Top 10 Bizarre Phobias
Published on August 20, 2007 - 166 Comments
From Wikipedia: “A phobia is an irrational, persistent fear of certain situations, objects, activities, or persons. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject. When the fear is beyond one’s control, or if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.” Here are the top 10 Bizarre phobias!
1. Ithyphallophobia - Fear of Erections [Answers.com]
Defined as “a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of an erect penis”, each year this surprisingly common phobia causes countless people needless distress. To add insult to an already distressing condition, most fear of erection therapies take months or years and sometimes even require the patient to be exposed repeatedly to their fear. Known by a number of names - Medorthophobia, Phallophobia, Ithyphallophobia, and Fear of an Erect Penis being the most common - the problem often significantly impacts the quality of life. It can cause panic attacks and keep people apart from loved ones and business associates.
2. Ephebophobia - Fear of Youths [Wikipedia]
The psychological and social fear of youth. The effects of ephebiphobia appear to cause damage throughout society. At least one major economist has proposed that the fear of youth can have grave effects on the economic health of nations. Coinage is attributed to a 1994 article by Kirk Astroth published in Phi Delta Kappan. Today, common usage occurs internationally by sociologists, government agencies, and youth advocacy organizations that define ephebiphobia as an abnormal or irrational and persistent fear and/or loathing of teenagers or adolescence.
3. Coulrophobia - Fear of Clowns [Wikipedia]
Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. It is not uncommon among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one personally, or seeing a sinister portrayal of one in the media. The weird appearance of the clowns, swollen red noses and unnatural hair colors makes these persons look so mysterious and treacherous. Adults who are victims of coulrophobia know what they fear is completely irrational and illogical, but they can’t escape the circumstance.
4. Ergasiophobia - Fear of Work [Wikipedia]
Ergasiophobia can be a persistent and debilitating disorder in some people, causing significant psychological disability and dysfunction. These individuals may actually be suffering from an underlying mental health problem such as depression or Attention Deficit Disorder.
5. Gymnophobia - Fear of Nudity [Wikipedia]
Gymnophobia is a fear or anxiety about being seen naked, and/or about seeing others naked, even in situations where it is socially acceptable. Gymnophobes may experience their fear of nudity before all people, or only certain people, and may regard their fear as irrational. This phobia often arises from a feeling of inadequacy that their bodies are physically inferior, particularly due to comparison with idealized images portrayed in the media. The fear may also stem from anxiety about sexuality in general, or from a persistent feeling of vulnerability associated with the thought that those who have seen the gymnophobe naked will continue to imagine the gymnophobe nude.
6. Neophobia - Fear of Newness [Wikipedia]
Neophobia is the fear of new things or experiences. It is also called cainotophobia. In psychology, neophobia is defined as the persistent and abnormal fear of anything new. In its milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or break from routine. The term is also used to describe anger, frustration or trepidation toward new things and toward change in general. Some conservative and reactionary groups are often described as neophobic, in their attempts to preserve traditions or revert society to a perceived past form. Technophobia can be seen as a specialized form of neophobia, by fearing new technology.
7. Paraskavedekatriaphobia - Fear of Friday the 13th [Wikipedia]
A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in English, German, Polish, Bulgarian and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia, a word that is derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Παρασκευή, δεκατρείς, and φοβία, meaning Friday, thirteen, and phobia respectively; alternative spellings include paskevodekatriaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia, and is a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a phobia (fear) of the number thirteen.
8. Panphobia - Fear of Everything [Wikipedia]
Panphobia, also called omniphobia, Pantophobia or Panophobia, is a medical condition known as a “non-specific fear”; the sufferer finds themselves in a state of fear but with no known target, and therefore no easy remedy. It has been described as “a vague and persistent dread of some unknown evil”. This fear is often seen as a secondary condition to schizophrenia.
9. Taphophobia - Fear of being Buried Alive [Wikipedia]
Fear of being buried alive is the fear of being placed in a grave while still alive as a result of being incorrectly pronounced dead. The abnormal, psychopathological version of this fear is referred to as taphophobia. Before the advent of modern medicine the fear was not entirely irrational. Throughout history there have been numerous cases of people being accidentally buried alive.
10. Pteronophobia - Fear of being Tickled by Feathers [Wikipedia]
Pteronophobia is the irrational fear of being tickled by feathers. Certain childhood events, such as tickling a baby, can lead to this fear as the child may feel trapped. It is related to the fear of tickling.
Bonus: Luposlipaphobia
The fear of being pursued by timber wolves around a kitchen table while wearing socks on a newly-waxed floor. This is actually a fictional phobia which was created by Gary Larson - author of the Far Side comics.
Technorati Tags: Bizarre, phobias, Weird
Related ListsTop 10 Bizarre Piercing Images10 More Bizarre Videos Top 10 Bizarre Mustaches Top 10 Most Bizarre Videos |
SubscriptionsLike this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed to keep 'em coming, or subscribe via email: |
If you find this site helpful, please leave a donation so you can enjoy the spirit of giving too.
Email This Post
1. Andre du Plessis - August 20th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
I think a lot of people have a case of Panphobia. You know - that feeling that something bad is going to happen but you don’t know what. And then nothing happens … and then go on to the next thing that can go wrong.
2. jfrater - August 20th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Andre: I would agree with you on that - I have that feeling from time to time though I normally relate it to a hangover
3. Andre du Plessis - August 20th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Actually hangovers would lead to some Ergasiophobia, in my experience
4. jfrater - August 20th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Andre: A common experience I believe - one I can definitely verify in fact
5. Dan - August 20th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I think a lot of people have mild Gymnophobia. I mean, a lot of people wouldn’t want to get naked anywhere or with anyone unless they’re alone or planning on having sex (among other things). It’s understandable both ways; someone that doesn’t mind being with someone while they’re naked is fine, and the other doesn’t like it, fearing that they are overweight, just aren’t attractive, etc. is normal.
6. jfrater - August 20th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Dan: that is true - we are all phobic in many ways - though thankfully not to the extend requiring therapy for the most part.
7. mix2323 - August 20th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
some of these phobias are weird but the one about timber wolves and wax floor how can someone be afraid of that i mean the chances of something like that occurring is like one in a billion so how could they be scared
8. Morphy1701 - August 20th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
mix- Did you read who the phobia was credited to?
9. Crimanon - August 20th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Legolaphobia: Fear of Wood elves, If you don’t get it I’m not going to explain it. It’s fictional, No help groups please.
My favorite and most Ironic phobia:
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of Long words. HA HA.
Autophhobia: fear of yourself.
