IT`S NOT SO FESTIVE FOR PEOPLE WITH FUNNY PHOBIAS
By Chris Parker

It’s the season to be jolly…. Unless you suffer from fear of knives, parties or bagpipes.

A Liverpool phobia clinic is reporting  a 25% increase in the number of patients seeking help in the run-up to Christmas, as Merseyside’s nerves are frayed by thoughts of carving turkeys, entertaining in-laws and attending office parties.

Psycho-analyst Michael Whitenburgh, who runs Stress Clinics in Rodney Street, and in London’s Harley Street, explained why one person’s knee’s-up is another’s nightmare.

He said: “Many people come to me suffering from social phobias.
“They have a fear of socialising, and particularly of entertaining people they don’t really like.

“Patients also complain of the fear of knives at this time of year, associated with carving of the Christmas Day turkey.”

Mr Whitenburgh charges £65 for one-hour sessions, in which he aims to find the root cause of the phobia.

Bills are often paid by the NHS, which refers patients to the clinic.

Mr Whitenburgh said: “A phobia is a fear that people will take action to avoid.
“Many of these fears stem from childhood, but can be treated in a couple of sessions.

“I try to get patients to recreate the emotions they feel when they are experiencing a panic attack.

“By doing this, they release themselves from the grip of the phobia.

“Phobias can cause panic attacks, involving increased heart rate and raised blood pressure.

“Money causes a lot of stress at Christmas time.

“One of the most common fears at this time of the year is of loneliness, it can affect people of all ages, even when they are surrounded by a large family. It is terribly sad.”