The World of Phobias: 5 Movies that help you Understand More

No matter how many videos you watch or books you read, it can never sum up the realities of living with a phobia or helping those who experience this condition. Despite awareness of common health conditions such as depression and anxiety, talking about serious psychological conditions remains stigmatized. Conditions, such as specific phobias wherein people experience symptoms of anxiety, fear, and dread in response to common, everyday objects, are much harder to talk about or explain. To most, the reactions of a person with specific phobia seem irrational and over the top, leading to further stigmatization and discrimination against the condition.  Filmmakers have tried to help audiences glimpse into what specific phobias can be like through various movies. By exploiting the deep-seated fears that many of us have, these movies elicit similar reactions among the audience, forcing them into their nightmares. While the listed movies explore phobias for the sole purpose of producing “thrilling” media, they can still help us learn a little more about the experiences of those who deal with these fears every single day. Or intrigue us enough to go searching for more information. Phobia Source: IMDb Starring Radhika Apte, this psychological thriller depicts the life of an artist, Mehak, who is diagnosed with agoraphobia, a specific phobia that makes an individual fearful of crowded or open spaces, and even prevents them from leaving their home. The movie depicts the struggles of the person experiencing these symptoms and those who need to care for them. With interesting twists and turns, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. Contagion Source: Rotten Tomatoes 2020 saw a surge in popularity of this 2011 movie, thanks to the eerily similar circumstances we were experiencing. This Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow play on various fears at once, ranging from mysophobia, or the fear of germs, to social phobias. The movie captivates the audience as it explores mass hysteria, anxiety, facing contamination OCD, and the fear of vaccines. If you haven’t watched it yet, Contagion hits a little too close to home. Cast Away Source: Rotten Tomatoes Monophobia, or the fear of being alone, sounds more like the realities of living in the 21st century rather than an irrational fear. But few truly experience the overwhelming feeling of being alone in the world. Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, is a must-watch, which taps into this feeling and helps the audience peek into how debilitating it can be.  I Am Sam Source: Rotten Tomatoes While it does not deal solely with phobias, I Am Sam explores how mental health problems can adversely affect people’s lives. The movie explores the life of a single father, Sam, with an intellectual disability who must fight to retain his daughter’s custody. Through various interactions, we also learn more about Sam’s neighbor, who deals with agoraphobia, or the fear of leaving one’s home. Bug Source: Rotten Tomatoes According to many, Bug is an underrated classic that explores the fear of insects (entomophobia), fear of closed or small spaces (claustrophobia), and symptoms of folie à deux or shared psychosis. On the surface, Bugs seems like a typical horror film, but once the movie ends, you can’t help but watch it again with a new perspective.  Final Destination Source: IMDb With a cult-like following, the Final Destination franchise has been successful ever since the release of its first installment in 2000. These movies have a unique take on the “horror” genre, exploiting a deep-seated fear that many of us, if not all, have---the fear of death or thanatophobia. As we watch the events of these movies play out, the fear and tension in the room seem palpable. No matter how badly we want to look away, we’re glued to our seats, gripped by the horrors on the screens. Thankfully, for most of us, the almost overwhelming sense of fear and helplessness ends as we see the credits roll and walk away from the screen.  But things aren’t so easy for those who may deal with symptoms of specific phobia every day, unable to step out of their homes or meet new people. While these symptoms can be alleviated with medication and psychotherapy, being able to talk about their experiences is an important step as well. Though movies and TV shows aren’t the perfect depictions of the realities of these conditions, they do help in clarifying their complexities, normalizing them, and opening up a dialogue. - Srijoni Sarcar