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Fighting Phobias . . . The Things That Go Bump in the Mind
cite>by Lynne Hall
-
From 50
yards away,
you see
the animal
approaching.
Silently
it watches
you as it
slinks ever
so much
closer with
each padded
step. Stay
calm, you
tell yourself.
There's
nothing
to fear.
But suddenly,
panic seizes
you in a
death grip,
squeezing
the breath
out of you
and turning
your knees
to Jell-O.
Your heart
starts slam-dancing
inside your
chest, your
mouth turns
to cotton,
and your
palms are
so sweaty
you'd swear
they'd sprung
a leak.
You'd escape
this terrifying
confrontation,
if only
you could
make your
legs work!
Just what
is this
wild and
dangerous
animal making
you hyperventilate
and turning
your legs
to rubber?
A man-eating
tiger, hungry
for a meal?
A lioness
bent on
protecting
her cubs?
Guess again.
That's Tabby,
your neighbor's
ordinary
house cat,
sauntering
your way.
Ridiculous,
right? How
can anyone
experience
so much
fear at
the sight
of such
an innocuous
animal?
If you're
one of the
thousands
who suffer
from galeophobia -- the
fear of
cats--or
any one
of hundreds
of other
phobias,
sheer panic
at the appearance
of everyday
objects,
situations
or feelings
is a regular
occurrence.
Irrational
Fears
A phobia
is an intense,
unrealistic
fear of
an object,
an event,
or a feeling.
An estimated
18 percent
of the U.S.
adult population
suffers
from some
kind of
phobia,
and a person
can develop
a phobia
of anything--elevators,
clocks,
mushrooms,
closed spaces,
open spaces.
Exposure
to these
trigger
the rapid
breathing,
pounding
heartbeat,
and sweaty
palms of
panic.
There are
three defined
types of
phobias:
-
specific
or simple
phobias
-- fear
of an
object
or situation,
such
as spiders,
heights
or flying
-
social
phobias
-- fear
of embarrassment
or humiliation
in social
settings
-
agoraphobia
-- fear
of being
away
from
a safe
place.
No one knows
for sure
how phobias
develop.
Often, there
is no explanation
for the
fear. In
many cases,
though,
a person
can readily
identify
an event
or trauma--such
as being
chased by
a dog--that
triggered
the phobia.
What puzzles
experts
is why some
people who
experience
such an
event develop
a phobia
and others
do not.
Many psychologists
believe
the cause
lies in
a combination
of genetic
predisposition
mixed with
environmental
and social
causes.
Phobic disorders
are classified
as part
of the group
of anxiety
disorders,
which includes
panic disorder,
post-traumatic
stress disorder,
and obsessive-compulsive
disorder.
Several
drugs regulated
by the Food
and Drug
Administration
are now
being used
to treat
phobias
and other
anxiety
disorders.
Dogs,
Snakes,
Dentists
. . .
A person
can develop
a specific
phobia of
anything,
but in most
cases the
phobia is
shared by
many and
has a name.
Animal phobias--cynophobia
(dogs),
equinophobia
(horses),
zoophobia
(all animals)--are
common.
So are arachnophobia
(spiders)
and ophidiophobia
(snakes).
And, of
course,
there's
the fear
of flying
(pterygophobia),
heights
(acrophobia),
and confined
spaces (claustrophobia).
"One
of the most
common phobias
is the fear
of dentists
[odontiatophobia],"
says Sheryl
Jackson,
Ph.D., a
clinical
psychologist
and associate
professor
at the University
of Alabama
at Birmingham.
"People
who suffer
with this
phobia will
literally
let their
teeth rot
out because
they are
afraid to
go to a
dentist."
Jackson
says that
most specific
phobias
do not cause
a serious
disruption
in a person's
life, and,
consequently,
sufferers
do not seek
professional
help. Instead,
they find
ways to
avoid whatever
it is that
triggers
their panic,
or they
simply endure
the distress
felt when
they encounter
it. Some
may also
consult
their physicians,
requesting
medication
to help
them through
a situation,
such as
an unavoidable
plane trip
for someone
who is phobic
about flying.
Drugs prescribed for these
short-term
situations
include
benzodiazepine
anti-anxiety
agents.
These medications
include
two approved
for treating
anxiety
disorders:
Xanax (alprazolam)
and Valium
(diazepam).
Beta blockers
such as
Inderal
(propranolol)
and Tenormin
(atenolol),
approved
for controlling
high blood
pressure
and some
heart problems,
have been
acknowledged,
partly on
the basis
of controlled
trials,
to be helpful
in certain
situations
in which
anxiety
interferes
with performance,
such as
public speaking.
Some phobias
cause significant
problems
that require
long-term
professional
help. "People
usually
seek treatment
when their
phobia interferes
in their
lives--the
person who
turns down
promotions
because
he knows
public speaking
will be
required,
someone
who must
travel frequently
but who
is afraid
of flying,
or a woman
who wants
to have
children
but who
has a fear
of pain
or blood.
These are
the people
who seek
long-term
treatment,"
says Jackson.
While anti-anxiety
medication
sometimes
may be used
initially,
systematic
desensitization
may also
be an effective
initial
approach.
Jackson
explains
that this
non drug
treatment
works on
the theory
that the
more a person
is exposed
to the object
of his phobia,
the less
fear that
object generates.
First, the
patient
and therapist
establish
a hierarchy
of feared
situations,
from the
least to
the most
feared.
For someone
who fears
elevators,
for example,
stepping
onto the
elevator
causes a
certain
level of
anxiety;
going up
one flight
causes another
level of
anxiety.
With each
additional
flight the
anxiety
increases
until it
becomes intolerable.
