Are these the world’s quirkiest phobias?
Be afraid, be very afraid. From clowns to peanut butter here's our list of some of the world's quirkiest phobias.
We're all scared of something. Whether it's the dentist's drill, heights or the doctor's needle, chances are that there's something out there that makes all of us a little bit anxious. But in among the familiar phobias there are also some truly bizarre afflictions. Here's our rundown of some of the strangest.
Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns
This one will be all too familiar to anyone who's seen Bozo go bad in a Hollywood horror flick. But believe it or not there are some people who are scared of clowns even when they're not wielding an axe and dripping in blood. Typically associated with children, the phobia can also afflict adults; and who can blame them. After all, a swollen red nose, bizarre hair and big shoes is hardly a picture of calm and comfort is it?
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - Fear of long words
A recent study suggests that up to 5% of the population suffer from this affliction, which is a debilitating fear of long words. It's an all too serious condition, but no doubt you'll have all spotted the irony in the doctors' decision to label it with a 15-syllable-long name that's is likely to reduce sufferers to a gibbering wreck.
Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth
Whether it's a genuine fear or merely the subject of an overactive imagination remains to be seen, but to all intents and purposes there are people in the world who are genuinely reduced to gibbering wrecks by the thought of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouths while eating it. I can kind of see where they're coming from; after all it's not a particularly pleasant experience. But surely it's a phobia that's pretty easily avoided: just don't buy peanut butter.
Deipnophobia - Fear of dinner conversations
No one likes stilted small talk over the table, but for sufferers of this bizarre condition the prospect of a dinner party conversation is truly terrifying. The condition is an extension of the altogether more common phobia of eating in public. Sure, it's likely to get awkward if you're on a first date, but deipnophobics might actually be onto something as scientists suggest that remaining silent while eating can actually aid digestion - not to mention help you to avoid a hateful of awkward conversations.
Pentheraphobia - Fear of the mother-in-law
Of all the phobias on our list this is one that readers will probably find most easy to relate to. Especially those who have taken the plunge with their partner and regularly live in fear of the battle axe who bore her into the world. It's a common occurrence and a regular staple of the entertainment industry where the fearsome mother-in-law has become a comic staple in films and TV. For most, it's little more than a frustration that's best avoided with conveniently planned DIY jobs and an extra drink or two at Christmas. But for some sufferers the affliction is so severe that divorce is the only option left open to them.
Mageirocophobia - Fear of cooking
The sight of a fridge full of raw ingredients is enough to bring any man out in a cold sweat, or at least reach for the nearest takeaway menu, so this is a phobia we can all sympathize with. Taken from the Greek word mageirokos (which means a person skilled in cooking), mageirocophobia might seem trivial but it does have a serious side, most notably that sufferers tend to end up with an unhealthy diet.
Ergophobia - Fear of work
It might sound like a convenient excuse to stay in bed on a Monday morning but ergophobia is a genuine affliction that can be extremely debilitating for sufferers. It's typically a by-product of other underlying problems such as depression or attention deficit disorder though it's an affliction that I think we can all sympathize with.
Ithyphallophobia - Fear of erections
I think many of us would be more afraid of our things being flaccid rather than the other way round, but believe it or not there are genuinely people out there with a persistent fear of an erect penis. Sufferers typically fear seeing, having or even thinking about an erect penis. Symptoms include heart palpitations, panic attacks and the sweats, all of which can obviously leave your sex life in tatters. It's more common than you'd think, though as you might expect it's often brushed under the carpet by people who are too afraid or embarrassed to talk about their problems.
Chorophobia: Fear of dancing
Unless you're a be-sequined star of a televised hip-wriggling contest, most men of a sound mind probably get a little bit clammy when it comes to stepping onto the dance floor, especially if it's opposite a member of the fairer sex. But while many of us can overcome our aversion to the Mac arena with a spot of Dutch courage, there are those who are genuinely terrified by the prospect of dancing, even if they're not required to strut their stuff themselves.
Xanthophobia - Fear of the color yellow
If bananas, canaries and well-known local business directories fill you with an overwhelming sense of dread then the chances are that you might be an unfortunate sufferer of this truly bizarre phobia. Xanthophobics have a deathly fear of the color yellow and in some cases can't even stand the word being uttered out loud. Which must make listening to a Cold play CD utter hell for them.
