Most men and women long to find love and be loved in return. Anuptaphobia is an irrational and very intense fear of not being in a romantic relationship. The fear of being single can be overwhelming and cause a person to experience full-blown anxiety attacks that affect every aspect of their lives. Anuptaphobia isn't the fear of being alone. Instead, it is a … [Read more...]
Fear of Music Phobia – Melophobia
Phobias are interesting for various reasons. While humans typically experience fear in response to a real or perceived threat, phobias are mostly irrational and persistent. People can have phobias about the most arbitrary objects or situations, such as money, bathing, or even the color yellow. One of the stranger phobias to understand is the fear of music, which is … [Read more...]
Fear of the Color Blue Phobia – Cyanophobia
Cyanophobia, fear of the color blue, is a subtype of the anxiety disorder chromophobia. People with chromophobia experience intense anxiety when they see one or more particular colors. Fear of one or two colors is the most common version of the disorder. Of all the phobias in the world, any type of chromophobia, including cyanophobia, is one of the rarer ones. People … [Read more...]
Fear of Glass Phobia – Nelophobia
People develop different phobias or fears for many different reasons. Sometimes it is childhood trauma, such as having a kitten scratch at the legs of a toddler, that may be the start of a lifelong fear of cats. But, any negative experience that is linked to a panic attack or other negative physical, emotional, or mental response can lead to phobias, including … [Read more...]
Fear of Clouds Phobia – Nephophobia
Phobias are a common problem affecting about 12% of adults. There are many different types of phobias, and most involve ordinary, everyday items. The fear of clouds or nephophobia goes all the way back to Ancient Greece, where people were said to have this affliction. Fortunately, there are treatments for nephophobia and other phobias so patients can cope more easily. … [Read more...]
Fear of Smells or Odors Phobia – Osmophobia or Olfactophobia
Smells can trigger vivid memories, memories that are years, even decades old. It has been said that the activity of eating engages a larger portion of the brain than any other activity. In many ways, eating and smell are very similar- or at least very closely related. While smell stimulus may not engage the same volume of brain matter that eating does, it certainly does go … [Read more...]
Fear of Guns or Firearms Phobia – Hoplophobia
Does the sight of a gun cause you instant terror? Do your nightmares feature guns or other firearms? Then, you may have a condition called hoplophobia. This condition can be quite debilitating, making it difficult to go about your daily life. In this article, we will discuss what hoplophobia is, what causes it, and how it can be treated. What Is … [Read more...]
Fear of the Color Yellow Phobia – Xanthophobia
Are you suffering from Xanthophobia? If you are, then you likely already know what fear of the color yellow entails. However, for most people, this word is probably a mysterious term. When people talk about phobias, generally the most common ones come up. For instance, most people have heard of Claustrophobia, which is the fear of small, enclosed spaces. Similarly, if … [Read more...]
Fear of Your Mother-In-Law Phobia – Pentheraphobia
Millions of Americans suffer from various types of phobias, and Pentheraphobia is one of them. It is no secret that mothers-in-law tend to be difficult to get along with. Thousands of jokes have been made about the poor relationships between a man and his wife's mother, and the trend seems to be equally common between women and their mothers-in-law. However, while an … [Read more...]
Fear of Hearing Certain Words or Names Phobia – Onomatophobia
Onomatophobia – the fear of hearing certain words or names - combines two Greek words namely, onomatos and phobos. The former means ‘name’ or ‘word’ and the latter means aversion or fear. It is very similar to Onomatopoeia which is a figure of speech wherein the word describing a sound sounds like the word itself (such as boom, buzz, ting-ting, etc). In Onomatophobia, a … [Read more...]
Fear of Gravity Phobia – Barophobia
Barophobia is the fear of gravity and the word comes from two Greek words: baros meaning pressure or weight, and phobos meaning deep aversion or fear. A person with Barophobia probably cannot dream of becoming an astronaut. S/he would also refrain from watching movies about space and reading or thinking about gravity in general. A Barophobe would probably hate Sir Isaac … [Read more...]
Fear of Feces or Defecation Phobia – Coprophobia
Coprophobia is the fear of feces or the act of defecation. It leads to fearing one’s own fecal matter, but many phobics may be more afraid of coming in contact with or viewing someone else’s excrement. The word Coprophobia is a combination of two Greek words, namely koprana/copro which is fecal matter and phobos meaning deep aversion or fear. To some extent, tiny … [Read more...]
Fear of Stars and Outer Space Phobia – Astrophobia
Astrophobia is an extreme fear of all things pertaining to outer space. It is usually described as the fear or phobia of stars, fear of celestial bodies, or, in general, of outer space. The word Astrophobia is derived from two Greek words: astro meaning stars, and phobos meaning deep aversion or fear. Astrophobia is often confused with Astraphobia, which is the fear of … [Read more...]
Fear of the Elderly or Aging Phobia – Gerontophobia
Gerontophobia, also known as fear of the elderly or aging, causes an intense fear about the concept of age-related degeneration and elderly people. The word Gerontophobia is a combination of two Greek words: geronto meaning old age and phobos meaning fear or aversion. Gerontophobia is often confused with Gerascophobia which is the fear of getting old. In a sense, the two … [Read more...]
Fear of an Erect Penis Phobia – Ithyphallophobia or Phallophobia
Ithyphallophobia is the fear of an erect penis. The word is a combination of three Greek words ithy, meaning straight, phallo or phallus meaning penis, and phobos meaning deep aversion or fear. Contrary to what most would believe, this phobia can impact both women and men. A person with Ithyphallophobia is afraid of seeing an erect penis, either through clothing or without … [Read more...]