Therapy
begins with
the patient
and therapist
practicing
the least
fearful
event, riding
out the
anxiety
until the
physiological
symptoms
subside.
This step
is repeated
until the
anxiety
level is
acceptable.
Then the
person progresses
to the next
step in
the hierarchy.
Each successive
step is
repeated
until the
physical
reactions
and anxious
mood decrease
to the point
where the
person can
step onto
an elevator
and ride
to the top
floor without
fear or a panic attack.
Everyone's
Looking
at Me!
Social phobia
is a complex
disorder,
characterized
by the fear
of being
criticized
or humiliated
in social
situations.
There are
two types
of social
phobias:
circumscribed,
which relates
to a specific
situation
such as
"stage
fright,"
and generalized
social phobia,
which involves
fear of
a variety
of social
situations.
People suffering
from social
phobia fear
the scrutiny
of others.
They tend
to be highly
sensitive
to criticism,
and often
interpret
the actions
of others
in social
gatherings
as an attempt
to humiliate
them. They
are afraid
to enter
into conversations
for fear
of saying
something
foolish,
and may
agonize
for hours
or days
later over
things they
did say.
"I
always believed
that everybody
else knew
the secret
to enjoying
themselves
in social
situations,
that I was
the only
one who
was so afraid,"
says Lorraine
from Birmingham,
Ala., who
asked that
her last
name not
be used.
"For
a long time,
I avoided
as many
situations
as possible,
even talking
on the telephone.
After a
while, the
loneliness
and boredom
would overwhelm
me, and
I would
try again.
I wanted
to have
fun, but
I never
really enjoyed
myself because
of the anxiety
I felt.
I always
believed
that others
were looking
at me and
judging
me."
Many people
with social
phobia are
so sensitive
to the scrutiny
of others
that they
avoid eating
or drinking
in public,
using public
restrooms,
or signing
a check
in the presence
of another.
Social phobia
may often
be associated
with depression
or alcohol
abuse.
Neurotransmitter-receptor
abnormalities
in the brain
are suspected
to play
a part in
the development
of social
phobias.
Neurotransmitters
are substances
such as
nor epinephrine,
dopamine
and serotonin
that are
released
in the brain.
The substance
then either
excites
or inhibits
a target
cell. Disorders
in the physiology
of these
neurotransmitters
are thought
to be the
cause of
a variety
of psychiatric
illnesses.
Negative
social experiences,
such as
being rejected
by peers
or suffering
some type
of embarrassment
in public,
and poor
social skills
also seem
to be factors,
and social
phobia may
be related
to low self-esteem,
lack of
assertiveness,
and feelings
of inferiority.
Treatment
can include
cognitive-behavior
therapy
and medications,
though no
drug is
approved
specifically
for social
phobia.
In addition
to the anti-anxiety
drugs and
beta-blockers,
medications
may include
the monoamine
oxidase
(MAO) inhibitor
antidepressants
Nardil (phenelzine)
and Parnate
(tranylcypromine),
and serotonin
specific
reuptake
inhibitors
(SSRIs)
such as
Prozac (fluoxetine),
Paxil (paroxetine),
Zoloft (sertraline),
and Luvox
(fluvoxamine).
Of the latter
four drugs,
Prozac,
Zoloft and
Paxil are
approved
for depression;
Prozac,
Paxil, Luvox,
and Zoloft
are approved
for obsessive-compulsive
disorder;
and Paxil
is approved
for panic
disorder.
Chris Sletten,
Ph.D., a
clinical
psychologist
and behavioral
medicine
specialist
at the Mayo
Clinic,
says the
use of SSRIs
with behavior
therapy
is becoming
more popular
in the treatment
of social
phobia.
Because
there are
fewer side
effects
associated
with these
drugs and
a very low
addiction
potential,
practitioners
are more
comfortable
prescribing
them. Plus,
the antidepressant
action of
these drugs
is helpful
in treating
patients
who suffer
from depression
in addition
to social
phobia,
he says.
"My
therapist
prescribed
Prozac,
and it has
been an
absolute
godsend
for me,"
Lorraine
says. "After
only a couple
of months
taking it,
those voices
in my head,
the ones
that always
assured
me that
everyone
was judging
me--and
finding
me lacking--just
seemed to
shut up.
I didn't
feel high
or drugged
in any way.
I felt like
I always
thought
a "normal"
person would
feel. It's
not a complete
cure, of
course.
I still
feel anxiety
in social
situations.
But I don't
avoid them
as much.
In fact,
I actually
pick up
the phone
now and
ask friends
to dinner,
and I can
relax enough
to have
fun. It's
a whole
new life
for me."
The
Wide Open
Spaces
Agoraphobia
comes from
Greek, meaning
literally
"fear
of the marketplace,"
but it usually
is defined
as a fear
of open
spaces.
Sletten
says it
stems more
from the
fear of
being someplace
where you
will not
be able
to escape.
It is closely
identified
with panic
disorder,
and in many
cases, agoraphobia
is directly
related
to the fear
of experiencing
a panic
attack in
public.
A person
with panic
disorder
suffers
sudden bouts
of panic
for no apparent
reason.
These attacks
can occur
anywhere
at any time.
One minute
everything
is fine,
the next
the person
is engulfed
by a feeling
of terror.
The heart
races, breathing
comes in
gasps, and
the entire
body trembles.
The attack
may last
only minutes,
but its
memory is
etched indelibly
in the brain,
and the
anticipation
of another
causes almost
as much
terror as
the attack
itself.
People who
suffer agoraphobia
avoid places
and situations
where they
feel escape
would be
difficult
in case
an attack
occurs.
