8 Places to Conquer These 8 Most Common Phobias

Conquer Most Common Phobias

“If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy”.

This is a phrase uttered by the famous writer and motivational speaker Dale Carnegie. And if we really think about it, it’s true, isn’t it? Taking that one big step is the way to go. We may argue about it and keep delaying ourselves but let’s face it. Defeating our fears requires the hard choice of going for it.

As they say, the fear of facing your fears is harder to overcome than the fear itself. So let’s give it a shot and face our fears in the most epic ways possible. If you’re up for the challenge, let’s take a look at these 8 places and conquer these 8 most common phobias and claim the victory for ourselves.

Yunessun Spa Resort, Japan – Mysophobia (Fear of Germs)

If you find yourself always eager to take a bath or sanitize your hands, then you might be suffering the early symptoms of Mysophobia. It is an excessive fear of germs which hinders a person to avoid any social interaction. Isolation is often a sign of this phobia and if not taken care of, it may lead to depression.

So instead of locking yourself up in your room, help yourself up and face your fear head-on by visiting the Yunessun Spa Resort in Japan. While being with people is such a task for a person with mysophobia, surely bathing with them would be an even greater challenge. And of course, there’s an even better twist. The resort not just offer pools that you see in typical bathhouses and hot springs. It also ventured into more out of the ordinary bathing options such as its famous wine, sake, coffee, tea, and even ramen pools. You’ve heard it, right folks! You can even drink the flavored pool water, but would you dare? It really is bizarre yet very tempting.

Have I convinced you to come? Just give it a try. A few germs won’t hurt you. Or will they?

Ancient Underground Tunnels, Jerusalem – Claustrophobia (Fear of Small Spaces)

Claustrophobia - Most Common Phobias — Photo by Tamar Hayardeni

There are definitely great places in the world that are not appealing to those who deal with claustrophobia. Tight spaces and enclosed areas, as well as alleys and tunnels, are a great “no-no” for this type of people. However, most great places are hidden in plain sight and are waiting to be discovered with few struggles along the way. We don’t want to miss all the fun right?

Behind the walls of the great city, Jerusalem is a rich and meaningful history. If you are a historian or just fond of discovering things of the past, it will be a waste to miss such a place. The ancient underground tunnel systems found underneath the city of Jerusalem have hallways too tight and unpredictable that one with claustrophobia might not appreciate. However, the place is full of mystery and it can trigger our curiosity on a whole new level.

The place may seem like a gold mine but letting your fear win might cause you to miss the chance of exploring it.

Never-ending Storm of Catatumbo, Venezuela – Astraphobia (Fear of Thunder and Lightning)

Most children run to their parents once they hear roaring thunders and see striking bolts of lightning. This is known as astraphobia. Majority of the sufferers of this fear are children but it can also persist in their adulthood.

Lightning is a natural phenomenon that is bound to happen. And some of us think that it is mesmerizing to watch them. However, for those who have this phobia, it can be downright debilitating.

To conquer this fear, the Catatumbo River in Venezuela is the place to go. While most of us believe that lightning never strikes at the same place twice, the storm in Catatumbo persists in the same place almost every night producing a near-daily series of flashes of lightning. Talk about consistency, right?

Just imagine yourself staying there for quite a while and experience thunder and lightning every night. You might just get used to it.

World’s Ugliest Dog Championship, Petaluma, California – Cynophobia (Fear of Dogs)

Cynophobia - Most Common Phobias — Photo by Marco Verch via Flickr

“A man’s best friend”. That’s how we usually see our dogs. But for some people, they perceive these creatures as their nightmares.

In all fairness, dogs at times can really be bad and hurt people. There are so many incidents that they have caused deaths, injuries, and fear due to their bad behavior. But not all dogs act this way. Some of them are really loving and proved to be great companions.

