A phobia is defined as an extreme,
irrational fear of or aversion to something. The term originates from the Greek
phobos, meaning ‘fear’. Irrational fears come in various forms. Thus, there are
innumerable words to describe these different fears. Some of the more
interesting phobias are listed below.
Fear of closed or confined spaces is
termed claustrophobia, its opposite is agoraphobia – fear of open, public
places!
Fear of mobs and crowds is ochlophobia,
while fear of crossing the road is agyrophobia. Fear of noise is acousticophobia.
While fear of the dark or of night is
nyctophobia or scotophobia, fear of daylight is phenogophobia.
Fear of bathing is called abluthophobia.
Neophobia is fear of anything new.
An unnatural fear of cats is termed ailurophobia or felinophobia, while fear of wild animals is agrizoophobia.
An intense fear of fire is called pyrophobia.
Radiophobia is an excessive fear of
x-rays.
An abnormal fear of the sight of blood
can be called haematophobia or haemophobia. Excessive fear of thieves, or of
loss by theft, is termed kleptophobia.
Dystychiphobia refers to a fear of
accidents, while fear of pain is algophobia. Anthropophobia is fear of meeting
people or facing society, while laliophobia is fear of speaking (especially in
public).
A person who is afraid of poetry can be
termed ametrophobe, as this condition is known as metrophobia.
There is even a word to describe the
abnormal fear of being stared at. It is ophthalmophobia!