I could do this all day.
My phobia is almost too perverse to put on here: As it is still unamed, ill just tell you what it is. fear of animal STDs: I don’t lik it when an animal comes up and sits on my arm, I have cats and have to deal with this all of the time. I’m not “one of those people” I just dont want certain parts of an animals anatomy on me. My hands are actually shaking right now.
10. Crimanon - August 20th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
flagpolsittaphobia: fear if impailing yourself while skydiving???
11. mix2323 - August 20th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Morphy: yea just read the whole thing my bad
12. jfrater - August 21st, 2007 at 1:16 am
mix2323: that one is a joke - but funnily enough, the though of running around a table on a newly waxed floor whilst wearing socks makes me tingle all over with horror - Larson may have been joking but I think there is some reality in his joke
13. jfrater - August 21st, 2007 at 1:18 am
crimanon: I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at those comments
oh - and I was so tempted to put the long words one on because I love Irony - but I managed to restrain myself.
14. christian - August 21st, 2007 at 4:29 am
I dont know the proper phobia name, but..Nikola Tesla’s “fear of pearls”. That one always struck me as an oddity, allthough, for such an odd individual, any odd fear only adds to one’s mysterious nature.
The fear probably is closer to that of being with round orbs..not so strange…anyway I’m just commenting.
15. christian - August 21st, 2007 at 4:49 am
p.s. top ten serial killers…. a clown! AAAGGHHH!
16. jfrater - August 21st, 2007 at 7:50 am
christian: I have been working on a top 10 serial killers list but it is taking quite some time. Did you realise the clown picture I used is the one drawn by John Wayne Gacy? I used it for a bit of irony
17. christian - August 21st, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I did know, that was my joke.
18. jfrater - August 21st, 2007 at 8:00 pm
christian: ah - I did wonder
Glad someone got it 
19. [ImplosiveFire] - August 22nd, 2007 at 4:03 am
I had never heard of ithyphallophobia before xD I LOL’d.
These ones are pretty bizarre too:
Anablephobia: fear of looking up
Lalophobia: fear of speaking
20. jfrater - August 22nd, 2007 at 9:20 am
ImplosiveFire: thanks for adding those - I can kinda understand anablephobia as sometimes I get a bit nervous looking up if I am standing on something very high - though I think that is more a fear of losing balance and falling.
21. Kelsi - August 22nd, 2007 at 6:22 pm
I suffer from selachophobia, which is developing into ichthyophobia, which could be a big problem for me. I think that perhaps when people say that they have a ‘phobia’ they don’t realize that they’re just really scared of it and its not a phobia, just a fear. For example, when my phobia is triggered it is a completely different kind of fear than seeing a spider 2″ away from me or a paranoia of showers after seeing Psycho. I just wish more people would understand that before spouting off that they have arachnaphobia or something like that. Good list though.
22. Fe - August 22nd, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I don’t see how lalophobia can be considered funny. As a child I was excruciatingly shy, to the point that several of my teachers thought I was mute because they had never heard me speak!
I’m agoraphobic, which is defined as a fear of open spaces or crowds. Agoraphobes are those people who lock themselves in their homes - or even one room in their homes - because they are unable to leave their safe place without experiencing panic attacks or fugues.
I think it’s rather a narrow definition since most agoraphobes are afraid of the panic attacks that crowds or other situation can trigger, rather than the situation itself. I can handle crowds…as long as I know where the exits are in case I start feeling cornered.
23. jfrater - August 22nd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
kelsi: does it effect you in every day life?
Fe: Have you recovered as an adult from those problems? I think my sister had a mild form of agoraphobia as a child - it was very debilitating for her.
24. Monkey - August 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Another interesting phobia is arachibutyrophobia. It’s the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. It actually exists!
25. jfrater - August 24th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Monkey: I read about that while I was researching the list - I wonder what causes that phobia to occur in a person.
26. Gr8flDdFn - August 24th, 2007 at 2:59 am
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..i fear top 10 lists of phobias… but i also have ad/hd and a short memory span… so umm huh?.. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH a phobia list!!!!! look a bunny what was that? a phobia list? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH……
*spins around in chair*
lol.
27. jfrater - August 24th, 2007 at 3:40 am
Gr8flDdFn: hehe - very amusing
28. Catriona - August 29th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Jamie, as the mother of a son who eats only peanut butter sandwiches, I can tell you what causes arachibutyrophobia …the sheer panic when trying to remove the bread and Peanut Butter that is stuck to the roof of his mouth when he is gagging on it! (I’m sure you know which son we are talking about.)
29. jfrater - August 30th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Catriona: Seen in that light I can completely understand the fear
Before you described it like that I could really only imagine Mr Ed with his peanut-butter-induced chatting.
30. Fruckert - August 31st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
somniphobia: fear of sleep
31. jfrater - September 1st, 2007 at 12:35 am
Fruckert: that would be awful! I love sleeping! I wonder what would bring that fear on.
32. Fruckert - September 1st, 2007 at 12:46 am
another wierd one is elektrophobia…fear of chickens…at least i think thats it
33. jfrater - September 1st, 2007 at 1:11 am
Fruckert: elektrophobia is fear of electricity - you mean Alektorophobia
34. Fruckert - September 1st, 2007 at 1:14 am
ah well…they sound the same…im sound and word dyslexic
35. jfrater - September 1st, 2007 at 1:20 am
Fruckert: they do sound the same. Mind you - Alektorophobia has one extra syllable.
36. Fruckert - September 1st, 2007 at 1:25 am
ah touche
37. Fruckert - September 2nd, 2007 at 12:33 am
if anyone wants some more odd ones go to phobialist.com
such as:
Russophobia- Fear of Russians
Ranidaphobia- Fear of Frogs
Pogonophobia- Fear of beards
Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking
Philophobia- Fear of falling in love or being in love
Parthenophobia- Fear of virgins or young girls
and lastly
Optophobia- Fear of opening one’s eyes
38. Ken - September 5th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Ok, two questions:
1)How does a fear of erections “keep people apart from…business associates?”
2)Why is the guy afraid of work black?
39. Kage - September 5th, 2007 at 11:44 am
You should make a top ten weirdest myths/urban legends.. that would be fun.
I love urban legends, they’re so entertaining!
40. David - September 5th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
How about Helenologophobia - having a fear of lengthy, latin based scientific terms.
41. Sarah - September 5th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I’m scared of people walking behind me… and scared of door knobs.
42. Dawn - September 5th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
If you watch the Maury show, there’s some people who are afraid of cotton balls, pickles, mustard, & they just go screaming & run away. I always thought those are weird but i HATE when the audience laughs at the people who are scared, it’s just rude!
