Sample Informative speech: phobia

Summary

The speaker discusses their rare and unusual phobia: the fear of baseballs. While many suffer from common phobias like arachnophobia or claustrophobia, the speaker’s fear is deeply personal and rooted in a traumatic childhood experience. Despite being a huge Chicago Cubs fan, they cannot attend games or even hold a baseball due to the intense fear it triggers. The speaker reflects on the challenges this fear causes in social situations but finds comfort in the fact that their fear is unique and could be worse, like being afraid of spiders or public places.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fear is a common experience, but around 4-5% of people suffer from phobias, which are more severe forms of fear.
• 😀 Common phobias include claustrophobia, agoraphobia, and arachnophobia (fear of spiders).
• 😀 Some uncommon phobias include palophobia (fear of bald people) and geneophobia (fear of chins).
• 😀 There are a total of 530 named phobias, according to recent counts.
• 😀 The speaker has an extremely rare phobia known as the fear of baseballs, which is so uncommon it doesn't even have a specific name.
• 😀 The fear of baseballs causes intense anxiety, even from just holding a baseball, which can send shivers down the speaker's spine.
• 😀 The speaker's fear of baseballs is misunderstood by others, who fail to grasp that it's a genuine fear, not just a dislike of the sport.
• 😀 The speaker experiences extreme fear when in situations involving baseballs, such as playing catch or even being near one.
• 😀 The speaker's phobia originated from a traumatic experience at age 4 when a baseball hit them in the head during T-ball practice.
• 😀 Despite the fear of baseballs, the speaker is a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, although they can't attend games in person due to the phobia.

Q & A

What is a phobia?

A phobia is a severe and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity, often leading to avoidance behavior.

How common are phobias in the general population?

Around 4-5% of people experience a more severe form of fear, known as phobias.

Can you give examples of some common phobias mentioned in the script?

Some common phobias include claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces), agoraphobia (fear of public places), and arachnophobia (fear of spiders).

What are some rare or unusual phobias mentioned?

Some rare phobias include peladophobia (fear of bald people) and geneophobia (fear of chins). There is also a phobia for Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia.

How many named phobias are there according to the script?

There are a total of 530 named phobias.

What is the narrator's unique phobia?

The narrator has a rare phobia of baseballs, which is so uncommon it doesn't even have a specific name.

Why is the narrator afraid of baseballs?

The narrator developed this fear after being hit in the head with a baseball during a T-ball game at the age of 4, which knocked them out cold.

How does the narrator feel about holding or being near a baseball?

The narrator feels terrified at the mere thought of holding a baseball, experiencing physical fear and discomfort even when it's in their hand.

How does the narrator react when others try to confront their fear of baseballs?

When others attempt to help cure the phobia by playing catch with a baseball, the narrator becomes so scared that they have to leave the room and sit on the stairway.

Does the narrator dislike baseball as a sport?

No, the narrator is a huge Chicago Cubs fan, but they cannot attend games in person due to their fear of baseballs.