This could
be anywhere--the
grocery
store, a
shopping
mall, the
office.
As the fear
of an attack
increases,
the agoraphobic's
world narrows
to only
a few places
where he
or she feels
safe. In
the most
severe cases,
this is
limited
to the home.
Agoraphobia
is the most
disabling
of all the
phobias,
and treatment
is difficult
because
there are
so many
associated
fears--the
fear of
crowds,
of elevators,
of traffic.
As with
social phobias,
treatment
involves
behavioral
therapy
combined
with anti-anxiety
or antidepressant
medications,
or both.
Paxil has
received
FDA approval
for use
in treating
panic disorders
with or
without
agoraphobia,
and at press
time, Zoloft
was being
considered
for this
additional
use.
"The
most important
thing for
people with
phobias
to remember,"
says Sletten,
"is
that phobic
disorders
do respond
well to
treatment.
It's not
something
they have
to continue
to suffer
with."
Lynne
Hall is
a writer
in Birmingham,
Alabama


- Ablutophobia:
Fear
of washing
or bathing.
- Acarophobia:
Fear
of itching
or of
the
insects
that
cause
itching.
- Acerophobia:
Fear
of sourness.
- Achluophobia:
Fear
of darkness.
- Acousticophobia:
Fear
of noise.
- Acrophobia:
Fear
of heights.
- Aerophobia:
Fear
of drafts,
air
swallowing,
or airbourne
noxious
substances.
- Aeroacrophobia:
Fear
of open
high
places.
- Aeronausiphobia:
Fear
of vomiting
secondary
to airsickness.
- Agateophobia:
Fear
of insanity.
- Agliophobia:
Fear
of pain.
- Agoraphobia:
Fear
of open
spaces
or of
being
in crowded,
public
places
like
markets.
Fear
of leaving
a safe
place.
- Agraphobia:
Fear
of sexual
abuse.
- Agrizoophobia:
Fear
of wild
animals.
- Agyrophobia:
Fear
of streets
or crossing
the
street.
- Aichmophobia:
Fear
of needles
or pointed
objects.
- Ailurophobia:
Fear
of cats.
- Albuminurophobia:
Fear
of kidney
disease.
- Alektorophobia:
Fear
of chickens.
- Algophobia:
Fear
of pain.
- Alliumphobia:
Fear
of garlic.
- Allodoxaphobia:
Fear
of opinions.
- Altophobia:
Fear
of heights.
- Amathophobia:
Fear
of dust.
- Amaxophobia:
Fear
of riding
in a
car.
- Ambulophobia:
Fear
of walking.
- Amnesiphobia:
Fear
of amnesia.
- Amychophobia:
Fear
of scratches
or being
scratched.
- Anablephobia:
Fear
of looking
up.
- Ancraophobia
or Anemophobia:
Fear
of wind.
- Androphobia:
Fear
of men.
- Anemophobia:
Fear
of air
drafts
or wind.
- Anginophobia:
Fear
of angina,
choking
or narrowness.
- Anglophobia:
Fear
of England,
English
culture,
etc.
- Angrophobia:
Fear
of anger
or of
becoming
angry.
- Ankylophobia:
Fear
of immobility
of a
joint.
- Anthrophobia
or Anthophobia:
Fear
of flowers.
- Anthropophobia:
Fear
of people
or society.
- Antlophobia:
Fear
of floods.
- Anuptaphobia:
Fear
of staying
single.
- Apeirophobia:
Fear
of infinity.
- Aphenphosmphobia:
Fear
of being
touched.
(Haphephobia)
- Apiphobia:
Fear
of bees.
- Apotemnophobia:
Fear
of persons
with
amputations.
- Arachibutyrophobia:
Fear
of peanut
butter
sticking
to the
roof
of the
mouth.
- Arachnephobia
or Arachnophobia:
Fear
of spiders.
- Arithmophobia:
Fear
of numbers.
- Arrhenphobia:
Fear
of men.
- Arsonphobia:
Fear
of fire.
- Asthenophobia:
Fear
of fainting
or weakness.
- Astraphobia
or Astrapophobia:
Fear
of thunder
and
lightning.
- Astrophobia:
Fear
of stars
and
celestial
space.
- Asymmetriphobia:
Fear
of asymmetrical
things.
- Ataxiophobia:
Fear
of ataxia
(muscular
incoordination)
- Ataxophobia:
Fear
of disorder
or untidiness.
- Atelophobia:
Fear
of imperfection.
- Atephobia:
Fear
of ruin
or ruins.
- Athazagoraphobia:
Fear
of being
forgotton
or ignored
or forgetting.
- Atomosophobia:
Fear
of atomic
explosions.
- Atychiphobia:
Fear
of failure.
- Aulophobia:
Fear
of flutes.
- Aurophobia:
Fear
of gold.
- Auroraphobia:
Fear
of Northern
lights.
- Autodysomophobia:
Fear
of one
that
has
a vile
odor.
- Automatonophobia:
Fear
of ventriloquist's
dummies,
animatronic
creatures,
wax
statues.
- Automysophobia:
Fear
of being
dirty.
- Autophobia:
Fear
of being
alone
or of
oneself.
- Aviophobia
or Aviatophobia:
Fear
of flying.
- Bacillophobia:
Fear
of microbes.
- Bacteriophobia:
Fear
of bacteria.
- Ballistophobia:
Fear
of missiles
or bullets.
- Bolshephobia:
Fear
of Bolsheviks.
- Barophobia:
Fear
of gravity.
- Basophobia
or Basiphobia:
Inability
to stand.
Fear
of walking
or falling.
- Bathmophobia:
Fear
of stairs
or steep
slopes.
- Bathophobia:
Fear
of depth.
