Women's psychology of fear

Gynophobia (also spelled as gynephobia) is an abnormal fear of

women. In the past, the Latin term was used, horror feminae, meaning "fear of women".

Women and fear seem to be synonymous words, rather the world has made it that way. Her will, her desires, dreams and much more have to experience a cold sweat due to the lingering shadow of fear with pointed claws. Here are researched facts on the most common fearsome factors in the world of woman. Before we explore her fearful closet, let us differentiate with an instance, the difference between fear and phobia. According to Reader's Digest's ABC's of the Human Mind, fear is more of a reaction to the specific threat. It also states that, fear can function as protective devices. For instance when a women repetitively reads or sees in television or movies of women getting raped in narrow alleys; she tries to protect herself by either avoiding such narrow alleys or walks in the route with a partner or some protective device. On the other hand, phobia, is "like a fear gone wild, robbing a person of reason." With a phobia woman cannot function normally anymore because of the fear, it has definitely turned into an irrational phobia, for instance, she may avoid going to work as she has to cross a dark narrow corridor to reach the office. The most awful fact about phobia is that a woman knows that her fears are irrational, and even foolish but, yet she continues to fear about them.

Women fear different things and fear them differently from men. The difference may be the result of a dissimilar history between the two sexes. Women have always been portrayed in literature and even in mythology as submissive and passive and femininity had been considered a gender next only to being male. This history (take note that this review of views on women is still based on history, that is, his story and not her version) shrouds the female personality and pushes deep within women a collective unconscious, which is exclusively theirs. However, even though their place in history have so many effects on their generalized fears, personal experiences must also be taken into consideration. A woman who suffers wife battery may eventually develop fear of marriage (or even just on things associated with wedding ceremonies like wedding rings, gowns etc.). A woman who was raped may start to fear dark places or dead-end alleys. Other terrifying experiences, each unique to every individual, may have varied impacts on different women. Also one thing to be considered here is the difference between fears and phobia. According to Readers Digests ABCs of the Human Mind, fear is more of a reaction to a real threat a specific threat. It is also noted that, fears may [even] function as protective devices. When a woman tries to observe her surroundings or the things that are happening around her, she can work on the information she gets for her advantage. For an instance, she learns from the news that most female victims of rape were assaulted in narrow alleys; she can then avoid narrow alleys as a protective adjustment in her behavior.

Phobia, on the other hand, is like a fear gone wild, robbing a person of reason. When the woman cannot function normally anymore because of the fear, it has definitely turned into an irrational phobia. For example, she will not go to work anymore because she is afraid of being raped and she needs to pass by narrow corridors when going to her office. The worst part in having phobias is that a woman knows that her fears are somewhat irrational, and even at some times, foolish and yet, she continues to fear about them.

Most Common Fears of Women

As mentioned earlier, these more common and more generalized fears are somewhat part of the womens collective unconscious, as how Jung would call it. In most cases, they are not clearly manifested because women have changed a lot over the years. On extreme cases, however, these fears dominate the womens emotions and even control their lives.

Fear of Success
Since women have a traditional view of success as only a mans struggle because it was thought that we were supposed to be living in a mans world, some women even develop fear of being successful one day. In most patriarchal societies that exist until now, girls are taught that knowledge is important but then they are not encouraged to study beyond high school, since theyll get married anyway and it is their husbands responsibility to work for them. A Womans achievement is used to be measured not in the work field (in having positions in organizations, getting a profession, etc.)

but in the social arena on how well she performs her duties on the different facets of her womanhood as a child, a sister, a wife, and a mother. In the long run, as those young girls begin to see their roles in a culture that is dominantly male, they also start being afraid of possible high grades in school. If they get high grades, theyll eventually regret it in the end because their male classmates will resort to copying everything from them (from home works to actual tests) by using their society-given power. When deciding for a college course, not only the personal choice is considered but the courses to be taken as well. Some women will likely avoid Mathematics and Science courses because they are not considered feminine. In effect, this fear of success hinders the womans opportunity to work on the best of her abilities. It blocks her freedom to be herself and to do the things that she really wants to.

Fear of Rape
According to the book The Female Fear, womens fear of rape is a sense that one must always be on guard, vigilant and alert, a feeling that causes a woman to tighten with anxiety if someone is walking too closely behind her, especially at night. Also a product of patriarchal systems, fear of rape most often than not brings out paranoia. Since being female is seen as a weaker sex, a woman can always be subjected to what a man wants out of her. But this fear of rape is not all about rape in the physical and sexual sense that we know it. It includes all other circumstances where men dominate women, and use his gender as an advantage over her.

Fear of Death
Even though fear of death is considered a universal human emotion, women see this as a correlative of their fear of rape. Still according to The Female Fear, women say that the worst aspects of rape are the possibility of being killed and the possibility, or perhaps, the likelihood, that if they survive, they nonetheless will be humiliated and stigmatized. Dying is feared probably because it will prove that they are really weak and unable to cope with their sickness (if they died of sickness) or situations (if they died of unexpected events). Death is also feared because it interrupts goals. When women are giving birth, theres always a risk that theyll die or the child dies, and the women fear both deaths because it would fail to realize her eventual motherhood or whatever plans she has for herself or for her child in the future.

Fear of breast cancer

It may sound nonfactual but its true . A recent research states that women fear breast cancer far more than any other illness, even AIDS. However the five leading causes of death of women in decreasing order are, heart diseases, stroke, lung cancer, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and at the end breast cancer. The result of such a fear is due to women's continuing high concern about breast cancer and its growing awareness. In a way it helps her to prevent breast cancer and at the same time creates hurdles to enjoy a care free life.

Fear of commitment

Well! If you think its only men who hate and fear commitment then you may be on the wrong side of the dice, as today, a category of women fear commitment too. Like men they are terrified at the thought of marriage. They have started falling in love with their work or profession or growth to success and the freedom of being a spinster with all the odd enjoyments. These specified category of women usually select men who share the same feelings regarding commitment. These men and women spend their lives as life long lovers or best friends.

Fear of gaining weight

Compliment your lady love early in the morning with this line, "Oh my! You've lost so much of weight!". See her reaction towards her daily routine, she is all happy, she will serve you with the finest cuisine, talk sweetly, exchange her deepest feelings for you....and to end with all, she will not even cry out if you drop the whole foul curd on her favorite outfit. She is at your service for the generous comment the whole day and even the coming week. Well! If its vice versa, you can see the gloomy wife with extreme irritant and uncontrollable frustration flowing through the brim. Such emotions are due to her conscious fear of gaining weight.

Women fear this aspect to such an extent that some don't want to give birth at an early age of 20- 30. The worst cling to the slimming story is a research, that states that, 'many women have started smoking because they think it will help them to stay slim.' Cigarettes are well known to suppress appetite and weight, that is why women who have trouble managing their weight or are dissatisfied with their bodies are drawn to smoking.

Women fear cheating partners

Women fear being cheated by their partners. Therefore they are on the constant Sherlock Holmes mission of finding slightest clue of his adulterous work. Do not be surprised to find them even in your office without notice, or checking your messages, when you are away for a minute. Another fear inclusive to this is the fear of getting a divorce. Since wives were molded to be dependent to their husbands and the thought of losing a provider haunts them just the same. The above fears somehow control a woman's life. They groom her into a being which she is really not. However, one who overcomes it will surely hold the trophy with the title' I am the most fearless women'. Alas! I am afraid there are or there will be any.