Are You Easily Startled?

Quck answer

If you find yourself getting scared easily, you may have a low tolerance for fear. This can be caused by various factors, such as past traumatic experiences, high levels of anxiety, or a highly sensitive personality. It’s important to understand that everyone’s fear tolerance is different, and there is no right or wrong level. However, if your fear is interfering with your daily life or causing distress, it may be worth seeking professional help. Techniques such as exposure therapy and relaxation techniques can help you gradually increase your fear tolerance and manage your anxiety better. Remember, it’s okay to be scared, but it’s also important to find ways to cope with your fears.


With Halloween approaching, you will begin to see ghosts, goblins, and various strange and scary creatures wandering the streets. How do you react when you see them?

Do they fascinate or frighten you? If seeing them makes you jumpy, you might be someone who gets easily spooked!

If you are, don’t worry. Everyone is afraid of something. In fact, most of us are afraid of many different things.

There are so many fears in the world that our language has evolved over the years to describe the multitude of reactions people have to their fears. Does it frighten you? Alarm you? Scare you? Terrify you? Startle you? Unnerve you? Petrify you?

Here are some other interesting words and phrases we use from time to time to describe our reactions to things we fear:

  • terrified
  • frighten the living daylights out of
  • make your hair stand on end
  • make your blood run cold
  • throw into a panic
  • jump out of your skin
  • give you goosebumps

Have you ever experienced times when one or more of these phrases applied to you? That’s okay. We’ve all been there at some point.

Besides Halloween ghosts and goblins, what other things make you scared? Storms? Pop quizzes? Oral book reports in front of the class? A bully in the hallway? The pressure of a big game?

Even if you’re a brave person, you probably fear certain things every now and then. Whether it’s snakes and bugs or heights and roller coasters, we all have certain things that make us feel uncomfortable or afraid.

Here are some of the things that kids consider as their top fears:

  • Scary TV shows and movies
  • Nightmares and bad dreams
  • Bad weather, including thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes
  • Terrorism and war
  • Strange sounds in the night

Fear isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes fears keep us safe and healthy. For example, a fear of snakes can prevent you from getting bitten by a venomous snake. A fear of painful cavities might motivate you to take better care of your teeth.

For some people, a little fear can even be enjoyable. Watching scary movies and riding roller coasters can get our adrenaline pumping in ways that make us feel good…even if we are scared for a short time!

If you’re tired of feeling afraid in certain situations, here are a few things you can do to try to overcome certain fears:

  • Remove yourself from the situation! Do something else to take your mind off of what is bothering you.
  • Talk to a parent or a friend. Sometimes, an encouraging word is all you need to feel better!
  • Learn more about what you fear. Sometimes fears are based on a lack of knowledge. Once you learn about it, you often realize there’s nothing to fear!

What scares you? Talk to a friend or family member about why it scares you. Often, talking about fears helps us feel much better!

Give It a Try

If you’re not too frightened, try out the following activities with a friend or family member:

  • Are you easily frightened? What types of things scare you? Share your thoughts with your friends and family members. You never know when you might share a common fear with someone else! How do your friends and family members cope with their fears? Maybe they can assist you with yours!
  • If you’re not easily frightened, maybe you enjoy scaring others. Want to try scaring your friends and family members? Write a short, spooky story that is as imaginative and wild as possible. Share it with your friends and family members. What do they think of it? Does it frighten them? Why or why not? Perhaps you can even read it out loud at night around a campfire!
  • A good ghost story can be a fun way to pass the time when you’re bored. Visit your local library and explore their collection of spooky, scary, or mysterious books. Find a couple to borrow and take them home to read. Which one is your favorite? Share it with a friend or family member. You never know when you might discover a new favorite author!

Additional Resources

  • http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spooked (accessed 18 June 2019)
  • http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/kidssay/comments_scared.html (accessed 18 June 2019)
  • http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/afraid.html (accessed 18 June 2019)

FAQ

1. Do you believe in ghosts?

Belief in ghosts varies from person to person. Some people claim to have had supernatural experiences and firmly believe in the existence of ghosts, while others are more skeptical and attribute such experiences to natural phenomena or psychological factors.

2. What are common signs of being spooked?

Common signs of being spooked include feeling a sudden chill or goosebumps, hearing unexplained noises or footsteps, seeing shadows or objects move on their own, and experiencing feelings of unease or being watched. These signs can vary from person to person and may also depend on one’s belief in the supernatural.

3. How can someone overcome their fear of being spooked?

Overcoming the fear of being spooked can be a gradual process. It may involve gradually exposing oneself to situations that trigger fear, practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation, seeking support from friends or professionals, and challenging negative thoughts or beliefs about the supernatural. It is important to remember that fear is subjective and everyone’s journey towards overcoming it will be different.

4. Are there any scientific explanations for spooky experiences?

Many spooky experiences can be explained by natural phenomena or psychological factors. For example, the feeling of being watched or a sense of unease can be attributed to heightened senses or anxiety. Unexplained noises or footsteps can be caused by creaking floors or air currents. While science may not have all the answers, it continues to explore and research these phenomena to provide explanations based on evidence and logic.

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