- Batophobia:
Fear
of heights
or being
close
to high
buildings.
- Batrachophobia:
Fear
of amphibians,
such
as frogs,
newts,
salamanders,
etc.
- Belonephobia:
Fear
of pins
and
needles.
(Aichmophobia)
- Bibliophobia:
Fear
of books.
- Blennophobia:
Fear
of slime.
- Bogyphobia:
Fear
of bogies
or the
bogeyman.
- Botanophobia:
Fear
of plants.
- Bromidrosiphobia
or Bromidrophobia:
Fear
of body
smells.
- Brontophobia:
Fear
of thunder
and
lightning.
- Bufonophobia:
Fear
of toads.
- Cacophobia:
Fear
of ugliness.
- Cainophobia
or Cainotophobia:
Fear
of newness,
novelty.
- Caligynephobia:
Fear
of beautiful
women.
- Cancerophobia
or Carcinophobia:
Fear
of cancer.
- Cardiophobia:
Fear
of the
heart.
- Carnophobia:
Fear
of meat.
- Catagelophobia:
Fear
of being
ridiculed.
- Catapedaphobia:
Fear
of jumping
from
high
and
low
places.
- Cathisophobia:
Fear
of sitting.
- Catoptrophobia:
Fear
of mirrors.
- Cenophobia
or Centophobia:
Fear
of new
things
or ideas.
- Ceraunophobia:
Fear
of thunder
&
lighting.
- Chaetophobia:
Fear
of hair.
- Cheimaphobia
or Cheimatophobia:
Fear
of cold.
(Frigophobia,
Psychophobia)
- Chemophobia:
Fear
of chemicals
or working
with
chemicals.
- Cherophobia:
Fear
of gaiety.
- Chionophobia:
Fear
of snow.
- Chiraptophobia:
Fear
of being
touched.
- Chirophobia:
Fear
of hands.
- Cholerophobia:
Fear
of anger
or the
fear
of cholera.
- Chorophobia:
Fear
of dancing.
- Chrometophobia
or Chrematophobia:
Fear
of money.
- Chromophobia
or Chromatophobia:
Fear
of colors.
- Chronophobia:
Fear
of time.
- Chronomentrophobia:
Fear
of clocks.
- Cibophobia
or Sitophobia
or Sitiophobia:
Fear
of food.
- Claustrophobia:
Fear
of confined
spaces.
- Cleithrophobia
or Cleisiophobia:
Fear
of being
locked
in an
enclosed
place.
- Cleptophobia:
Fear
of stealing.
- Climacophobia:
Fear
of stairs,
climbing
or of
falling
downstairs.
- Clinophobia:
Fear
of going
to bed.
- Clithrophobia
or Cleithrophobia:
Fear
of being
enclosed.
- Cnidophobia:
Fear
of stings.
- Cometophobia:
Fear
of comets.
- Coimetrophobia:
Fear
of cemeteries.
- Coitophobia:
Fear
of coitus.
- Contreltophobia:
Fear
of sexual
abuse.
- Coprastasophobia:
Fear
of constipation.
- Coprophobia:
Fear
of feces.
- Coulrophobia:
Fear
of clowns.
- Counterphobia:
The
preference
by a
phobic
for
fearful
situations.
- Cremnophobia:
Fear
of precipices.
- Cryophobia:
Fear
of extreme
cold,
ice
or frost.
- Crystallophobia:
Fear
of crystals
or glass.
- Cyberphobia:
Fear
of computers
or working
on a
computer.
- Cyclophobia:
Fear
of bicycles.
- Cymophobia:
Fear
of waves
or wave
like
motions.
- Cynophobia:
Fear
of dogs
or rabies.
- Cypridophobia,
Cypriphobia,
Cyprianophobia,
or Cyprinophobia
: Fear
of prostitutes
or venereal
disease.
- Decidophobia:
Fear
of making
decisions.
- Defecaloesiophobia:
Fear
of painful
bowels
movements.
- Deipnophobia:
Fear
of dining
or dinner
conversations.
- Dementophobia:
Fear
of insanity.
- Demonophobia
or Daemonophobia:
Fear
of demons.
- Demophobia:
Fear
of crowds.
(Agoraphobia)
- Dendrophobia:
Fear
of trees.
- Dentophobia:
Fear
of dentists.
- Dermatophobia:
Fear
of skin
lesions.
- Dermatosiophobia
or Dermatophobia
or Dermatopathophobia:
Fear
of skin
disease.
- Dextrophobia:
Fear
of objects
at the
right
side
of the
body.
- Diabetophobia:
Fear
of diabetes.
- Didaskaleinophobia:
Fear
of going
to school.
- Dikephobia:
Fear
of justice.
- Dinophobia:
Fear
of dizziness
or whirlpools.
- Diplophobia:
Fear
of double
vision.
- Dipsophobia:
Fear
of drinking.
- Dishabiliophobia:
Fear
of undressing
in front
of someone.
- Domatophobia
or Oikophobia:
Fear
of houses
or being
in a
house.
- Doraphobia:
Fear
of fur
or skins
of animals.
- Doxophobia:
Fear
of expressing
opinions
or of
receiving
praise.
- Dromophobia:
Fear
of crossing
streets.
- Dutchphobia:
Fear
of the
Dutch.
- Dysmorphophobia:
Fear
of deformity.
- Dystychiphobia:
Fear
of accidents.
- Ecclesiophobia:
Fear
of church.
- Ecophobia:
Fear
of home.
- Eicophobia
or Oikophobia:
Fear
of home
surroundings.
- Eisoptrophobia:
Fear
of mirrors
or of
seeing
oneself
in a
mirror.