Be afraid, be very afraid. From clowns to peanut butter here's our list of some of the world's quirkiest phobias.
We're all scared of something. Whether it's the dentist's drill, heights or the doctor's needle, chances are that there's something out there that makes all of us a little bit anxious. But in among the familiar phobias there are also some truly bizarre afflictions. Here's our rundown of some of the strangest.
Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns
This one will be all too familiar to anyone who's seen Bozo go bad in a Hollywood horror flick. But believe it or not there are some people who are scared of clowns even when they're not wielding an axe and dripping in blood. Typically associated with children, the phobia can also afflict adults; and who can blame them. After all, a swollen red nose, bizarre hair and big shoes is hardly a picture of calm and comfort is it?
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - Fear of long words
A recent study suggests that up to 5% of the population suffer from this affliction, which is a debilitating fear of long words. It's an all too serious condition, but no doubt you'll have all spotted the irony in the doctors' decision to label it with a 15-syllable-long name that's is likely to reduce sufferers to a gibbering wreck.
Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth
Whether it's a genuine fear or merely the subject of an overactive imagination remains to be seen, but to all intents and purposes there are people in the world who are genuinely reduced to gibbering wrecks by the thought of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouths while eating it. I can kind of see where they're coming from; after all it's not a particularly pleasant experience. But surely it's a phobia that's pretty easily avoided: just don't buy peanut butter.
Deipnophobia - Fear of dinner conversations
No one likes stilted small talk over the table, but for sufferers of this bizarre condition the prospect of a dinner party conversation is truly terrifying. The condition is an extension of the altogether more common phobia of eating in public. Sure, it's likely to get awkward if you're on a first date, but deipnophobics might actually be onto something as scientists suggest that remaining silent while eating can actually aid digestion - not to mention help you to avoid a hateful of awkward conversations.
Pentheraphobia - Fear of the mother-in-law
Of all the phobias on our list this is one that readers will probably find most easy to relate to. Especially those who have taken the plunge with their partner and regularly live in fear of the battle axe who bore her into the world. It's a common occurrence and a regular staple of the entertainment industry where the fearsome mother-in-law has become a comic staple in films and TV. For most, it's little more than a frustration that's best avoided with conveniently planned DIY jobs and an extra drink or two at Christmas. But for some sufferers the affliction is so severe that divorce is the only option left open to them.
Mageirocophobia - Fear of cooking
The sight of a fridge full of raw ingredients is enough to bring any man out in a cold sweat, or at least reach for the nearest takeaway menu, so this is a phobia we can all sympathize with. Taken from the Greek word mageirokos (which means a person skilled in cooking), mageirocophobia might seem trivial but it does have a serious side, most notably that sufferers tend to end up with an unhealthy diet.
Ergophobia - Fear of work
It might sound like a convenient excuse to stay in bed on a Monday morning but ergophobia is a genuine affliction that can be extremely debilitating for sufferers. It's typically a by-product of other underlying problems such as depression or attention deficit disorder though it's an affliction that I think we can all sympathize with.
Ithyphallophobia - Fear of erections
I think many of us would be more afraid of our things being flaccid rather than the other way round, but believe it or not there are genuinely people out there with a persistent fear of an erect penis. Sufferers typically fear seeing, having or even thinking about an erect penis. Symptoms include heart palpitations, panic attacks and the sweats, all of which can obviously leave your sex life in tatters. It's more common than you'd think, though as you might expect it's often brushed under the carpet by people who are too afraid or embarrassed to talk about their problems.
Chorophobia: Fear of dancing
Unless you're a be-sequined star of a televised hip-wriggling contest, most men of a sound mind probably get a little bit clammy when it comes to stepping onto the dance floor, especially if it's opposite a member of the fairer sex. But while many of us can overcome our aversion to the Mac arena with a spot of Dutch courage, there are those who are genuinely terrified by the prospect of dancing, even if they're not required to strut their stuff themselves.
Xanthophobia - Fear of the color yellow
If bananas, canaries and well-known local business directories fill you with an overwhelming sense of dread then the chances are that you might be an unfortunate sufferer of this truly bizarre phobia. Xanthophobics have a deathly fear of the color yellow and in some cases can't even stand the word being uttered out loud. Which must make listening to a Cold play CD utter hell for them.
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