Phobias
There are lots of unusual phobias – some remarkably specific, e.g. fear of the number 8; and there's even "phobophobia" – a fear of phobias. Very chicken and egg.
A phobia is an anxiety disorder, defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias may develop for a variety of reasons: childhood experiences, past traumatic experiences, brain chemistry, genetics or learned behaviour.
Here is a selection of some of the more unusual phobias:
Alektorophobia: fear of chickens
Apeirophobia: fear of infinity, eternity, and the uncountable
Arachibutyrophobia: fear of having peanut butter stick to the roof of your mouth [Ed: Hmm … quite specific]
Arithmophobia: fear of numbers
Atelophobia: fear of imperfection
Atychiphobia: fear of failure
Aurophobia: fear of gold [Ed: Really?]
Autophobia: fear of being alone
Belonephobia: fear of pins and needles
Carcinophobia: fear of cancer
Cherophobia: fear of happiness [Ed: Best get over that one]
Chorophobia: fear of dancing
Coimetrophobia: fear of cemeteries
Consecotaleophobia: fear of chopsticks
Coprophobia: fear of faeces or defecation
Coulrophobia: fear of clowns See “Clowns” [RR5:17].
Dentophobia: fear of dentists
Emetophobia: fear of vomiting
Frigophobia: fear of becoming too cold
Genuphobia: fear of knees or the act of kneeling
Gephyrophobia: fear of crossing bridges [Ed: One of Remo’s … when driving]
Globophobia: fear of balloons
Halitophobia: fear of bad breath
Keraunothnetophobia: fear of falling satellites
Koumpounophobia: fear of buttons on clothing
Leukophobia: fear of the colour white
Nomophobia: fear of being out of mobile phone contact [Ed: Yes, really]
Octophobia: fear of the number 8
Omphalophobia: fear of belly buttons
Ophthalmophobia: fear of being stared at
Optophobia: fear of opening one’s eyes [Ed: Wins the prize for most inconvenient]
Panphobia: fear of everything or constant fear of an unknown cause [Ed: A really bad one to have]
Papaphobia: fear of the pope
Papyrophobia: fear of paper
Paruresis: fear of urinating in public places or in the presence of others, aka “shy bladder syndrome”
Pediophobia: fear of dolls
Pentheraphobia: fear of mothers-in-law
Phagophobia: fear of swallowing
Phobophobia: fear of phobias [Ed: Our favourite]
Pogonophobia: fear of beards
Pterpnophobia: fear of being tickled with feathers. See “Tickle Torture” [RR2:74].
Samhainophobia: fear of Halloween
Teratophobia: fear of giving birth to a monster or a disfigured fetus
Trypophobia: fear of clustered patterns of holes
Turophobia: fear of cheese
Venustraphobia: fear of beautiful women
Zoophobia: fear of animals
… and Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia: fear of the number 666 [Ed: another specific phobia] – pronunciation guide below
Videos
Episode 7: IKEA FRAKTA Bag, Phobias, Doing a Bradbury, Chopin's Heart
What's the story with the iconic blue IKEA FRAKTA tote – surely the world's most functional and hardworking bag? Turophobia is the fear of cheese. What are some of the more unusual phobias? What does it mean to be “Doing a Bradbury”? And finally, in this episode … why did the Polish composer Frederick Chopin ask for his heart to be removed from his…
REMORANDOM Book Chapter
Thanks for the handy dandy guide to phobias. Given the specific name for a “fear of peanut butter …”, I’m surprised toffee getting sticking one’s mouth shut doesn’t rate a mention - eek. Also re the fear of 666, I’ve read in some documents that 616 is the original number of the beast. I wonder what that word would be.