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Everyone fears something. Some fear heights others snakes or spiders, but some people have phobias that you would not believe even existed. A phobia is defined as an irrational, abnormal or extreme fear of something. Usually the person with the phobia knows that what they fear is not dangerous and cannot harm them.
Some people suffer from social phobias, which are anxiety disorders. These types of phobias are triggered by social situations and relationships. One of the most common phobias is the fear of clowns. How strange is it that a person fears someone dressed in colorful clothes whose job is to make us laugh? The person suffering from the phobia sees clowns as terrifying monsters whose life goal is to terrorize them.
As much as we may find many bizarre phobias to be funny, the person who suffers the phobia is living with a paralyzing fear, a fear that they cannot control and are often ashamed of. Life is difficult enough without having to deal with a paralyzing phobia that can trigger a panic attack or other anxiety issues. There are actually hundreds of bizarre phobias, but we are going to take a look at 12 of the most bizarre phobias that people have.
12. Arachibutyrophobia – Fear of Peanut Butter Sticking To Your Palate
Believe it or not, but Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to your palate. Yes, this is a real phobia. People fear that they will eat peanut butter and it will stick to the roof of their mouths. Now unless you have a peanut allergy, we have all had this happen to us. The answer to the problem is to simply use your tongue to remove the peanut butter; it’s as simple as that, problem solved. For people who suffer from this phobia, however they lose the ability to think reasonably and panic. The easiest way to not have to deal with this phobia is to avoid eating peanut butter altogether.
11. Anatidaephobia – Fear Of Being Watched By Ducks
Anatidaephobia is the fear of being watched by ducks (yes, ducks). To those of us who do not suffer from this phobia it seems insanely funny, but for the person who has Anatidaephobia they find nothing funny about it.
People who suffer from Anatidaephobia actually believe that no matter what they are doing or where they may be, a duck is watching them and that the stalker duck has evil intentions. Imagine going through your life convinced that ducks are out to get you. It would be best if you suffer from this bizarre phobia that you avoid ponds, lakes and other bodies of water just to be on the safe side.
10. Ablutophobia – Fear Of Bathing
Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing. Yeah this is a pretty disgusting phobia to have. People who suffer from this phobia not only fear bathing, but also fear washing in general. How do you have a normal life when you fear keeping yourself clean?
For some reason studies show that women and children suffer from this phobia more than men do. All of this time we thought it was men who hated to take a bath. People with this fear shudder at the sound of water filling a tub or the sound of a running shower. This is a phobia that a person cannot avoid because eventually bathing/washing is a necessity (obviously).
9. Anthophobia – Fear Of Flowers
Anthophobia is the fear of flowers. Most of us see flowers as a welcome addition to any garden, yard or room. People who suffer from Anthophobia are terrorized by the sight of flowers. People with this bizarre problem fear the flower, the stem and even the sweet smelling petals.
You have to ask how a person with this phobia makes it through life during the spring and summer. One must imagine that this phobia has spoiled many first dates as the man shows up on the doorstop with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It’s got to be a date killer to have a person run, screaming in fear when you try to hand them a beautiful bouquet.
8. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia – Fear Of Long Words
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is a large word that describes the fear of words that are long. How ironic is it that the name for this phobia is a long word? It’s almost as if the person who named the phobia was attempting to be a bit sarcastic.
This phobia is very uncommon and although it is not a well known fear, it is still devastating to the person who has it. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is most likely taken from the word “sesquipedalian”, a term that means long word. Imagine how frightening reading a good book, reviewing a contract or agreement must be for someone who suffers from this rare phobia.
7. Ergophobia – Fear Of Work
Ergophobia is…wait for it…the…fear of work. Some people actually suffer from a fear of work. Now, that isn’t always a bad fear to have! This fear can lead to some sufferers getting disability because the phobia causes a person to have an irrational fear of finding employment, as well as the fear of a work environment.
This phobia must be difficult to prove so the person suffering from it may find themselves forced to find work in order to survive. If the person is able to find a way to get a job they then have to deal with finding a way to work through their phobia every day. This has got to be a difficult phobia to deal with.
6. Pogonophobia – Fear Of Beards
Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. Now if you’re a man with this fear it could be difficult to get a girlfriend and if you are a woman with the disorder, you’ll have a hard time finding a boyfriend. Beards are the ‘in’ thing right now.
These days men are growing their beards bushier and sporting them all year round and not just in the colder months or during hunting season. How could someone suffering from this phobia leave their home without anxiety? Beards are everywhere. You can’t even turn on your TV without seeing a man with a beard. This is a phobia that would be difficult to avoid.
5. Globophobia – Fear Of Balloons Popping
Globophobia is the fear of balloons popping. People who suffer from this phobia can fear balloons in general or just fear the sound of balloons popping. Imagine how difficult it must be for someone with this fear to plan their child’s birthday party or to attend other birthday parties.
People with this fear would have to avoid grand openings and many other types of celebrations. Globophobia has got to keep the person who suffers from it from enjoying a lot of life’s parties and celebrations. Balloons are a sign of happiness, a sign that we are celebrating something worth honoring. It would suck to have this fear.
4. Turophobia – Fear of Cheese
Turophobia is the fear of cheese. It’s difficult to imagine being afraid of something that is so delicious. Sufferers go their whole lives without knowing the delectable pleasure cheese brings. Some people, who suffer from this phobia, fear all cheese while others fear certain types of cheeses.
How does someone who suffers from this phobia enjoy dinner at a restaurant or eating at a friend’s without panicking that cheese will make an appearance?
You have to feel sorry for anyone that cannot enjoy cheese. Imagine life without a pizza smothered in cheese… now that is frightening to say the least.
3. Hylophobia – Fear Of Trees
Hylophobia is the fear of trees. People who suffer from this phobia not only fear trees, but woods and forests as well.
You would think that anyone suffering from this phobia must live in a city where the amount of trees are limited, but no matter where you live you are going to find trees. They are just everywhere! This would be a hard phobia to explain to someone, especially a date who may want to take you for a picnic, or just enjoy a day at the park. Fall must be terrifying for these people, especially when the leaves start to fall from the trees.
2. Trypophobia – Fear Of Small Holes
Trypophobia is the fear of small holes. People who suffer from Trypophobia fear things such as sponges and honeycombs. If a person who suffers from this phobia sees a small hole they suffer from a large array of symptoms. Those symptoms can include a person experiencing nausea, dizziness or a full force panic attack.
Sufferers of this phobia associate small holes with danger, despite the fact that the holes are so small and pose no threat to anyone. How frightening would it be to go through your entire life not being able to watch a single episode of Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants?
1. Sanguivoriphobia – Fear Of Vampires
Sanguivoriphobia is the fear of vampires. The phobia’s name means “fear of blood eaters.” This phobia can cause excessive panic and terror, which can lead to panic attacks.
People who suffer from this phobia become extremely stressed if they are reading a book that has vampires as characters or are watching a vampire movie. They are convinced that vampires walk among us and can become highly suspicious that people around them are vampires. I wonder if these people stay home at night, since that’s the time most vampires appear. On the bright side, they get to avoid the torture of reading or watching the Twilight Series.
-therichest