43. crabtree - September 5th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
what about hippotomontroseousquippedelaphobia…the fear of long words?
44. Brett - September 5th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
why isnt Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
the fear of long words up there?
45. jfrater - September 6th, 2007 at 1:32 am
crabtree and brett: That is a made up phobia - I only put authentic phobias on the list.
46. seongkook - September 6th, 2007 at 8:54 am
my friend had a fear of ketchup. is their a phobia for that
47. Ryan - September 9th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Hippipoto…phobia, is actually not a fake phobia. It’s recognized as the longest word in the english language by whatever Webster’s association determines these things. And yes, it beats out antidisestablishmentarianism.
48. Jen - September 10th, 2007 at 7:09 am
I have Agoraphobia, which can be very close to Panphobia in the worst cases. I deffinitely know the feeling of fearing everything. Its not something anyone should experience.
49. jfrater - September 10th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Ryan - from Wikipedia under Jocular or Fictional phobias:
50. jfrater - September 10th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Jen - I can imagine that it would be similar.
51. Che - September 10th, 2007 at 8:35 am
I have Telephonophobia. Guess what that is.
Oh and wasps. Childhood trauma thingy.
Apart from that my fears are rational. I fear anyone in a uniform, just like the next guy.
52. jfrater - September 10th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Che: I am guessing it is a fear of answering or using the telephone. I don’t like wasps either but I don’t mind bees.
53. Che - September 10th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Correct,Jamie.
Funnily enough, I have never had a problem with bees either.
54. Rodo - September 17th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
What about a phobia for impossible things or things that doesn’t exist? I have always had big fear just imaging a giant walking the streets or seeing a large bird soaring the sky.
55. Maria - September 19th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I was wodering if anybody else suffers from fear of taxidermy. I can deal with small birds, maybe a squirrel, but any bigger than that I just have to cover my eyes and be led out of the room. Bears are the worst, especially if standing on to legs. The natural history museum would be my worst nightmare.
56. jfrater - September 19th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Maria: wow - that is fascinating! I love stuffed animals - I just can’t imagine being afraid of them. What do you think brought that on?
57. Maria - September 19th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Well, there are no childhood traumas that I can think of, but I have wondered myself why this is, many times, since my reaction is so severe, not just thinking stuffed animals are gross. I simply cannot enter a room if there is one of those things there.
58. Wowzer - September 24th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Maria: I sympathise. Though I don’t have a fear of stuffed animals (such as teddy bears, plushes, whatever), I am uncomfortable around taxidermied animals. I haven’t a clue why, but I get away from them as fast as I can (I refuse to enter a furniture store at the local mall because it’s covered in taxidermied elk heads.) Just thought that was noteworthy.
59. Maria - September 24th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
No exactly! I don´t have a problem with toy stuffed animals, of course, but taxidermy just like you Wowzer. If I suspect that there are any in a store or a house I usually have someone check it out for me. Like in the local Viking restaurant, were I totally panicked and the people there probably thought I was completely crazy…! I am glad I am not the only one!!!
60. Ravyn - September 24th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
I have monophobia. That is the fear of being alone. Not as in life-long loneliness (not getting married etc.) but being alone with no one else around. Growing up I used to turn my radio up really loud and turn on all the tvs just to similate the presence of another person. I would also spend my alone time in chatrooms just to have a sense of someone there. In my car again with the radio turn up loud and singing along. I get real panicky and constantly have to look out the windows and go from room to room not knowing what to do. Not fun, not in the least bit.
61. jfrater - September 25th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Maria and Wowzer: that is really fascinating. I wonder if there is a name for it.
Ravyn: that is a very weird phobia - it is like the opposite of agoraphobia in a way.
62. FirstAmber - September 27th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Maria and Wowzer, does your phobia extend to articulated animal , at the Fskeletons? I was thinking about Sue, the T. Rex at the Field in Chicago.
63. christine - September 27th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Maria and wowzer: I have a phobia of taxidermied animals and everyone seems to think i’m crazy! i was actually searching it on the internet to see if I could find a name for it. I think it would be interesting to find out why exactly I am phobic of them, also. And I agree, fish and birds don’t scare me, but other larger animals do. yuck!
64. christine - September 27th, 2007 at 11:26 am
oh, and i’m not afriad of skeletons. just taxidermied animals.
65. jfrater - September 27th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I am amazed at how many people suffer from a fear of taxidermy! Even weirder is the fact that I cannot find a proper name. Let’s coin our own! Taxidermiphobia - it is now official and shall go down in the annals of history as having come from the List Universe taxidermiphobics! Maybe I should do a taxidermy list (with a warning of course)!
66. Barb - October 2nd, 2007 at 12:21 am
I have macrophobia. In particular, a fear of really big marine creatures, although big flags and ships freak me out too.I still can’t watch the scene in ‘Finding Nemo’ where Dory and Marlin get swallowed by the whale. And I get anxious and sweaty if a whale shark comes on the TV. I also have a fear of getting trapped in too-tight clothing, although I’m not claustrophobic, but I don’t like multi-storey carparks, because of the low ceilings.
67. jfrater - October 2nd, 2007 at 1:17 am
Barb: it is quite interesting that the fear effects you even via the TV when there is no chance of you being close to them. I guess you don’t have a subscription to the discovery channel then?
68. sarah - October 4th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Im scared of dolls…
my dad made me watch chucky when i was 4
and 8 years later im still scared :p
my other fear is worms
5 years ago i was helping clean out a pool and then i picked something up in the net and lifted it up dropped it and it landed on foot…it was a HUGE worm like scary huge gigantic! gugh…
anyone else scared of those?
69. Diogenes - October 4th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
To#68. sara
I know that theres gotta be a fear of manikins or ventriloquist dummies, which are like dolls in a larger form. Do those also affect you Sarah? Because Chucky is like a combination of what looks life-like (but with a fixed expression as a toy) and then becomes terrifyingly real (but still somewhat like the toy). It’s called “the uncanny” and although I dont fear it, I do find things human-like that are close to being something else in reality (but something is definatley not right about the “substitute” or “copy”) to be weird and sometimes unnerving.
To me it’s like a badly made halloween mask that does something to my sences, but only if its on a person that “brings it to life”.
70. Katie - October 4th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Taxidermy people- I also have a severe phobia of it. I’ve never heard of anyone else with the same problem until now. I literally have panic attacks if i see it. My whole body tenses up, I start hyperventilating, and it’s almost like I black out until I can get it out of sight. It can be pretty embarrassing. I can’t even be in the same room- even if it’s small, but the bigger it is, the worse my reaction. Even just fur and antlers or bones bother me (any part of a dead thing). Have you guys ever tried to get treatment?
