10 Uncommon Phobias
Almost all of us fear something in this world. Whether it’s heights or flying, spiders or dentists, there is a large array of phobias that plague the human race. Whilst we all may be aware of the more common fears, there are many uncommon but very real phobias you probably never knew existed! Let’s take a look at 10 uncommon phobias that strangely petrify some people:
SOMNIPHOBIA
To some people, there’s nothing better than jumping into bed at night or settling down for a nap. But not everyone agrees, for the thousands of people suffering somniphobia, falling asleep or sleeping causes major distress on a daily basis. Defined as “a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of sleep” it can be the result of people feeling as though they are losing control or associating going to sleep with dying, it may also stem from repeated bad experiences with nightmares or night terrors in childhood. Often significantly impacting a person’s quality of life, medications can be taken to help with sleep and anxiety around sleep, but these only address the symptoms. Counselling may be needed to address the root fear.
ANCRAOPHOBIA
The fear of wind. People who suffer from ancraophobia tend to become anxious outdoors, near open windows or fear weather changes such as storms. Anxious feelings can also manifest themselves when passing hand dryers or overhead air vents. It is believed that the fear is triggered by an experience embedded in the person’s subconscious.
DIDASKALEINOPHOBIA
While it may sound like an excuse to skip a class, didaskaleinophobia is actually a legitimate fear of going to school. Nearly 2 to 5% of school going children are known to be inflicted with such phobia however it is believed to be more prevalent in younger students (ages 7 to 11), and usually stems from anxiety triggered by being separated from their parents. It may also be triggered as the result of bullying.
NOMOPHOBIA
This phobia is a social condition that psychologists warn is increasingly common in our modern world – a fear of being without your mobile phone or unable to use it. Some believe the word ‘phobia’ is misused with this case and ‘anxiety’ is a more appropriate term. The phobia is characterized by feelings of anxiety that arise from being out of a phone’s range of service, not having one’s phone charged, having no credit on one’s phone or misplacing it. It is believed that over 50 percent of mobile phone users are affected by some form of nomophobia.
LACHANOPHOBIA
Lachanophobia is fear of vegetables. While it may seem difficult to believe, for some people, this fear is very real, and the mere sight or smell of broccoli or potatoes can cause distressing symptoms such as panic attacks, nausea and shortness of breath.
GELIOPHOBIA
The saying “laughter is the best medicine” isn’t true for people with geliophobia, the fear of laughter. Whilst many studies suggest that laughter is great way of helping to build social bonds, improve mental health and look after the heart, for those suffering from geliophobia, the act of laughing, or being around those who laugh, can actually cause overwhelming fear and anxiety. Suggested reasons for geliophobia are anxiety about laughing in inappropriate situations or of being laughed at by others.
SYNGENESOPHOBIA
While many of us may experience embarrassment or irritation with our families at times, those with syngenesphobia suffer from an irrational and abnormal fear of family relatives. This fear may become focused on particular family groups in the manner of a feud, it may be expressed as a fear of any and all relatives or it may also be expressed as a singular fear of family gatherings or of meeting relatives for the first time. Unless there is a specific, explicable reason for these fears, it is worth seeking help to alleviate this phobia and help you bond with relatives.
ABLUTOPHOBIA
The overwhelming fear of washing and bathing. An anxiety disorder that falls under the category of specific phobias, for the rare sufferers of this phobia the thought of stepping under a shower or submerging themselves in a bath is quite literally terrifying!
HELIPHOBIA
A rare but very real condition, heliphobia refers to the fear of sunlight. Not only does going out in the sun instigate severe feelings of anxiety and panic in sufferers, but heliophobics may also experience fear of bright lights. Most often the fear or condition is associated with an anxiety about the perceived dangers of the sun.
CHAETOPHOBIA
Chaetophobia is a rare phobia which causes an irrational, abnormal and persistent fear of hair. Chaetophobics want nothing to do with hair. Most are afraid of other people’s hair and, in some cases, animal hair. Many sufferers try to avoid people with thick, dense and curly hair while others are only afraid of loose, stray hair and avoid places like barber shops or salons. Some people do not let other people touch their hair (or they avoid touching other people’s hair) fearing that this might cause them to go bald. Still other chaetophobics are known to panic at the sight of white or grey hair, or even their own body hair!
Whether you suffer a common fear or a rare phobia, if it impacts your life in a negative way then it is best to seek help. The psychologists at Psylegal are very experienced and knowledgeable in treating fears and phobias. They are aware that each disorder is different, and therefore are effective in providing you with treatment tailored to your needs. Give us a call today on 1300 79 22 09 to book an appointment.
