Monday, February 10, 2014

CURE FOR FEAR

CURE FOR FEAR


                            A person approached a psychiatrist with a strange disorder. Whenever he lies on his bed, he has a strong feeling that someone is hiding under the cot. This fear has deprived him of sleep for months. The doctor diagnosed the disorder. He said, “You have an anxiety disorder with fear of sleep and thieves - a rare combination of hypnophobia and Kleptophobia.”He agreed to cure the ‘phobias’ using medicines and regular psychotherapy. The patient was asked to consult the doctor every week. He charged a heavy fee for every session of treatment. The drugs also had a high cost.
                            The treatment continued for two months. Thereafter, the patient stopped the visit to the psychiatrist. Months later, the doctor met the patient in a super market. He enquired about the disease and asked why he discontinued the treatment. The patient replied with joy, “Doctor, one of my friends, a carpenter, cured my disease. Now I get good sleep and I have lost all fears.” The doctor was surprised. He asked for details. The man explained, “The carpenter who learned about my ‘phobia’ came to my house with his tools and cut off the four legs of my cot. Now no one can hide under my cot. So there is no problem now.”
                             A phobia is an anxiety disorder with intense and irrational fear of an object, animal or situation. Millions of people suffer from such phobias. There is a long list of phobias: (http://phobialist.com).
                             An instructor was directing a group of students during a training to undertake adventurous sports. He ordered, “There is a very dangerous exercise ahead. I want the bravest of you for the operation. Those who volunteer for the training may move one step forward.” There was a loud stepping sound and dust covered the scene. One of the students who was afraid to volunteer stood still.  But the instructor approached him and shaking his shivering hands congratulated him for his courage. The confused student turned to either side and saw that he was the only one in the front row. He realized what had happened. The rest of the students in the group had stepped one step backwards in fear and he was the only one left in the front!
                             There is a story about Alexander the Great, renowned for his bravery and courage. A soldier, caught for committing a cowardly act was brought before Alexander for trial. “What is your name?” asked Alexander. The frightened soldier replied, “My name is Alexander.”
                             Hearing this, Alexander the Great became furious. He said angrily, “You must change your conduct or change your name. No coward shall share my name!”
                             The optimist recognizes a responsibility in every crisis. The pessimist worries about a crisis in every responsibility. When the gigantic Goliath challenged the Israelites, the soldiers thought, “He is so huge; we can never kill him.” But the courageous David saw him and possibly thought, “He is so huge; I can’t miss him!” The confidence of David was due to his deep faith in the Omnipotent God. He assured King Saul,  “The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; He will save me from this Philistine{1 Samuel 17: 37}. He could fell the giant using a single stone slung from his catapult (slingshot) and slay him.
                             King David declares confidently in the Psalms, “Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me” {Psalms 23: 4}. “The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid; what can anyone do to me?” {Psalms 118: 6}. The Bible consoles and inspires us with the message, ‘fear not’ or ‘do not be afraid’ over a hundred times.
                             Jesus taught, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell {Matthew 10: 28, Luke 12: 4}.



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© By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip, Darsana Academy, Kottayam-686001, Kerala, India ( Former Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India), Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally,  Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
                         For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit our web-sites:
                         This is Story No. 303 in the second site. Please click ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of a page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of a page to read newer stories in these sites. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.

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