Featured Fear: Politicophobia (Fear of Politicians)

Have any of you seen 'Dr. Strangelove or; How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'? How about 'The Dead Zone' or 'Braindead'? 'The Manchurian Candidate', 'Society', 'The Invasion of the Body Snatchers', 'They Live'? It's no surprise to me that horror often revisits the themes of government and/or religion time and again. People can take both subjects pretty far in their devotion to them. As a Texan, now that early voting is opening up, I have friends who are legitimately afraid to come to work the day after election results roll out. Honestly, we work at a liquor store, so I can definitely understand the source of that fear.

Perhaps in the future we may visit Religiophobia, but today's subject is far more obviously partisan. Politicophobia, the fear of politicians.

I think the relative hand-in-hand relationship between big businesses and special interests with politics make that last comic relevant.

Let me expand on the fear of politicians, because I think it's healthy to be at least a little concerned that anyone with the keys to the kingdom might trash the place before they leave if there's not a few house rules to keep them in check. Politicophobia takes this fear to a new level, it's the more irrational and extreme end. They can have extreme anxiety attacks, and display to avoidance at such a level that they'll outright refuse to even think about voting, much less engage in any discussion related to a politician. Sources such as 'Fearof.org' and 'Psychtimes.com' reference genetics as a possible source of this fear, as well as a hostile home environment on the subject growing up, or a traumatic event. One might say anyone who dealt with a man like John Wayne Gacy (who had been active in his local Democratic party scene) or or Ted Bundy (also active in his Republican party scene) was far more prone to developing Politicophobia than your average Joe.

Per usual, exposure therapy is often used to help treat this problem, as well as CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), and there is no one size fits all. Now, before I move on to a fun video only remotely relevant, I'd like to advise those of you out there in the states especially that it's okay to have a fear like this. There are so many phobias out there that are far more harmless (and some I've touched on). That being said, I strongly encourage you to vote and talk to someone who might be willing to go with you and support you. Or drop off a ballot. Either way, fighting a phobia is always going to go further to ending it than closing your eyes.