71. Diogenes - October 5th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
*** My thoughts for Katie and the others connected to the same— regarding the taxidermied animals of different forms and size , ..this sort of thing that you (katie) describe as a “severe phobia” . I mentioned “the Uncanny” in my comment to Sarah, because of my own connection to what had been within simmiliar reflections …but I realized that giving a name to a fear does not always lead to calming the nerves reaction to “IT” —which IS the phobia.
I am not a professional in any field that’s anywhere close to giving trusted advise..It is just within my sympathies that I am trying to voice my own.
A balanced discourse should probably occure between you folks…either here among this site’s populous or somewhere private among yourselves. Discuss the simmiliarities of affliction and challenge one another with what affects this “Taxidermiphobia”.
I dont know. You guys can take it or leave it. Who am I ? and what do I know?
I just know that phobias are real and that they still exist within places of uncharted realms , which the 21st centurary doesnt have full “answers” to.
72. Sharon CR - October 10th, 2007 at 10:22 am
hey i thought i was the only weirdo with fear of taxidermy… i actually start crying like crazy, i get all shaky and cold and really really startled when i see one of those animals, specially if they catch me by surprise… when i went to the ripleys museum i totally freaked out on my mom when we reached the scary animals part… she had to dragged me out of there while i walked as fast as i could staring at the floor!
People always think im super weird because of this!!!
73. Maria - October 11th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Hey Sharon CR!!
Yes I am exactly the same as you!! Do you remember anything that could explain your phobia? Like when you were a kid?
74. Sharon CR - October 11th, 2007 at 9:12 am
yes i have always wondered where exactly did this fear started.. i think it was because one of my mom’s friends had a head trophy hanging on the wall of their living room and i always had to seat beneath it.. i hated it! i always imagined it would start moving, or that it was going to attack me, or fall on me, so i had to pretend it wasn’t there wich made me even more anxious and concious about it….it was a calf’s head so i thought it was really gross and creepy!!! yuck! guess i never got over that…je
75. Nathan - October 17th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Ya i agree with u Andre i think ive obssed so much about what i thought was going to happen a couple of time and it drove my parents NUTS!i mean who isent afraid that ur day to parish is near ………. Write???
{ u people have good points}
76. Logan - October 20th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
You want a weird fear that’s not even on this list?
I have a fear of music boxes. Those little ones with the ballerina dancing in a circle or those ones with the married couple’s picture under the lid, or the ones from snow globes?
I fear the music they make. Being a person who loves music, I find a music box’s version of “Moonlight Sonata” to be creepier or scarier than the actual song.
77. ben - October 20th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
arent there fears of looking in mirrors and clocks?
78. jfrater - October 20th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Logan - that is so wrong! Those things are great gifts for young girls. How you hate those lovely ballerinas? They may be plastic but they have mastered their art!
Ben: I have an occasion feeling of discomfort it I pass a mirror late at night.
79. Techie - October 28th, 2007 at 11:18 am
I also have a fear of taxidermy. I don’t mind if the animals are behind glass, but I hate it when they’re mounted in a room with no display cases and they’re all over the place. I went to a restaurant one time that was chock full of stuffed animals and at one point you had to inch your way past the snout of a full sized buffalo that was standing in the middle of a room. A photo that was taken there shows my face like this O_O
80. addmyster - October 29th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
what about hippopotusmonstrosusquipdalliophobia?-the fear of long words, I’m serious, nvm i should read the above comments =D
81. Senor Shutter - October 29th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
My friend suffers from a fear of computer keyboards. So I am typing this message for him
82. jfrater - October 30th, 2007 at 1:06 am
Techie: hehe - you should post a link so we can all see
addmyster: You aren’t the first to do that
Senor Shutter: Such the comedian
83. lhorn - October 31st, 2007 at 9:26 am
I also have a severe fear of taxidermy. I have finally gotten to a point where I’m okay around stuffed fish and some really small animals. But I have a horrible panic attack when I am around them. Natural history museums are a nightmare for me also. I hate being surprised by them in restaurants and other places. I’m pretty sure my fear started with a trauma as a small child. A friend of my mom’s said he had something to show us and led us to his office closet where he opened the door and there was an enormous deer head. I just froze. I’m glad to know I’m not the only person with this paralyzing fear.
84. Becky - November 6th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Wow. Again, I am terrified of Taxidermy. I have a set of rules for the place of biggest concern: restaurants. If it a) Has anything nature-like in the title, like Bugaboo Creek, The Muddy Moose, etc. b) Looks like a log cabin outside c) is a steak house in Maine, New Hampshire, or the south in general.
I’m 20, and I’ve been afraid of dead stuffed things since I was probably 8 or 9. I’m not sure why, but it is embarassing. I have horrible stories of going to dinner with new friends and freezing (my chair was three feet from a deer head WITH neck that was mounted at eye level!) and beng led about a natural history museum by some amazing friends while on a school trip.
Gah. It’s good to know I’m not alone in the madness, but now how do I fix it??
85. lhorn - November 7th, 2007 at 6:16 am
Same here, Becky. I’d love to get over this fear or at least be able to tolerate taxidermy. It is embarrassing being with people who don’t understand when I literally have to run out of a room filled with them. Does anyone have any ideas how we can overcome this or who can help?
86. Fruckert - November 18th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
im afraid of mirrors…i cant stand the damn things
87. Jen - November 26th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Maria and all else who are afraid of taxidermy—I have the same problem.Mine is a bit funny because I truly love animals. I work with them all of the time. All sorts, but for some reason, a mounted head gives me the heebie bageebies.We have a museum jam packed with all sorts of animal artifacts, but I can’t get past the front door. I am starting to get used to the white tail deer heads,they’re not that bad, but then BAM there’s a giant moose head.To make things worse, all of the heads are mounted to the actual height of the animal.Ohhh this sucks.
88. PrecAn - December 16th, 2007 at 6:36 am
i am afraid of animals like dog before i dont know what my phobia but in this research that i’ve made now i know.thanks.
89. bengala - December 20th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Taxidermy people:
Thank you for letting me know I’m not the only one! I suffer from a very severe phobia of anything and everything in Natural History museums. My mom and boyfriend are the only ones who get it and don’t think I’m crazy because they’ve seen how I react. Like many of you, it’s a physical respone: cold sweats, light headedness, anxiety atack, crying.
I’ve had it since I was little and it’s never gone away.
