, we need to watch scary films together with the child, being there for them to cuddle up with us.<\/li>\n
- We’re trying to tell them and to warn them of the dangers of the world around them. Therefore, we tell them tales about bad-behaved kids who are taken away by a gray wolf or an evil wizard.<\/li>\n
- We want to show the difference between good and evil. Therefore, we read books where a good hero defeats a bad monster.<\/li>\n
- We don\u2019t know how to explain certain things or provide answers to some complex questions. Therefore, we tell <\/span>urban legends<\/span> and paranormal stories.<\/span><\/li>\n
- We think <\/span>scary movies<\/span><\/a> are fun and are trying to inspire more emotions in our children. <\/span>For the same reason, we dress up for Halloween and make some spooky jokes.<\/span><\/li>\n
- We devalue the experiences of our children. Therefore, we ridicule their fears and make ironic comments about their fantasies.<\/li>\n
- Last but not least, we are anxious. <\/span>We may suffer from anxiety as a result of various matters, <\/span>such as mortgage payments, health status, income level, and so on. Nevertheless, our children can only sense that we are worried without an explanation, which can exacerbate existing anxiety disorders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"child](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2022\/10\/rebenok-boitsya-strakh.jpg\" "\\"child")
Tatevik Bagdasaryan\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Why is it enough for some children to catch a glimpse of a scary image in a movie and start having nightmares, whilst others can calmly watch horror films and eat popcorn? The simplest explanation is the level of emotionality and impressionability of each particular child. The emotional maturity and stability of a child depend on the calmness and poise of the adults who surround them.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Peter turned to a psychologist with a request to help him deal with the fears of his nine-year-old son. A well-rounded, sociable, and cheerful boy suddenly started to be afraid to go to school on his own about two years ago, despite it being located only two blocks away from their house. \u201cMy wife and I both work, our parents live far away, and we cannot afford to hire a nanny just to pick up and drop off the child. Jack has been going to school by himself since the second grade, and was proud of his independence when this came out of nowhere<\/span><\/i>\u201d, shared Peter.<\/em><\/p>\n
We have been looking for the causes of the boy\u2019s sudden fears for some time, until I asked the boy’s mother to come to see me as well. \u201cMy husband was very proud of the fact that Jack is an easygoing child who easily finds common ground with adults and his peers. However, it was worrying me. After all, there can be so many dangerous and unpleasant people around. At his age, he still cannot decide for himself whether a person is good or bad. I just wanted to show my son that he doesn’t have to be so open!” The woman suddenly started crying. Of course, during behavioral <\/span><\/i>therapy, we could not tell the child that their mother was wrong. Nevertheless, we began to work with the mother\u2019s fears in the first place and asked Jack to help us. The little child, together with me, as a professional, was teaching his mother to trust the world.<\/em><\/p>\n
- We think <\/span>scary movies<\/span><\/a> are fun and are trying to inspire more emotions in our children. <\/span>For the same reason, we dress up for Halloween and make some spooky jokes.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Tell them what you were afraid of as a child and how these fears turned out to be fake, as well as <\/span>how you managed<\/span> to cope with them and who helped you (parents, friends, teachers, etc).<\/li>\n
- They are startled by sudden sounds, <\/span>loud noises,<\/span> or flashes of light.<\/li>\n
- How to Deal With an Existing Fear of Monsters and Ghosts?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Where Does the Fear of Ghosts or Monsters Originate From?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- How to Understand That a Child Needs Help in Overcoming Their Fear of Monsters? Red Flags\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
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