story by Jordan Berardi, photo by Meghan Lewis

According to Medline Plus, a phobia is a strong, irrational fear of something which poses little or no actual danger. A person who is unable to avoid coming in contact with their fear or phobia will likely experience symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath or trembling. Many people are treated to overcome fears and phobias on a regular basis. Treatment usually includes therapy or prescription drugs. Though fear plagues all of us in one way or another, some STA students are fearful of things most of us overlook.

Foam-a-phobia

I asked her if she was serious about it.

The next day as soon as I said the word “foam,” tears coated her eyes and her face reddened. Her face fell into her hands while she nodded her head.

There was my answer.

Junior Camille Porterfield has a fear of foam, and the “food version” of foam, marshmallows. Porterfield said there was no absolute beginning to her fear, but that it has always just been there.

“Whenever I see [foam], I automatically cringe,” Porterfield said. “I feel like I need to throw up and take a chemical shower.”

According to Porterfield, her friends and family do what they can to accept her fear.

“My family usually does not buy marshmallows unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Porterfield said.

One of Porterfield’s friends, junior Morgan Marso, once took Porterfield to a grocery store to get her away from a group of people roasting marshmallows at Marso’s home.

Porterfield feels overcoming her fear would be impossible.

“To get over it, I’d have to eat a marshmallow or touch foam, which I will never voluntarily do,” Porterfield said.

Because talking about it nauseates her and provokes tears, I decided to end the questions. Her overall thoughts of foam and marshmallows are unshakable.

“Both [foam and marshmallows] are disgusting and should be illegal in America,” Porterfield said.

As the conversation shifted to an upcoming math test, her tears ceased and the color returned to her face.

Ornithophobia

It is spring break in 2010.

Freshmen Allison Hogan and Grace Spencer were happily eating on the beach. Minutes later, Hogan and Spencer were running away from a flock of 200 seagulls.

Fast forward another year, Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. More birds, more sudden movements made by the birds, same reaction.

According to Hogan, this is where her fear of birds originated. Hogan, now a senior, fears birds as a whole, but mostly larger birds like turkeys, pigeons and seagulls.

“Whenever I see [a bird], I actually have a heart attack,” Hogan said. “I duck and look like a freak running away from them.”

Hogan says talking about the subject gets her worked up, and her friends and family tend to tease her about birds.

“I wouldn’t put it past any one of my friends or family to put a bird in my room while I’m sleeping,” Hogan said.