I am also terrified of most animals that swim. Whales scare me almost as much as those taxidermied animals.
90. SuperLyndsey - December 21st, 2007 at 10:11 am
I wonder if there is a name for my phobia…
I am rather reluctant to describe it, as no one believes me when I say it. Well, maybe someone here can relate.
I am afriad of the dark tiles that guide swimmers on the bottom of a pool. I am not kidding. A terrible sense of dread fills my mind if I accidentally open my eyes while swimming. (I will admit, I’ve gotten better- I can at least swim in a lap pool now, as long as I close my eyes.)
91. Monkey - December 21st, 2007 at 10:15 am
SuperLyndsey - There’s a phobia for almost anything. I don’t know if there’s a specific name for it, but I bet someone else in the world has the same fear.
92. SuperLyndsey - December 21st, 2007 at 10:58 am
Well, that would be nice.
93. dkroll - December 26th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
another gary Larson phobia is antidaephobia: the fear that somehow, somewhere, a duck is watching you… Creepy, isn’t it?
94. Fluff - December 27th, 2007 at 11:12 am
taxidermy people-
does anybody kno thhe technical term for the phobia?? i have always been creeped out by these things, i can’t even be near the cheack out at Abercrombie cuz of that stupid moose head. once when i was in the third grade i was on a field trip at a natural history museum and there was all of that stuff there. my crush happened to be in my group and i started crying when i saw the things. everyone thought i was so weird but it is actually my phobia.
95. Renegade - January 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I have a true phobia or taxidermed animals too! It’s not like I think it’s awful or anything, I just have panic attacks when I get too close! I didn’t think anybody else had it!
96. dan231 - January 4th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
There was a mounted buffalo’s head in the basement of a resale shop I used to go to. That thing so so huge and still real looking, that I refused to walk past it.
97. LIZ - January 5th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Taxiderm fears: I have had mine since I was 3. I used to be afraid of every type of taxidermy animal. But over the years I have learned to accept small animals, fish, deers, and moose. However no matter how hard I try I can not get over my fear of Buffalo heads, and mounted buffalos. When I go out west I see these mounted animals everywhere, and I am not as afraid anymore. Uncomfortable yes, but not paralyzing fear. You just assume that every store in the west has a buffalo head and after a while you get used to it. Here is my problem, when I come back home I am not exposed to them on a daily basis and my fear always returns. So to go out west again I have to mentally prepare myself for almost a year to be able to go. I won’t to get rid of this irrational fear for good.
98. pink - January 6th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
to all who are scared of taxidermy… i looked it up its called NECROPHOBIA.. the fear of dead things. its funny reading all these stories because i am TOTALLY afraid of dead animals mounted also! it started for me when i went to the natural history museum in san fransisco, ca OMG it was room after room of all these different animals. it was themed.. like african animals in one room, south america in the next and so on. it was so scary! i ran through it! and it seemed like it was never going to end. ever since then i’ve been petrified and i too have ran out of restuarants, tensed up freaked out and cried at wedding receptions, had to be walked out of places becuase i didnt want to look up… oh and i absolutely REFUSE to go into Outdoor world the store, and anywhere that i think might have a “trophy”. im just glad im not the only one.. because up until tonight i definetly thought i was!
99. HexenBexen - January 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
re: Dawn
Yes but it’s ok to laugh because none of those people have actual phobias, they’re just white trash doing the show for more Wal-Mart money.
I’m pretty sure I suffer from Metamfiezomaiophobia. Clowns don’t bother me much but mimes…forget about it!
100. LIZ - January 11th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I love clowns, and mimes. As long as they are not in a room of taxidermy animals I am fine.
101. 23twins - January 12th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
A fear of erections can: “…keep people apart from loved ones and business associates.” Excuse me, business associates? What, is this some office where the men just keep threatening to whip it out on a regular basis?
102. t’mara - January 14th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
i used to have a recurring dream when i was a child, being chased by a gorilla thru our kitchen (slippery linoleum floor) and grabbing the doorknob while wearing thick woolen mittens…
103. dardy - January 16th, 2008 at 10:19 am
My biggest phobi is a phobilist
104. robin - January 17th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I have a taxidermy phobia too! Until today, I thought I was the only one! It’s so great to learn I’m not alone! I tried hypnosis to overcome it, but was unsuccessful, so I just live with it.
105. LIZ - January 18th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I really am not truly scared to death, run out of the room, afraid anymore. But I however and very uncomfortable if there is a buffalo head in the mix. With smaller animals, fish, birds, and deer, elk, moose I am fine. With a larger ugly animal such as a buffalo and I am momentarily startled and take a few minutes to recover. If I thought that hypnosis would work I wuld give it a try.
106. linabeena - January 19th, 2008 at 5:40 am
I have a fear of lightning. I have to be indoors and away from any window/door if there is an electrical storm outside. I don’t even touch sink taps or light switches or use the shower/phone/computer if I see lightning!!
107. avi - January 19th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
i fear pantophobbia
108. avi - January 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 am
i don’t think neophobia is all that bizarre
109. avi - January 25th, 2008 at 5:41 am
7 is rubbish
110. avi - January 25th, 2008 at 5:43 am
really, paraskavedektriaphobia is a fake
111. jfrater - January 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am
avi: not according to National Geographic it isn’t: http://news.nationalgeographic.....day13.html
112. avi - January 27th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
what about fear o holidays? it is not real but still
113. avi - January 27th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
what about fear of holidays? it is not real but still
114. cryndigo - January 30th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I might have that fear of work thing, lol.
115. kennex - January 31st, 2008 at 10:17 am
school too…i have that fear
116. Polly Odyssey - January 31st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
There should be a PhobiaPhobia. Fear of phobias.
117. satori - February 1st, 2008 at 4:08 am
I have heard of a woman (aparently made an appearance on the Maury Show, talkshow) who was afraid of MUSTARD.
118. avi - February 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
polly odyssey:there already is
119. avi - February 4th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
jfrater:actually there are people scared of long words
120. Grant - February 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I think I have W-phobia
Fear of George W Bush never leaving office.
121. LIZ - February 11th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Grant–We all have that phobia.
122. Sammi - February 17th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
i always thought i was the only person scared of dead mounted animals. when i was like 3 or 4 i went to an outdoors store and there was a big stuffed bear, i was so freaked out so i grabbed on to my dad and told him to tell me when we were passed it. well him thinking he was funny told me we had past it when we were right nest to it. so i openend my eyes and i was right next to it. ive been TERIFIED ever since. i cry, scream and havent panic attacks if i ever see any kind of mounted animal except for fish and birds ect. just the big ones. exspecailly bears.
it nice to know im not the only one !
