Phobias - From Spiders to Peanut Butter

What are you afraid of? Is it something so terrifying that you profusely avoid it only to have it creep into your dreams, transforming those dreams into nightmares?

Phobia — derived from the Greek root word phobos — meaning fear. Ex. arachnophobia — “fear of spiders”

A phobia is an irrational fear of something yet is more serious and intense than your average fear. We all most likely are afraid of something or other, but does this fear cross the line of just simple fear and become a phobia? Having a phobia can cause intense fear of the very thing a person is afraid of and even more serious, disrupt their normal day to day life.

There’s an endless list of phobias. Phobias so unique and endless that whatever you think, no matter how ludicrous, chances are good that there is a phobia for that.

Some phobias are quite common. Plus having some for fear of a few of these is quite normal and healthy as it protects us and serves as a sort of survival mechanism. Ex. Acrophobia — fear of heights: Do you really want to be fearless crossing a narrow bridge suspended 50 plus feet in the air or venture too close to the edge of a cliff?

Arachnophobia — fear of spiders.

I’m not flat out terrified of spiders. I don’t really mind them. However, fear does set in depending on the size of the spider. Little house spiders? I’m not afraid. Tarantulas? No thanks! If I am in a pet store looking around at all the different animals, I’ll cautiously look at each case being sure to avoid the one labeled tarantula. I know they’re mostly harmless but no! Those aren’t just ordinary itty bitty house spiders, those are monster spiders!

Nyctophobia — fear of the dark

I’ve always been afraid of the dark ever since I was a kid. While the fear has faded for the most part, I still hurry through the dark hall way back to my room after a late night trip to the bathroom or to get a drink of water. It’s like I have this irrational fear that something is going to reach out of the darkness and grab me! Funny thing is I still love the night! I just don’t like the dark.

Astraphobia — fear of thunder and lightning

This is a very common and understandable fear. Flashes of thunder and sudden claps of thunder can be unpredictable. Is it just going to be a soft rumble of thunder or a BOOM! While I understand this fear completely, I actually don’t mind and even love watching and listening to thunderstorms.

Acrophobia — fear of heights

Gephyrophobia — fear of bridges.

This fear is most likely connected to Acrophobia.

Coulrophobia — fear of clowns

I’m not afraid of clowns but I don’t know. I just don’t like them. Hardly saying a word if any at all and just smiling, smiling, smiling all the time is just a little creepy. If I see a clown, I'll do an about face and go somewhere else.

Ophidiophobia — fear of snakes

This is a very common fear. I know of some that are flat out terrified of snakes. Just like I avoid the displays for tarantulas in pet shops, they avoid the displays labeled pythons, boas, or anything to do with snakes. I understand this fear but at the same time I kind of don’t because I actually love snakes! I will purposely seek out the reptile section to look at the snakes. Corn snakes are cute! No?

Entomophobia — the fear of bugs and insects

Claustrophobia — the fear of tight spaces

and on the opposite spectrum:

Agoraphobia —the fear of open or crowded spaces

Some phobias are more peculiar and you might even wonder, quite perplexed, how on earth someone could develop a phobia for some of these:

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia —the fear of long words

Man! I hope I spelled that right! Long words don’t scare me, but this one does! What a mouthful! Don't even ask me how to pronounce it!

Achievemephobia — the fear of success.

I’m trying as hard as I can to comprehend this fear. Why would someone be afraid of success? Maybe with success, there is more expectation from others and one doesn’t know if they can handle all that expectations.

Arachibutyrophobia — the fear of peanut butter

Another fear I just don’t get. Maybe those that fear peanut butter are more afraid of the feeling of it getting stuck to the roof of their mouth.

Barophobia — fear of gravity

I looked this one up because it sounds so interesting and leaves me a bit perplexed. We all live on earth, so how could anyone be afraid of gravity? Turns out that those that have barophobia are more so afraid that gravity will stop and they’ll float away through the atmosphere and into space.

I told you some of these phobias were a bit peculiar.

Bibliophobia — the fear of books

I guess you won’t find these people in a bookstore or library!

Ornithophobia — the fear of birds

I wonder if that one Alfred Hitchcock movie had anything to do with it?

And here’s one that really gets me!

Spectrophobia — the fear of one’s own reflection