- Electrophobia:
Fear
of electricity.
- Eleutherophobia:
Fear
of freedom.
- Elurophobia:
Fear
of cats.
(Ailurophobia)
- Emetophobia:
Fear
of vomiting.
- Enetophobia:
Fear
of pins.
- Enochlophobia:
Fear
of crowds.
- Enosiophobia
or Enissophobia:
Fear
of having
committed
an unpardonable
sin
or of
criticism.
- Entomophobia:
Fear
of insects.
- Eosophobia:
Fear
of dawn
or daylight.
- Ephebiphobia:
Fear
of teenagers.
- Epistaxiophobia:
Fear
of nosebleeds.
- Epistemophobia:
Fear
of knowledge.
- Equinophobia:
Fear
of horses.
- Eremophobia:
Fear
of being
oneself
or of
lonliness.
- Ereuthrophobia:
Fear
of blushing.
- Ergasiophobia:
1) Fear
of work
or functioning.
2) Surgeon's
fear
of operating.
- Ergophobia:
Fear
of work.
- Erotophobia:
Fear
of sexual
love
or sexual
questions.
- Euphobia:
Fear
of hearing
good
news.
- Eurotophobia:
Fear
of female
genitalia.
- Erythrophobia,
Erytophobia
or Ereuthophobia:
1) Fear
of redlights.
2) Blushing.
3) Red.
- Febriphobia,
Fibriphobia
or Fibriophobia:
Fear
of fever.
- Felinophobia:
Fear
of cats.
(Ailurophobia,
Elurophobia,
Galeophobia,
Gatophobia)
- Francophobia:
Fear
of France,
French
culture.
(Gallophobia,
Galiophobia)
- Frigophobia:
Fear
of cold,
cold
things.
(Cheimaphobia,
Cheimatophobia,
Psychrophobia)
- Galeophobia
or Gatophobia:
Fear
of cats.
- Gallophobia
or Galiophobia:
Fear
France,
French
culture.
(Francophobia)
- Gamophobia:
Fear
of marriage.
- Geliophobia:
Fear
of laughter.
- Geniophobia:
Fear
of chins.
- Genophobia:
Fear
of sex.
- Genuphobia:
Fear
of knees.
- Gephyrophobia,
Gephydrophobia,
or Gephysrophobia:
Fear
of crossing
bridges.
- Germanophobia:
Fear
of Germany,
German
culture,
etc.
- Gerascophobia:
Fear
of growing
old.
- Gerontophobia:
Fear
of old
people
or of
growing
old.
- Geumaphobia
or Geumophobia:
Fear
of taste.
- Glossophobia:
Fear
of speaking
in public
or of
trying
to speak.
- Gnosiophobia:
Fear
of knowledge.
- Graphophobia:
Fear
of writing
or handwriting.
- Gymnophobia:
Fear
of nudity.
- Gynephobia
or Gynophobia:
Fear
of women.
- Hadephobia:
Fear
of hell.
- Hagiophobia:
Fear
of saints
or holy
things.
- Hamartophobia:
Fear
of sinning.
- Haphephobia
or Haptephobia:
Fear
of being
touched.
- Harpaxophobia:
Fear
of being
robbed.
- Hedonophobia:
Fear
of feeling
pleasure.
- Heliophobia:
Fear
of the
sun.
- Hellenologophobia:
Fear
of Greek
terms
or complex
scientific
terminology.
- Helminthophobia:
Fear
of being
infested
with
worms.
- Hemophobia
or Hemaphobia
or Hematophobia:
Fear
of blood.
- Heresyphobia
or Hereiophobia:
Fear
of challenges
to official
doctrine
or of
radical
deviation.
- Herpetophobia:
Fear
of reptiles
or creepy,
crawly
things.
- Heterophobia:
Fear
of the
opposite
sex.
(Sexophobia)
- Hierophobia:
Fear
of priests
or sacred
things.
- Hippophobia:
Fear
of horses.
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia:
Fear
of long
words.
- Hobophobia:
Fear
of bums
or beggars.
- Hodophobia:
Fear
of road
travel.
- Hormephobia:
Fear
of shock.
- Homichlophobia:
Fear
of fog.
- Homilophobia:
Fear
of sermons.
- Hominophobia:
Fear
of men.
- Homophobia:
Fear
of sameness,
monotony
or of
homosexuality
or of
becoming
homosexual.
- Hoplophobia:
Fear
of firearms.
- Hydrargyophobia:
Fear
of mercurial
medicines.
- Hydrophobia:
Fear
of water
or of
rabies.
- Hydrophobophobia:
Fear
of rabies.
- Hyelophobia
or Hyalophobia:
Fear
of glass.
- Hygrophobia:
Fear
of liquids,
dampness,
or moisture.
- Hylephobia:
Fear
of materialism
OR the
fear
of epilepsy.
- Hylophobia:
Fear
of forests.
- Hypengyophobia
or Hypegiaphobia:
Fear
of responsibility.
- Hypnophobia:
Fear
of sleep
or of
being
hypnotized.
- Hypsiphobia:
Fear
of height.
- Iatrophobia:
Fear
of going
to the
doctor
or of
doctors.
- Ichthyophobia:
Fear
of fish.
- Ideophobia:
Fear
of ideas.
- Illyngophobia:
Fear
of vertigo
or feeling
dizzy
when
looking
down.
- Iophobia:
Fear
of poison.
- Insectophobia
: Fear
of insects.
- Isolophobia:
Fear
of solitude,
being
alone.
- Isopterophobia:
Fear
of termites,
insects
that
eat
wood.
- Ithyphallophobia:
Fear
of seeing,
thinking
about
or having
an erect
penis.