123. Denise - March 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
I know where my fear of Taxidermy came from…a mounted deer head in my step grandfathers hunting camp.
I can deal with small animals and even bears-no fear at all. I CAN NOT deal with anything with antlers or horns. I can somewhat deal with non antlered deer. Even Rhino and Elephant heads bother me.
I am getting better. Constant exposure to some deer and moose and elk have helped. But while driving thru Michigan I went to Pinconning for cheese. In a shop was a full sized Elk up on a high display. I was glad no one was behind me. I hesitated and kept telling myself it was ok. I made it to the cheese spot and left without passing out. Unlike the Ye Olde Curiousity Shop in Seattle. I was 12. I walked in looked to the right and saw a huge moose head, turned left and saw a huge elk head. Next thing I knew I was in an ambulance.
124. Denise - March 3rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
If anyone is on Facebook and wants to join a support group for Taxidermiphobia just search for it or use this link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8334714222
125. sarah - March 6th, 2008 at 5:58 am
i hate leavin my mum, i miss school and 6th form because i dont want to leave her?
is there a phobia for this ?
126. Beatles - March 8th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Kelsi -
i agree with that so much.
its like when people claim their OCD when they just dont like things a certain way. they dont stree over it and have anxiety attacks over it. they just like things orderly. *rolls eyes*
i get so angry when i try to explain my emetophobia (fear of vomit) to people and they dont take it seriously because they also “dont like throw up”. i feel like yelling “i dont just ‘not like it’! it keeps me awake a night, makes me freak out in a group of people, makes me have anxiety attacks whenever i eat or drink ANYTHING other than gingerale and crackers, and i feel sick ALL THE TIME.”
but yeah this list was pretty cool.
i feel bad for anyone who has them :[
127. Sharon CR - March 12th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Why do people like taxidermy at restaurants its gross!! sheesh i went to this rib place by my house of these days and there they were (of course…) a stuffed pig at the entrance and a HUGE bull’s mounted head on the wall… what the hell! people eat there… you dont want people to run away from your restaurant, like I did….., don’t ‘cha?
128. Gr - March 14th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
okay. the fear of being seen naked isn’t so wierd. I mean i feel uncomfortable at the thought of people, even family members seeing me that way. okay. maybe not afraid, but still.
129. Gr - March 14th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I had a fear that took me a few years to overcome. i went to a camp for a month in canada when i was 10 (i’m from viirginia) i felt so trapped at the camp because i couldnt go home and i couldn’t sleep anymore and i was miserable. when i came back home i couldn’t sleep at other people’s houses. at times i wouldn’t even sleep at my dad’s house (my parents are divorced) it was the wierdest thing since i had actually lived there longer than at my mom’s. so anyway everytime i tried to have a sleepover or something i would get scared and couldn’t sleep and wanted to go home so bad. i mean i was literally TERRIFIED. even though i knew it was unreasonable. but i have to brag here about one thing. slowly i forced myself to overcome my fear. and when i was 13 i forced myself to go back to the camp just to banish the fear forever. i’m completely fine now ( :
130. Jess - March 25th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Hi guys,
I’m a film and tv student from swinburne university, making a documentary about bizarre phobias, and am looking for subjects who would be willing to talk about their phobias or share some interesting stories that you may have. Nothing serious or dramatic, just a light hearted short giving an insight into the bizarre phobias that are out there. If there is anyone who would be willing to be involved in any way, i’d love to hear from you. Email me at:
jblawton@hotmail.com
Cheers,
Jess
131. Daniel - March 31st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Taxidermy. I am completely shocked to find out that other people have this same phobia. As long as I can remember, I have had issues with this, and have deep down always thought I was sort of crazy because of it, despite all of the other successes and such I have had in life.
132. sambob - April 4th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I have a fear of taxidermy too! Everytime I go a museum I have to look on the internet first at the museum plan to make sure that there are no ‘natural history’ sections. I have to avoid HUGE parts of museums because of my fear. I didn’t have this when I was little, but the older I get (Im 26 now) the worse it gets.
I tried to confront my fear- I got my boyfriend to take me into my local museum and take me to the natural history section, but I took one look at a stuffed deer and I ran out crying!
The closest exhisting term Ive found for us lot who cant look at poor, dead animals is automatonophobia- which seems to be a fear of things that are made to look real. That is a weak link though because I like museum displays, even fake animals, but just not real, stuffed ones.
133. mama - April 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I am writing this for my son who is 9 and terrified of taxidermy. We were looking online to see if we could find any info about this and were happy to find this site. He has felt a little reassured hearing that he is not alone. He asked me to type a message for him,
“I can get passed the small animals and a few larger animals if they are spaced out, but I am afraid if there are lots of them. The bigger they are, the more scared I get. I get even more scared if it has the full body because it has the eyes and everything else. I know it’s not real, but it freaks me out. I am okay with alive animals, just not dead ones.”
134. k_langjahr16 - April 6th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I’m afraid of escalators.
My mom left me at the top of one before and an old lady had to bring me down.
I’ve been traumatized ever since.
135. Jolly - April 7th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
When I’m min my room trying to pray or making any noise i have a fear that the person next dor is listening to me.
It’s like everything I do is showing off even when I don’t want to.
I also fear being in the room with my mum I don’t know why.
sometimes girls can have a fear of each other just like someone had a fear of an errected penis.
136. SlickWilly - April 7th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Jolly: I used to have a similar fear about people watching me, scrutinizing me, laughing at me when I wasn’t looking. Sometimes I’d be eating in the cafeteria at school and a group of people nearby would laugh and I would think they were laughing at me. (This is was many years ago.) The best way to get over that is ask yourself: When someone walks into the room, do *I* look at that person, scrutinize them? Maybe sometimes…but not when there are people all over the place. I’m far more concerned with my own problems or conversation to watch everyone who is walking into and sitting down in the cafeteria. Most people *arn’t* looking at you, the same way you arn’t looking at most people.
