Phobias and Mental Disorders After watching the film last week, when the main mental disorders shown were Anorexia and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), it was clear that, to those particular people, these illnesses were REAL. My son suffered from a fear of zips for many years due to a rather painful incident which occurred when he zipped up his trousers when he was a young boy. Enough said about that! Many people question whether or not these people were “attention seeking” or “putting it on”. This is , in my opinion, one of the major issues if one is suffering from such an illness. HERE is a list of mental illnesses which shows just how many there are! Do YOU know anybody who suffers from any of these? Please feel free to share but do NOT name the person for obvious reasons!

Phobias and Mental Disorders An extreme fear or dislike of a particular thing or situation, especially one that cannot be reasonably explained. Example: He has a phobia about/of worms. What do you think is the difference between a FEAR and a PHOBIA? Do not interrupt a person while he/she is attempting to answer.

Glossophobia Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking or of speaking in general. Some Symptoms intense anxiety prior to, or simply at the thought of having to verbally communicate with any group, avoidance of events which focus the group's attention on individuals in attendance, physical distress, nausea, or feelings of panic in such circumstances.

Other Strange Phobias Chef quits job because of a fear of BEANS! List of phobias. Some other strange phobias and the most common in the UK. More strange phobias! And finally… the craziest phobias! KAHOOT!

Task for Today You may work in groups of THREE at the most. Obviously all people in the group must contribute. Research FIVE mental illnesses and FIVE phobias and make detailed notes about them, preferably using PowerPoint. For example, why is it named that particular way; how does it impact his/her life; does it usually apply to males or females? Any interesting facts you can find. It might be interesting to research if any famous people have / have had this particular problem. Your findings will be the basis of a future task. We will gather in here later to discuss your findings. NOTE:Please leave opinions about whether or not you think the illness/phobia is “real” until a later date as I know this is a genuine concern for many people. You will ALL be given the chance to express such views but please be aware that your opinions must be fact based.