kenpaulmanCan exposure to our fears, via the Internet, help us conquer them?
This video was passed to me with the note, “I will give you five bucks if you can watch this without your palms sweating.” Sorry folks, that offer was only good for me, and needless to say the sendee won’t have to pay up. It wasn’t quite fear, though, something more like straight-up adrenaline that caused my reaction. See for yourself:
While this is an amazing feat, the revealing story is in the reactions. The comments on the video range from admiration to astonishment with some good old, “That is so terrifying!!!” remarks thrown in for balance. This got me thinking about how we address our own fears, and wondering if people attempt to do this online.
According to an article from Backpacker Magazine, we can acquire skills to face our fears in the virtual world, “‘The gold standard for treatment is in vivo exposure therapy,’ Anderson says, but virtual exposure through computer simulations can be a good alternative when real-life contact is too difficult or expensive, such as in a fear of flying.”
But can – and do – we actually undertake this? Do you challenge yourself to overcome fears by watching videos?
h/t for the video, Michael Wells
