We’re All Scared Of Something
How often are you confronted with something that truly terrifies you? Maybe when you get blood taken, or cross paths with a large dog during your walk, or maybe walking a little too close to the edge of a bridge. Being scared sucks, but for most of us, it’s not a daily issue. Anyone struggling with one of the phobias below, however? Our condolences.
1. Nomophobia
This fear stems from not having your mobile phone. People with nomophobia usually experience greater fits of anxiety if their phone is forgotten, dead, or out of service. This is a word you probably should know, since it’s likely many of us have felt this way before.
2. Plutophobia
This is the fear of money. People with plutophobia dislike having to deal with money, hate wealth and wealthy people, and will even go as far as to sabotage their professional careers to avoid making more money.
3. Xanthophobia
This is the fear of the color yellow. Like any fear, xanthophobia likely stems from a traumatic event or environment in your past. Unfortunately, the color yellow is everywhere, which can make this fear feel ever-present.
4. Optophobia
This is the fear of opening one's eyes, and is usually associated with a generalized anxiety disorder. Usually formed after a traumatic incident, people with optophobia will do their best to stay indoors or in dimly lit areas.
5. Ambulophobia
This is the fear of walking. People with ambulophobia usually have a larger fear of falling, forcing individuals to stay at home or in their beds. If not dealt with, this phobia can cause major mobility and health issues.
6. Globophobia
This is the fear of balloons. While many of us can feel acute anxiety from the sound of a balloon popping, people with globophobia may not even be able to enter a room with balloons in it. It’s also worth noting that this phobia is closely associated with coulrophobia, a fear of clowns.
7. Chiclephobia
This phobia is the fear of chewing gum, and can manifest in the individual or others around the individual popping a stick into their mouth. This fear is not as well understood as some other phobias, but it usually stems from a negative experience or comes from a family member who also has a phobia or anxiety disorder.
8. Ephebiphobia
This is the fear of adolescents or youth, with the belief that teenagers are out of control, dangerous, and unpredictable. It can even get to a point where you may avoid going to places like the mall or to a friend's house that has children.
9. Haphephobia
This is the fear of being touched. Unlike hypersensitivity, this has nothing to do with physical pain. People with this fear could experience nausea, vomiting, or panic attacks at the thought or experience of being touched.
10. Linonophobia
This phobia is a fear of strings. Yes, that includes tying shoes. If you’re not well-versed in home ec and prefer zip-up boots, you’re usually okay. This phobia likely stems from a larger fear or experience of being kidnapped, restrained, or restricted.
11. Doraphobia
This is the intense fear of touching the skin or fur of an animal. It could potentially relate to childhood stories about predatory animals. This fear will make individuals avoid touching any fur, even avoiding bunnies, cats, dogs, or other small rodents.
12. Pogonophobia
This rare phobia is a fear of beards. Whether you had a negative experience with a bearded person or have a larger fear of anonymity, people with pogonophobia will experience immense anxiety when looking, speaking, or being around a bearded person.
13. Eremophobia
This is the fear of being alone. Entomology-wise, the word comes from the Greek word erēmia, meaning "desert" or "solitary". It can be a general fear of loneliness, but it can also be the fear of being unloved or being alone if an emergency were to occur.
14. Vestiphobia
Vestiphobia is a fear of clothing. Depending on the individual, this can manifest as one clothing item, form-fitting clothing, or clothes as a whole. It can come from a negative experience associated with a specific piece of clothing or an allergy to a fabric.
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15. Ergophobia
This is the fear of work. Sure, we all don’t like work, but people with ergophobia experience debilitating anxiety about going into work. It can stem from high-stress situations, and doesn’t always leave even after an individual has switched jobs.
16. Deipnophobia
Deipnophobia is the fear of dining with others. It usually stems from an underlying social phobia, like carrying on a conversation while you’re eating. It’s most likely that this fear stems from being scrutinized at the dinner table.
17. Hypnophobia
Hynophobia is the fear of falling asleep. This fear usually stems from trauma experienced as a child, and those who have to deal with this fear will go to great lengths to keep themselves from falling asleep. Not to mention, this fear will negatively affect your day-to-day, as a lack of sleep can affect your mood, health, and mental state.
18. Alektrophobia
This is the fear of chickens or hens. While it’s much more common to have a fear of larger animals, like horses or dogs, it’s not unheard of to have a particularly traumatic experience with a chicken.
19. Anatidaephobia
This phobia is the irrational fear that a duck is watching you at all times. The fear actually comes from cartoonist Gary Larson, and isn’t actually considered a real condition. Larson first used this made-up phobia back in 1988, in an installment of The Far Side.
20. Gerascophobia
This dangerous phobia is the fear of aging or growing up. While many of us dwell in the area of vanity when it comes to aging, folks with an actual fear of aging will deliberately restrict their food intake, walk with poor posture, or speak in higher, softer-pitched voices to maintain a younger vibe.
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