- Japanophobia:
Fear
of Japanese.
- Judeophobia:
Fear
of Jews.
- Kainolophobia:
Fear
of novelty.
- Kainophobia:
Fear
of anything
new,
novelty.
- Kakorrhaphiophobia:
Fear
of failure
or defeat.
- Katagelophobia:
Fear
of ridicule.
- Kathisophobia:
Fear
of sitting
down.
- Kenophobia:
Fear
of voids
or empty
spaces.
- Keraunophobia:
Fear
of thunder
and
lightning.
- Kinetophobia
or Kinesophobia:
Fear
of movement
or motion.
- Kleptophobia:
Fear
of stealing.
- Koinoniphobia:
Fear
of rooms.
- Kolpophobia:
Fear
of genitals,
particularly
female.
- Kopophobia:
Fear
of fatigue.
- Koniophobia:
Fear
of dust.
(Amathophobia)
- Kosmikophobia:
Fear
of cosmic
phenomenon.
- Kymophobia:
Fear
of waves.
(Cymophobia)
- Kynophobia:
Fear
of rabies.
- Kyphophobia:
Fear
of stooping.
- Lachanophobia:
Fear
of vegetables.
- Laliophobia
or Lalophobia:
Fear
of speaking.
- Leprophobia
or Lepraphobia:
Fear
of leprosy.
- Leukophobia:
Fear
of the
color
white.
- Levophobia:
Fear
of things
to the
left
side
of the
body.
- Ligyrophobia:
Fear
of loud
noises.
- Lilapsophobia:
Fear
of tornadoes
and
hurricanes.
- Limnophobia:
Fear
of lakes.
- Linonophobia:
Fear
of string.
- Liticaphobia:
Fear
of lawsuits.
- Lockiophobia:
Fear
of childbirth.
- Logizomechanophobia:
Fear
of computers.
- Logophobia:
Fear
of words.
- Luiphobia:
Fear
of lues,
syphillis.
- Lutraphobia:
Fear
of otters.
- Lygophobia:
Fear
of darkness.
- Lyssophobia:
Fear
of rabies
or of
becoming
mad.
- Macrophobia:
Fear
of long
waits.
- Mageirocophobia:
Fear
of cooking.
- Maieusiophobia:
Fear
of childbirth.
- Malaxophobia:
Fear
of love
play.
(Sarmassophobia)
- Maniaphobia:
Fear
of insanity.
- Mastigophobia:
Fear
of punishment.
- Mechanophobia:
Fear
of machines.
- Medomalacuphobia:
Fear
of losing
an erection.
- Medorthophobia:
Fear
of an
erect
penis.
- Megalophobia:
Fear
of large
things.
- Melissophobia:
Fear
of bees.
- Melanophobia:
Fear
of the
color
black.
- Melophobia:
Fear
or hatred
of music.
- Meningitophobia:
Fear
of brain
disease.
- Menophobia:
Fear
of menstruation.
- Merinthophobia:
Fear
of being
bound
or tied
up.
- Metallophobia:
Fear
of metal.
- Metathesiophobia:
Fear
of changes.
- Meteorophobia:
Fear
of meteors.
- Methyphobia:
Fear
of alcohol.
- Metrophobia:
Fear
or hatred
of poetry.
- Microbiophobia:
Fear
of microbes.
(Bacillophobia)
- Microphobia:
Fear
of small
things.
- Misophobia:
Fear
of being
contaminated
with
dirt
of germs.
- Mnemophobia:
Fear
of memories.
- Molysmophobia
or Molysomophobia:
Fear
of dirt
or contamination.
- Monophobia:
Fear
of solitude
or being
alone.
- Monopathophobia:
Fear
of definite
disease.
- Motorphobia:
Fear
of automobiles.
- Mottephobia:
Fear
of moths.
- Musophobia
or Murophobia:
Fear
of mice.
- Mycophobia:
Fear
or aversion
to mushrooms.
- Mycrophobia:
Fear
of small
things.
- Myctophobia:
Fear
of darkness.
- Myrmecophobia:
Fear
of ants.
- Mysophobia:
Fear
of dirt
or filth.
- Mythophobia:
Fear
of myths
or stories
or false
statements.
- Myxophobia:
Fear
of slime.
(Blennophobia)
- Nebulaphobia:
Fear
of fog.
(Homichlophobia)
- Necrophobia:
Fear
of death
or dead
things.
- Nelophobia:
Fear
of glass.
- Neopharmaphobia:
Fear
of new
drugs.
- Neophobia:
Fear
of anything
new.
- Nephophobia:
Fear
of clouds.
- Noctiphobia:
Fear
of the
night.
- Nomatophobia:
Fear
of names.
- Nosocomephobia:
Fear
of hospitals.
- Nosophobia
or Nosemaphobia:
Fear
of becoming
ill.
- Nostophobia:
Fear
of returning
home.
- Novercaphobia:
Fear
of your
step-mother.
- Nucleomituphobia:
Fear
of nuclear
weapons.
- Nudophobia:
Fear
of nudity.
- Numerophobia:
Fear
of numbers.
- Nyctohylophobia:
Fear
of dark
wooded
areas,
of forests
at night
- Nyctophobia:
Fear
of the
dark
or of
night.
- Obesophobia:
Fear
of gaining
weight.(Pocrescophobia)
- Ochlophobia:
Fear
of crowds
or mobs.
- Ochophobia:
Fear
of vehicles.
- Octophobia
: Fear
of the
figure
8.
- Odontophobia:
Fear
of teeth
or dental
surgery.
- Odynophobia
or Odynephobia:
Fear
of pain.
(Algophobia)
- Oenophobia:
Fear
of wines.