137. Erin - April 12th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I am 31 years old and I have never encountered another person with a fear of taxidermy. I can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now finally discovering that I’m not alone. This fear controls my life. The first thing I do when I walk into any building is check the walls. My mom talked to her therapist about it and she said the cure was desensitization. She said just expose yourself to them little by little. It does work, but only for that particular animal. It doesn’t work for the rest. There have been a few deerheads that I had to see on a regular basis (like classroom at school, best friend’s house, etc) and I just really tried to look at them a little more each time. It was a very difficult process but I finally got to where I could look at them without having a complete panic attack. I’m pretty sure it started when I was 3 yrs old and my Dad took me to a museum and then put me on his shoulders when we got to the animal room for a closer look I guess. I’ve wondered many times why on earth he would think I needed a closer look at the severed heads of huge scary looking animals. When I was nose-to-nose with a huge deerhead, I realized I was surrounded by them and also a huge crocodile that looked like it was going to eat me. I started freaking out and I’ve had this phobia since that day. I have a phobia of all animals that have been stuffed but I can tolerate some whole bodies. But I’m terrified of any mounted head. I’m so relieved to know I’m not the only one.
138. Denise - April 13th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Exposure does help but not completely. My fear is mainly with antlered heads so I went to great lengths to - at a distance - look st them and then slowly approach. MUST be slow and at my own pace.
Recently while travelling I entered a gift shop that I frequent and know to be taxidermy free. As I walked in I immediately saw a deer head…a head type I hav over exposed myself to and felt I could handle. I was temp startled since I didn’t expect to see it.
Then it moved…..
It was one of those dumb talking heads that came out a few years ago. And I know they are far from real. But it scared me enough that I was on edge the rest of the day.
Facebook Support Group for Taxidermy Fear:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8334714222
139. lhorn - April 13th, 2008 at 8:27 am
It is a relief to know I am not the only one who suffers from a terrible fear of taxidermy. I used to be afraid to tell people, but now I am completely honest. I am 33 yrs. old and have had the fear since I was a small child and had a similar experience to Erin–(I came nose to nose with an enormous deer head that an adult thought I would love to see). I have also tried slow exposure to animal heads and stuffed whole bodies. I also do okay briefly if I take it slow and approach slowly. It only works for that time, though, and for only one animal or head at a time. Then, I’m back to square one if I encounter anything by surprise. Forget natural history museums or anywhere where there are many stuffed animals/heads. So, does anyone have any advice on how to deal with situations where you’re taken by surprise by them or you have to go to a place where there are many, like museums? I wish there was a way to be able to live with this fear and tolerate stuffed animals and heads when I see them. I also find myself looking for them and checking the walls when I go to new places.
140. Denise - April 13th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
lhorn, the surprise factor will always set you back no matter how much exposure or progress you make.
Best advise I can give is NEVER go into a new place on your own. All my close friends know my fear and will actually scout out any place new including banks and stores. Once I am informed there is a head and approx location I can slowly enter.
I rarely enter museums…just not ready for it yet. I am hoping to enter Cabelas this summer and see if I can handle even a portion of it.
141. SarahAtTheDisco - April 13th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Im scared of worms.
There like wiggling creatures from hell.
Sometimes I get so scared that I like, cant even go outside because you know, there underground.
I’m not really sure why I hate them so much…there just…
Gaghhh.
It’s not just worms…its anything shaped like a worm too. Or anything that moves like a worm.
bla.
142. Anthanamal - April 13th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Anyone know if there is a fear of roosters… I might have that.
143. lhorn - April 13th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Denise, thanks for the advice. My family and friends usually scout out places, too, before I go in if we think there may be taxidermy inside. I would love to avoid natural history museums altogether, but my son is about to enter kindergarten, and I know he will be taking field trips in school as we did. I just want to be able to go with him into a museum without freaking out completely. The sad fact is that I have tried to even look at taxidermy on the internet to desensitize, but I get panicked even looking at it on a computer screen. I wish I didn’t have this fear. Does anyone know if hypnosis works for this particular fear of taxidermy and has anyone tried it? Hypnosis seems to work for other phobias. Please let me know. Thanks.
144. Daddybear - April 17th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I can’t open the front door to anyone that I dont know. Even if I have looked out the window and that person sees me I run up the stairs to my bedroom and wait there till they have gone. I’m ok if it’s prearranged, like a delivery from a shop and I know they are coming but if its just cold call I get so tense and hot and my heart starts to beat fast. I just cannot go to the door.
Is there anyone else like me?
145. britt4335 - April 17th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
haha there is a fear of buttons, i think it’s called kumponophobia. It’s more common than you think.
146. SC - April 18th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
“I am afriad of the dark tiles that guide swimmers on the bottom of a pool. I am not kidding. A terrible sense of dread fills my mind if I accidentally open my eyes while swimming. (I will admit, I’ve gotten better- I can at least swim in a lap pool now, as long as I close my eyes.”
You’re not alone, I’ve had that since I was a kid. That and deep water.(I don’t think falling in the side of a lake and getting pushed into a pool when i was younger helped though)
147. Ophelia - April 23rd, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Im 18 and I have never heard of, or met anyone who as heard of, someone else with my phobia of taxidermy. I’m almost in tears just reading these comments. After coming across one of those lists of “wacky phobias” I unsuccessfully tried to find the technical name for it a few years ago and Ive searched online for any cases that were similar since. Just to know that Im not the only one is really comforting. I feel like I just wrote all of those comments and then forgot about them.
I wouldnt say it was “necrophobia” because its not a fear of all dead things. Road kill, for example, doesnt have a similar effect. On me atleast.
I always have to check walls when I enter new places too! I live in Texas though so the problem is like 10 fold. There is this one BBQ place that my family goes to often and my mom wanted me to pick something up for her there. I knew that it had 2 medium sized deer heads along the walls of the dining area and a giant buffalo head in the back of it. Since I was just picking up food from the front I wasnt that concerned. I walked into the front door and went in to pay and pick up the food and then I turned around to find that they had moved the buffalo head right next to the door. I felt like my heart stopped. Cold sweats, freezing in place, the whole shibang. I was stuck in crazy person limbo for like an hour before I finally shielded my eyes and ran out. I havent been back since, which is really sad because I like that restaurant.
Someone mentioned being afraid of dinosaurs in museums? I never expected that being included in my phobia but I went to this one museum with the fossils and what not set up and I could not walk past it. I had to turn around and retrace my way out of the exhibit.
148. LBelle - April 25th, 2008 at 11:47 am
taxidermy people:
I as well suffer from this same fear and it is so great to know that I am not the only one who is affected by this. I have never met anyone with this fear yet, and people constantly bother me about it, or tease me, or get fed up with having to deal with it.
Like many of you, I constantly have to have someone check new places for animal heads and most of the time they get annoyed and don’t understand why I have the fear in the first place.
I am unaffected by small birds, although some large ones scare me, fish, dinosaurs and most reptiles. I remember being better with some taxidermied corcodiles and hippos and other things but they still creep me out. But when it comes to things like deer, moose, or bear (things with fur and stuff) I hyperventalate. Its gotten to the point where even wooden carved heads and small toy sculptures or pictures of mounted heads freaks me out. I always feel like such an idiot having to run out of stores when they appear unexpectedly.
