I was assigned a research homework about phobias. At first I was mad I had gotten such a boring disease (there were others like Aids.), but when I started looking more closely into it, I disocvered an interesting disease most of us know or don't know we have.
First of all the definitions:
irrational, disabling*fear*as a mental disorder (e.g.*agoraphobia), in*chemistry*to describe chemical aversions (e.g.*hydrophobic), in*biology to describe organisms that dislike certain conditions (e.g.*acidophobia), and in*medicine*to describe hypersensitivity to a stimulus, usually sensory (e.g.*photophobia). In common usage they also form words that describe dislike or hatred of a particular thing or subject. The suffix is*antonymic*to*-phil-
What causes phobias?
*Researchers are uncertain exactly what causes phobias. However, it is commonly believed that certain factors may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop. These factors include:
Genetics
Cultural Factors
Life Experience
Some people mistake phobias for fears. Here are some differences:
Fear:
Feeling anxious when flying through turbulence or taking off during a storm
Experiencing butterflies when peering down from the top of a skyscraper or climbing a tall ladder
Getting nervous when you see a pit bull or a Rottweiler
Feeling a little queasy when getting a shot or when your blood is being drawn
Phobia:
Not going to your best friend’s island wedding because you’d have to fly there
Turning down a great job because it’s on the 10th floor of the office building
Steering clear of the park because you might see a dog
Avoiding necessary medical treatments or doctor’s checkups because you’re terrified of needles
Most of us don't even know we have a phobia.
There are treatments but they are the usual 50/50 medication that not always work. An interesting treatment is hypnosis, as it clears the mind of any fear.
If you're afraid you have phobia there is this list of symptoms:
It causes intense and disabling fear, anxiety, and panic.
You recognize that your fear is excessive and unreasonable.
You avoid certain situations and places because of your phobia.
Your avoidance interferes with your normal routine or causes significant distress.
You’ve had the phobia for at least six months.
But what really interested me about Phobias was the list of all phobias known to man. There were some common one like Aracnophobia(fear of spider), but there were some really weird ones like Negrophobia(fear of black people). Here is a list of my favorite phobias:
If I had to choose own phobias I guess I'd choose:
Decidophobia – fear of making decisions
Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns)
Athazagoraphobia: Athazagoraphobia is the fear of being forgotten.
Discuss your own phobias, or post weird ones!
First of all the definitions:
irrational, disabling*fear*as a mental disorder (e.g.*agoraphobia), in*chemistry*to describe chemical aversions (e.g.*hydrophobic), in*biology to describe organisms that dislike certain conditions (e.g.*acidophobia), and in*medicine*to describe hypersensitivity to a stimulus, usually sensory (e.g.*photophobia). In common usage they also form words that describe dislike or hatred of a particular thing or subject. The suffix is*antonymic*to*-phil-
What causes phobias?
*Researchers are uncertain exactly what causes phobias. However, it is commonly believed that certain factors may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop. These factors include:
Genetics
Cultural Factors
Life Experience
Some people mistake phobias for fears. Here are some differences:
Fear:
Feeling anxious when flying through turbulence or taking off during a storm
Experiencing butterflies when peering down from the top of a skyscraper or climbing a tall ladder
Getting nervous when you see a pit bull or a Rottweiler
Feeling a little queasy when getting a shot or when your blood is being drawn
Phobia:
Not going to your best friend’s island wedding because you’d have to fly there
Turning down a great job because it’s on the 10th floor of the office building
Steering clear of the park because you might see a dog
Avoiding necessary medical treatments or doctor’s checkups because you’re terrified of needles
Most of us don't even know we have a phobia.
There are treatments but they are the usual 50/50 medication that not always work. An interesting treatment is hypnosis, as it clears the mind of any fear.
If you're afraid you have phobia there is this list of symptoms:
It causes intense and disabling fear, anxiety, and panic.
You recognize that your fear is excessive and unreasonable.
You avoid certain situations and places because of your phobia.
Your avoidance interferes with your normal routine or causes significant distress.
You’ve had the phobia for at least six months.
But what really interested me about Phobias was the list of all phobias known to man. There were some common one like Aracnophobia(fear of spider), but there were some really weird ones like Negrophobia(fear of black people). Here is a list of my favorite phobias:
Anglophobia – fear/dislike of England or English culture, etc.
Biphobia – fear/dislike of bisexuality or bisexuals.
Christianophobia – fear/dislike of Christians
Ephebiphobia – fear/dislike of youth.
Germanophobia – fear/dislike of Germans.
Gerontophobia, Gerascophobia – fear/dislike of aging or the elderly.
Heterophobia – fear/dislike of heterosexuals.
Homophobia – fear/dislike of homosexuality or homosexuals.
Islamophobia – fear/dislike of Muslims
Judeophobia – fear/dislike of Jews.
Lesbophobia – fear/dislike of lesbians.
Negrophobia – fear/dislike of Black people.
Nipponophobia – fear/dislike of the Japanese.
Pedophobia, Pediophobia – fear/dislike of children.
Polonophobia – fear/dislike of the Polish.
Psychophobia – fear/dislike of mental illness or the mentally ill.
Russophobia – fear/dislike of the Russians.
Sinophobia – fear/dislike of Chinese.
Transphobia – fear/dislike of transgendered people.
Turcophobia – fear/dislike of the Turks
Xenophobia – fear/dislike of foreigners or extraterrestrials.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia – fear of long words
Gelotophobia – fear of being laughed at
Omphalophobia – fear of bellybuttons
Venustraphobia: Also known as caligynephobia, this is the fear of beautiful women, and may be caused by low self-confidence or putting too much pressure on appearances.
Biphobia – fear/dislike of bisexuality or bisexuals.
Christianophobia – fear/dislike of Christians
Ephebiphobia – fear/dislike of youth.
Germanophobia – fear/dislike of Germans.
Gerontophobia, Gerascophobia – fear/dislike of aging or the elderly.
Heterophobia – fear/dislike of heterosexuals.
Homophobia – fear/dislike of homosexuality or homosexuals.
Islamophobia – fear/dislike of Muslims
Judeophobia – fear/dislike of Jews.
Lesbophobia – fear/dislike of lesbians.
Negrophobia – fear/dislike of Black people.
Nipponophobia – fear/dislike of the Japanese.
Pedophobia, Pediophobia – fear/dislike of children.
Polonophobia – fear/dislike of the Polish.
Psychophobia – fear/dislike of mental illness or the mentally ill.
Russophobia – fear/dislike of the Russians.
Sinophobia – fear/dislike of Chinese.
Transphobia – fear/dislike of transgendered people.
Turcophobia – fear/dislike of the Turks
Xenophobia – fear/dislike of foreigners or extraterrestrials.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia – fear of long words
Gelotophobia – fear of being laughed at
Omphalophobia – fear of bellybuttons
Venustraphobia: Also known as caligynephobia, this is the fear of beautiful women, and may be caused by low self-confidence or putting too much pressure on appearances.
If I had to choose own phobias I guess I'd choose:
Decidophobia – fear of making decisions
Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns)
Athazagoraphobia: Athazagoraphobia is the fear of being forgotten.
Discuss your own phobias, or post weird ones!
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