Not yet convinced? Maybe it’s time to visit the World’s Ugliest Dog Championship in California. The reason is just simple. The advocates of this event want to impart that all dogs are good dogs, even if they don’t really look like one. They do this annually to give dogs a shot at finding a good home despite their horrible looks. And if that doesn’t touch your heart, I don’t know what would.

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France– Agoraphobia (Fear of Crowded Spaces)

When it comes to tourism, popularity is both a gift and a curse. The Eiffel Tower in Paris is a testament to this. Most people say that if you want your love to last, you should visit the tower and seal the deal there making it one of the top destinations to propose. Unfortunately for those who have Agoraphobia or the fear of crowded spaces, this can’t happen.

In order to love, we should banish all fear. To what lengths are you willing to go for the sake of your love?

High Roller, Las Vegas Nevada, USA – Acrophobia (Fear of Heights)

Acrophobia or the fear of heights made it to the top 3 of our list due to the many people having it. The sufferers of this phobia may actually endure the idea of climbing up but the moment that it’s time to descend, panic attacks can be triggered.

To conquer this fear, the best way to do it is by searching for tallest structures worth exploring. Known as the ultimate “adult’s playground”, how can one person never dream to go to Las Vegas? From various tourist attractions you can choose from, there are also a lot of five and four-star hotels you can lodge into while enjoying a grand vacation in the City of Lights.

If you think, that’s all there is to Las Vegas, well it only gets better. Coincidentally, It is also the place where the tallest Ferris wheel in the world is located. That’s hitting two birds with one stone! Standing at 550-ft, the attraction was first introduced March of 2014. They say that riding it completes the whole Vegas experience as the view proved to be quite spectacular.

Will you let your fear ruin a chance of a lifetime? It’s time to take the leap (not literally, of course).

Snake Café (Tokyo Snake Center), Tokyo, Japan – Ophidiophobia (Fear of Snakes)

Snakes’ reputation has never been that good throughout the ages. That explains why it’s not a surprise to see ophidiophobia in the top 2 most common phobias of all time. But fear not for we’ve searched a place that is surely safe and perfect to overcome this fear.

After cafés for dogs, cats, and other lovable animals’ hit the market in recent years, a bold attempt at offering a snake version took place at Tokyo in August 2015. The place houses a collection of more than 35 snakes with over 20 different species. As you enter the vicinity, you get to chose one snake in a box to serve as your table buddy. Waiters are also there to assist you along the way and they even give free quick lessons on how to properly handle your newly found scaly friend. And should you want to go further and pet/hold a snake, you can do so, but with additional payment, of course.

Some snakes can be quite friendly too. This café is giving you a chance to meet them, that is, if you’re willing.

Skuon Spider Town, Cambodia – Arachnophobia (Fear of Spiders)

If there is one item here that can literally give me a heart attack, this is what it is. Those big, black and hairy eight-legged monsters made this article a bit difficult for me to write since I myself fear these creatures. How can I not? They even made it on top of our list labeled as the most common phobia in the world.

For all the arachnophobes out there, the thought of spiders crawling in our bodies will certainly make us go nuts. That’s why I personally chose this last destination to make sure that none of these creatures can attack us surprisingly.

Skuon Spider Town is one of the tourist attractions in Cambodia for the exotic delicacy it offers. The bizarre eating habits of the town residents became popular as they unusually have an appetite for fried spiders (tarantulas, to be specific). Well at least, they won’t be running towards us if we visit, right?

The strange custom of eating spiders began during the cruel reign of the Khmer Rouge due to the starvation rife brought about by scarcity of food. The practice remained even up to this present day and fried spiders were loved not just by locals but by curious tourists alike. They are also used in traditional medicine and are believed to be good for the heart and lungs.

Not so bad after all, right? Let’s meet these dead spiders and decide for ourselves if these fellas are worth our fears.

Have you decided on facing your fears? Let me end with this famous line from Les Brown to keep us thinking. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears”. It’s just your Fears VS your Dreams. You choose.