What if it wasn’t spiders, heights, or flying… but grass, buttons, or your own reflection that made your hands clammy and your heart race?

Meet Bettina, a romantic comedy author who avoids lawns at all costs; Marcos, who dreads reflections and shaves in the shower to escape the mirror; and Mark, who hasn’t worn a shirt with buttons since he was a kid.

Connecticut psychologist Dr. David Tolin helps us understand how these fears develop, how they affect daily life, and why some people choose to confront their fears, while others simply adapt.

Suggested episodes:

• Full house: The line between collecting, clutter, and hoarding disorder
• Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'?
• Snakes in their mouths and venom in their veins: Why two snake pioneers do what they do

GUESTS: 

• Dr. David Tolin: Founder and Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at The Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. He is also Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine
• Bettina Hunt: a romantic comedy author based in the UK, who has a phobia of grass
• Marcos: a 24-year-old man from the Chicago area, who has a phobia of reflections
• Mark Cardia: a man based in Portugal, who has a phobia of buttons

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.