- Oikophobia:
Fear
of home
surroundings,
house.
- Olfactophobia:
Fear
of smells.
- Ombrophobia:
Fear
of rain
or of
being
rained
on.
- Ommetaphobia
or Ommatophobia:
Fear
of eyes.
- Oneirophobia:
Fear
of dreams.
- Oneirogmophobia:
Fear
of wet
dreams.
- Onomatophobia:
Fear
of hearing
a certain
word
or of
names.
- Ophidiophobia:
Fear
of snakes.
(Snakephobia)
- Ophthalmophobia:
Fear
of being
stared
at.
- Opiophobia:
Fear
medical
doctors
experience
of prescribing
needed
pain
medications
for
patients.
- Optophobia:
Fear
of opening
one's
eyes.
- Ornithophobia:
Fear
of birds.
- Orthophobia:
Fear
of property.
- Osmophobia
or Osphresiophobia:
Fear
of smells
or odors.
- Ostraconophobia:
Fear
of shellfish.
- Ouranophobia:
Fear
of heaven.
- Pagophobia:
Fear
of ice
or frost.
- Panthophobia:
Fear
of suffering
and
disease.
- Panophobia
or Pantophobia:
Fear
of everything.
- Papaphobia:
Fear
of the
Pope.
- Papyrophobia:
Fear
of paper.
- Paralipophobia:
Fear
of neglecting
duty
or responsibility.
- Paraphobia:
Fear
of sexual
perversion.
- Parasitophobia:
Fear
of parasites.
- Paraskavedekatriaphobia:
Fear
of Friday
the
13th.
- Parthenophobia:
Fear
of virgins
or young
girls.
- Pathophobia:
Fear
of disease.
- Patroiophobia:
Fear
of heredity.
- Parturiphobia:
Fear
of childbirth.
- Peccatophobia:
Fear
of sinning.
(imaginary
crime)
- Pediculophobia:
Fear
of lice.
- Pediophobia:
Fear
of dolls.
- Pedophobia:
Fear
of children.
- Peladophobia:
Fear
of bald
people.
- Pellagrophobia:
Fear
of pellagra.
- Peniaphobia:
Fear
of poverty.
- Pentheraphobia:
Fear
of mother-in-law.
(Novercaphobia)
- Phagophobia:
Fear
of swallowing
or of
eating
or of
being
eaten.
- Phalacrophobia:
Fear
of becoming
bald.
- Phallophobia:
Fear
of a
penis,
esp
erect.
- Pharmacophobia:
Fear
of taking
medicine.
- Phasmophobia:
Fear
of ghosts.
- Phengophobia:
Fear
of daylight
or sunshine.
- Philemaphobia
or Philematophobia:
Fear
of kissing.
- Philophobia:
Fear
of falling
in love
or being
in love.
- Philosophobia:
Fear
of philosophy.
- Phobophobia:
Fear
of phobias.
- Photoaugliaphobia:
Fear
of glaring
lights.
- Photophobia:
Fear
of light.
- Phonophobia:
Fear
of noises
or voices
or one's
own
voice;
of telephones.
- Phronemophobia:
Fear
of thinking.
- Phthiriophobia:
Fear
of lice.
(Pediculophobia)
- Phthisiophobia:
Fear
of tuberculosis.
- Placophobia:
Fear
of tombstones.
- Plutophobia:
Fear
of wealth.
- Pluviophobia:
Fear
of rain
or of
being
rained
on.
- Pneumatiphobia:
Fear
of spirits.
- Pnigophobia
or Pnigerophobia:
Fear
of choking
of being
smothered.
- Pocrescophobia:
Fear
of gaining
weight.
(Obesophobia)
- Pogonophobia:
Fear
of beards.
- Poliosophobia:
Fear
of contracting
poliomyelitis.
- Politicophobia:
Fear
or abnormal
dislike
of politicians.
- Polyphobia:
Fear
of many
things.
- Poinephobia:
Fear
of punishment.
- Ponophobia:
Fear
of overworking
or of
pain.
- Porphyrophobia:
Fear
of the
color
purple.
- Potamophobia:
Fear
of rivers
or running
water.
- Potophobia:
Fear
of alcohol.
- Pharmacophobia:
Fear
of drugs.
- Proctophobia:
Fear
of rectum.
- Prosophobia:
Fear
of progress.
- Psellismophobia:
Fear
of stuttering.
- Psychophobia:
Fear
of mind.
- Psychrophobia:
Fear
of cold.
- Pteromerhanophobia:
Fear
of flying.
- Pteronophobia:
Fear
of being
tickled
by feathers.
- Pupaphobia
: fear
of puppets.
- Pyrexiophobia:
Fear
of Fever.
- Pyrophobia:
Fear
of fire.
- Radiophobia:
Fear
of radiation,
x-rays.
- Ranidaphobia:
Fear
of frogs.
- Rectophobia:
Fear
of rectum
or rectal
diseases.
- Rhabdophobia:
Fear
of being
severely
punished
or beaten
by a
rod,
or of
being
severely
criticized.
- Rhypophobia:
Fear
of defecation.
- Rhytiphobia:
Fear
of getting
wrinkles.
- Rupophobia:
Fear
of dirt.
- Russophobia:
Fear
of Russians.
- Samhainophobia:
Fear
of Halloween.
- Sarmassophobia:
Fear
of love
play.
(Malaxophobia)
- Satanophobia:
Fear
of Satan.
- Scabiophobia:
Fear
of scabies.
- Scatophobia:
Fear
of fecal
matter.
- Scelerophibia:
Fear
of bad
men,
burglars.
- Sciophobia
Sciaphobia:
Fear
of shadows.
