| The inner-ear processes all motion-related information. | | | | movement of our eyes, enabling us to track the |
| If it is impaired, you may be hypersensitive to horizontal | | | | movement of visual information in our environment. If |
| motion, vertical motion, clockwise motion, | | | | this tracking process is impaired, the eyes may be |
| counterclockwise motion, or any combination of the | | | | incapable of keeping pace with this visual information |
| above. | | | | and anxiety may surface. |
| Depending on what types of motion you are sensitive | | | | Gloria's fear of driving stems from a visual tracking |
| to, and your degree of sensitivity to each, the | | | | problem. Note how she describes her fear: |
| movement of a boat, plane, car, elevator, escalator, or | | | | "Driving has always terrified me. Even if I'm being |
| even a rocking chair can provoke any or all of the | | | | driven somewhere, I can't look at the road all of the |
| following symptoms:o Anxiety, and related symptomso | | | | time I get overloaded. I thought that if I could learn to |
| Dizzinesso Light-headednesso Nauseao Vomitingo | | | | drive I wouldn't be so frightened, so I signed up for a |
| Retching | | | | driver's education course. I quit as soon as we started |
| If your anxiety is severe or uncontrollable, phobias may | | | | driving on big streets. I just couldn't handle it. There |
| result. | | | | were too many things to watch for, cars in front, cars |
| Motion-Related Phobias: An Example | | | | behind, cars on your sides, lights, signs. And everything |
| Chris has a motion-related fear of flying. Notice how | | | | seemed to be coming at me so fast. I had no time to |
| his fear is specifically related to horizontal motion | | | | react. I froze in total panic. The instructor started to |
| sensitivity: | | | | scream at me. Then the car behind us hit us. That was |
| "I've only been on an airplane once. That was enough. | | | | the end of my driving career." |
| It was during takeoff. The plane started picking up | | | | A COMBINATION EFFECT |
| speed, and suddenly I was pinned to the back of my | | | | Many visual phobias are partially determined by |
| seat. I couldn't move. I could barely breathe. My | | | | underlying balance and/or compass and/or |
| stomach was inside out. It was as if I had lost control | | | | motion-related problems. |
| of my body... like I was having some kind of seizure. | | | | When our senses of balance, direction, and/or motion |
| As soon as the plane stabilized I felt a little better, so I | | | | stability are impaired, we often become more |
| started drinking. I don't remember much after that." | | | | dependent on visual information to compensate, and |
| An inner-ear dysfunction can also result in motion | | | | think of how getting a visual fix on land suppresses |
| insensitivity. Individuals with this problem need to be in | | | | motion sickness. |
| motion and become anxious when they are stuck, | | | | If the brain is not receiving this necessary visual |
| trapped, tied down, or unable to move literally or | | | | information, balance, compass, and motion-related |
| symbolically. This motion-related claustrophobic anxiety | | | | problems are aggravated. This triggers anxiety. |
| can result in a wide variety of phobias. | | | | Although the anxiety is provoked by visual distractions, |
| Some individuals have the worst of both worlds. They | | | | it really stems from other, inner-ear problems. |
| are hypersensitive to some forms of motion and | | | | The interaction of visual and balance problems can be |
| hyposensitive to others. These individuals often suffer | | | | clearly seen in Charlotte's description of a frightening |
| from numerous motion-related phobias. | | | | panic attack: |
| VISUAL PHOBIAS | | | | "We had gone to see a Broadway show and my |
| The inner-ear system processes all visual information. | | | | husband didn't tell me that he had gotten balcony |
| If this system is impaired, you may be hypersensitive | | | | seats. There was a mirrored ball that hung in the |
| to bright lights, fluorescent lights-even certain colors. | | | | middle of the ceiling. Flickering lights would bounce off |
| Any or all of these may provoke anxiety. | | | | the ball and spin around the theater while the skaters |
| A wide variety of visual distractions can also provoke | | | | skated in a circle. I was looking down from the balcony, |
| anxiety, including: flickering lights, blurred images, the | | | | and the place suddenly started to spin. I panicked. I |
| dark, and various hypnotic patterns as tiled floors, | | | | literally had to crawl out, pretty much on my hands and |
| moving cars, oncoming headlights, crowds, wallpaper | | | | knees, to get out of the balcony seat. I got so dizzy... |
| patterns, food displays, etc. | | | | just from watching the skaters going in a circle and the |
| If visually triggered anxiety is severe or uncontrollable, | | | | lights and the ball spinning." |
| various phobias may develop, including: fear of the | | | | The vast majority of phobias can be traced to a |
| dark, fear of bright lights, fear of crowds, fear of | | | | physiological problem: a malfunction within the inner-ear |
| supermarkets, fear of driving, etc. | | | | system! The inner-ear system plays an important role |
| A Visual Tracking Problem: | | | | in modulating and controlling anxiety. In my blog, please |
| Sensitivity to visual distractions is often the result of a | | | | click on the link below, I have further discussed these |
| tracking problem. The inner-ear system guides the | | | | problems. |