Most of the time, if I know there is a head in a store I will not enter, and if I must I do so with a friend. Once I know there will be taxidermy in a place I can begin to enter slowly. The worst is when friends try to have me “conquor” the fear by dragging me up to them. Then I scream and everyone in the store looks at me. I also try to find picture or maps of places I am going to see if I should stay clear. Many times I have called resturants in advance.
I don’t know what triggered the fear for me. When I was younger I remeber going to natural history museams and bug-a-boo creek and having a great time. A year later I went back as a class feild trip and had to wait for hours as the rest of my group looked at all the animals.
These are all suprise encounters I have faced but they have all happened after my fear had developed.
- At Canobie Lake Park, there was an elk in such a random place, at the top of a water slide. At that point I was at the top with no way down and had to have the person working there escort me into the slide.
- At the same park, there was a jaguar head that had to be passed under to exit the ride.
- At my doctors office, there was a mobile of swinging birds.
- Forget shopping at Abercrombie.
- At Old Town in San Diego, many stores had sheep heads and I would catch them by surprise and run out. I felt like I was offending the culture there though and refused to go into any other stores.
- My brothers purchased a fake bear head and stuck it above my door, so when I closed the door to my room and sat down I was shocked.
Also, roadkill, live animals, bones, and toys don’t bother me.
I have never heard a cure for this phobia - has anyone overcome it?
I’m sorry this was such a long post!
Thank you
149. leigh - April 26th, 2008 at 6:24 am
I have conquered my fear of stuffed toy animals which I had for many years , but have not conquered my fear of giant statues. I can’t even look at a picture of mount rushmore. Does anyone else have this fear ?
150. john - April 26th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
theres much wierder ones. fear of peanut butter sticking to the top of your mouth. cant remember the name
151. xD - May 6th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
fear of giant statues? lolz i live under the statue of liberty! xD it’d suk to have that fear eh?
152. 2e - May 7th, 2008 at 5:35 am
for thos of you with panphobia… wise up, get off the drugs or stop being such a pussy.
P.S: BOOO!!
153. lhorn - May 7th, 2008 at 6:29 am
gee, 2e, I hope you don’t ever have a dreaded fear of something bizarre or hard to explain. It really sucks when you do have fears. So, stop making fun of people who do have any of these fears. If you’re not here to share different types of fears, then go find another message board to screw around on!
154. 2e - May 7th, 2008 at 11:03 am
right yer, bad form. true. sorry to anyone with panophobia, sounds like the worst one, doesn’t much like a phobia, more like a severe psychological condition. But really, some of these phobias are surely just people taking the piss, Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Really? there are people scared of long words? BALLS! How does that work? That surely is FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION!!! And a fear of buttons? These aren’t phobias, there eccentricities.
155. Taija - May 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I’ve had arachnofobia (the fear of spiders, as you propably know) for a long time. Thankfully I’m slowly starting to get over it, because it has been a pain in the ass.
I haven’t been able to go to woodsheds or other similiar buildings, and even though I’ve never seen a spider in a toilet, using one always feels uncomfortable, especially in the summer. Once I accidently opened a picture of a harvestman and started crying.
I also think I have another fobia, but I really don’t even know how to describe it. I think I’ll check the fobia list, just to be sure..
156. Tomo - June 4th, 2008 at 3:22 am
How can one not have Taphophobia? I can’t imagine someone saying “Oh, you could bury me alive and I wouldn’t be afraid because I don’t suffer from Taphophobia”!!
A phobia is an irrational fear, like fearing clowns etc. I don’t think being afraid of being buried alive is an irrational fear. It dun’ qualify.
157. Drogo - June 5th, 2008 at 3:54 am
When I’m near tall skinny structures, like radio transmitters, I get a weird feeling. As if I’m subconsciously(sp?) afraid it’s going to fall on me.(haha)
I get a funny feeling when I’m near a window in tall building, but yet I love roller coasters, and the higher they are the better.
I have a buddy who must have Ephebophobia. One day I suggested we go to the new coffee shop, but he didn’t like the teenagers that were “hanging out in front.” They were nonthreatening looking kids, just sitting at a table with their drinks.
158. Drogo - June 5th, 2008 at 3:57 am
p.s. I should probably stay away from Yao Ming, the basketball player.
159. Dre - June 12th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
i have a fear of being single…
160. Kristine - June 16th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I have/had a very strong fear of driving…I didn’t like bumper cars as a child, go carts, I hated drivers ed and for not one minute did I ever want to get my license. People would ask how I could manage, and I said that I did not miss what I never had, which was true. NO ONE could even get me to put the keys in the ignition, or sit in a driver’s seat. Ever! I would make great elaborate plans to avoid this issue. I’m now 37, and moved to a new town last summer. I lost out on a great job at the last second when they found out I did not have a license…I managed to get another similar job, and within 3 months a promotion IF IF IF IF I would get my license. They told me what my raise would be. HUGE. I bought a little red moped scooter off of craigslist (the giant properties of not being able to control a huge iron hunk of car was a lot of the problem) but the scooter got dusty. A few months after calculating all the money I had “thrown away”, I put an ad on craigslist for someone patient and anonymous (who would never judge me again if I chickened out) to teach me. It was awful, but I did luck out because the lady used to work at the DMV. She took me on many terrible lessons, which I dreaded and hated, and then, crying, I went to the DMV and I think the lady just gave me my license so she wouldn’t have to see me again…but it’s been six months, and I drive to work now…I had no idea how my life would change after facing this awful phobia! Whatever your phobia is, if I can face this hideously silly phobia, you can face yours!
161. poetryman103 - June 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am
i blame the movie it for number 3
162. Ellen - June 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I actually used to be an emetophobic when I was younger (fear of vomiting). I would sometimes lay awake all night or refrain from eating, cause I was so afraid that I would vomit. It’s better now though, I have actually vomited since then which helped in overcoming it.
Oh, and another hilarious Gary Larson phobia:
anatidaephobia: The fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you.
lol
163. taylor - July 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
none of these are really that weird…
i actually have a phobia of most condiments (mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, etc..)
there is no name for this irrational fear, but i know that i am not the only one.
164. Vera Lynn - July 3rd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
#51 Che I love a man in uniform!!
#144 Daddybear, Yes, I’m like that, too. I simply cannot open the door, either. I’m afraid.
I have a HUGE fear of all creepy-crawly things. Debilitating, really. So I stay in and check out ListVerse