- Scoleciphobia:
Fear
of worms.
- Scolionophobia:
Fear
of school.
- Scopophobia
or Scoptophobia:
Fear
of being
seen
or stared
at.
- Scotomaphobia:
Fear
of blindness
in visual
field.
- Scotophobia:
Fear
of darkness.
(Achluophobia)
- Scriptophobia:
Fear
of writing
in public.
- Selachophobia:
Fear
of sharks.
- Selaphobia:
Fear
of light
flashes.
- Selenophobia:
Fear
of the
moon.
- Seplophobia:
Fear
of decaying
matter.
- Sesquipedalophobia:
Fear
of long
words.
- Sexophobia:
Fear
of the
opposite
sex.
(Heterophobia)
- Siderodromophobia:
Fear
of trains,
railroads
or train
travel.
- Siderophobia:
Fear
of stars.
- Sinistrophobia:
Fear
of things
to the
left,
left:handed.
- Sinophobia:
Fear
of Chinese,
Chinese
culture.
- Sitophobia
or Sitiophobia:
Fear
of food
or eating.
(Cibophobia)
- Snakephobia:
Fear
of snakes.
(Ophidiophobia)
- Soceraphobia:
Fear
of parents-in-law.
- Social
Phobia:
Fear
of being
evaluated
negatively
in social
situations.
- Sociophobia:
Fear
of society
or people
in general.
- Somniphobia:
Fear
of sleep.
- Sophophobia:
Fear
of learning.
- Soteriophobia
: Fear
of dependence
on others.
- Spacephobia:
Fear
of outer
space.
- Spectrophobia:
Fear
of specters
or ghosts.
- Spermatophobia
or Spermophobia:
Fear
of germs.
- Spheksophobia:
Fear
of wasps.
- Stasibasiphobia
or Stasiphobia:
Fear
of standing
or walking.
(Ambulophobia)
- Staurophobia:
Fear
of crosses
or the
crucifix.
- Stenophobia:
Fear
of narrow
things
or places.
- Stygiophobia
or Stigiophobia:
Fear
of hell.
- Suriphobia:
Fear
of mice.
- Symbolophobia:
Fear
of symbolism.
- Symmetrophobia:
Fear
of symmetry.
- Syngenesophobia:
Fear
of relatives.
- Syphilophobia:
Fear
of syphilis.
- Tachophobia:
Fear
of speed.
- Taeniophobia
or Teniophobia:
Fear
of tapeworms.
- Taphephobia
Taphophobia:
Fear
of being
buried
alive
or of
cemeteries.
- Tapinophobia:
Fear
of being
contagious.
- Taurophobia:
Fear
of bulls.
- Technophobia:
Fear
of technology.
- Teleophobia:
1) Fear
of definite
plans.
2) Religious
ceremony.
- Telephonophobia:
Fear
of telephones.
- Teratophobia:
Fear
of bearing
a deformed
child
or fear
of monsters
or deformed
people.
- Testophobia:
Fear
of taking
tests.
- Tetanophobia:
Fear
of lockjaw,
tetanus.
- Teutophobia:
Fear
of German
or German
things.
- Textophobia:
Fear
of certain
fabrics.
- Thaasophobia:
Fear
of sitting.
- Thalassophobia:
Fear
of the
sea.
- Thanatophobia
or Thantophobia:
Fear
of death
or dying.
- Theatrophobia:
Fear
of theatres.
- Theologicophobia:
Fear
of theology.
- Theophobia:
Fear
of gods
or religion.
- Thermophobia:
Fear
of heat.
- Tocophobia:
Fear
of pregnancy
or childbirth.
- Tomophobia:
Fear
of surgical
operations.
- Tonitrophobia:
Fear
of thunder.
- Topophobia:
Fear
of certain
places
or situations,
such
as stage
fright.
- Toxiphobia
or Toxophobia
or Toxicophobia:
Fear
of poison
or of
being
accidently
poisoned.
- Traumatophobia:
Fear
of injury.
- Tremophobia:
Fear
of trembling.
- Trichinophobia:
Fear
of trichinosis.
- Trichopathophobia
or Trichophobia
or Hypertrichophobia:
Fear
of hair.
(Chaetophobia)
- Triskaidekaphobia:
Fear
of the
number
13.
- Tropophobia:
Fear
of moving
or making
changes.
- Trypanophobia:
Fear
of injections.
- Tuberculophobia:
Fear
of tuberculosis.
- Tyrannophobia:
Fear
of tyrants.
- Uranophobia:
Fear
of heaven.
- Urophobia:
Fear
of urine
or urinating.
- Vaccinophobia:
Fear
of vaccination.
- Venustraphobia:
Fear
of beautiful
women.
- Verbophobia:
Fear
of words.
- Verminophobia:
Fear
of germs.
- Vestiphobia:
Fear
of clothing.
- Virginitiphobia:
Fear
of rape.
- Vitricophobia:
Fear
of step-father.
- Walloonphobia:
Fear
of the
Walloons.
- Wiccaphobia:
Fear
of witches
and
witchcraft.
- Xanthophobia:
Fear
of the
color
yellow
or the
word
yellow.
- Xenoglossophobia:
Fear
of foreign
languages.
- Xenophobia:
Fear
of strangers
or foreigners.
- Xerophobia:
Fear
of dryness.
- Xylophobia:
1) Fear
of wooden
objects.
2) Forests.
- Xyrophobia:Fear
of razors.
- Zelophobia:
Fear
of jealousy.
- Zeusophobia:
Fear
of God
or gods.
- Zemmiphobia:
Fear
of the
great
mole
rat.
- Zoophobia:
Fear
of animals.
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