Assignment 8: Maggie Anderson

Fears: Too many to name. Everything. A short list: snakes, spiders, demons, possessed dolls, nightmares, public humiliation, the dark, messing up.
Annoyances: People talking over me, people (my parents) moving my stuff.
Accomplishments: Good grades, some academic honors.
Confusions: Science, life.
Sorrows: The state of the world, my life when I'm tired and emotional.
Dreams: A happy life with a ton of books.
Idiosyncrasies: My parents claim I have many, but I choose not to believe this.
Risks: I don't really take them (see fears).
Beloved Possessions: Phone, books, silver dresser set, dollhouse.
Problems: Procrastination, my numerous fears.

One of my greatest challenges in life is my problem with irrational fear. Most people have moments of irrational fear, in the dark house, for example, when they hear a noise. But mine reach an insane level. The worst parts are the supernatural ones, such as possessed dolls, demons, and other evil entities, which most people grow out of by now. Logically, I have, but that doesn't stop me from fearing the dark house. I have to cover my ears and close my eyes when the trailer for a horror movie comes on, because I know that when an image gets into my head, it will come back when I'm lying in bed in the dark at night (I also have some insomnia, which would be less of a problem if my mind didn't use that time to think up everything that doesn't exist and convince me that is does and is in my dark room as we speak (think?)). I also kind of hate my mind because it is afraid of all these non things when there are real scary things to worry about, like the future. I have considered the theory that a complete and all-encompassing focus on the nonexistent fears is my subconscious' way of protecting me from my real fears. It's working, but I'm not happy about it. At least I could rationalize the others.