We do daily routines, often times not thinking about each and every activity we do. For people with phobias what seems normal to others, isn't in their lives. A phobia goes far beyond just a simple fear. It is an extreme one, that interferes so much with someones life, that it causes them to become disabled (when faced with their scary reality).
Below I will list a few:
1. Agoraphobia is characterized by anxiety in situations where the sufferer perceives the environment to be dangerous, uncomfortable or unsafe. These situations can include wide-open spaces, uncontrollable social situations, unfamiliar places, shopping malls, airports and bridges. The sufferer may go to great lengths to avoid those situations, in severe cases becoming unable to leave their home or safe haven.
I personally knew of someone who lived with Agoraphobia. It turns out, leaving her home even just to go to the grocery store was a everyday battle. The only situations of comfort she would feel, was in her own home surrounded by her own family. She led an extremely lonely and self neglected life. Leaving her home unless required to (doctors appointment) was the only time she'd really step out.
2. Ablutophobia is the persistent, abnormal and unwarranted fear of bathing, washing, or cleaning. This phobia is most common in children and women.
I can imagine most of us enjoy bathing. Even those of us that aren't very fond of it, do it has a way to maintain good hygiene. For these sufferers they dread bathing to the point where it overtakes their own thoughts. With encouragement from parents, children sufferers are usually able to grow out of it.
3. Ornithophobia is an abnormal, irrational fear of birds.
I know some of us enjoy seeing birds at pet shops. Others of us enjoy feeding/petting them as well. But for sufferers of Ornithophobia going outside can be a challenge, especially when faced with the fact that one lives in a area heavily populated with birds. I once saw a story, of a woman who almost lost her job because she didn't want to leave her own home for several days. She was literally paralyzed, and bound to her bed because she felt threatened for her life when she would see the pigeons outside of her home.
4. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a phobia where suffers have a great fear of really long words, so they would be afraid to say the name of this phobia. Sufferers are afraid to speak long words, write long words, read long words, and hear or see other people use long words.
I really never thought this was even a real phobia. But if you "think" it, chances are there's a phobia for it.
(5) Anatidaephobia is defined as a pervasive, irrational fear that one is being watched by a duck. The anatidaephobic individual fears that no matter where they are or what they are doing, a duck watches.
As I put myself in a person's shoes that has this phobia , I feel very scared. This person is living in a deluted mindset. I can imagine I wouldn't seek enjoyment if I felt that I was being watched constantly by a creature that probably isn't there at all.
6. Spectrophobia is a fear of mirrors. Generally, an individual that deals with spectrophobia has been traumatized in an event where they believe they have seen or heard apparitions or ghosts. The individual could also become traumatized by horror films, television shows, or by nightmares.This fear could be the result of a trauma involving mirrors. It could also be the result of the person’s superstitious fear of being watched through the mirror.
Looking into a mirror, or walking past one is a every day part of our lives. It's almost inevitable to avoid a mirror. I can imagine the extent of a person's anxiety that has to deal with this very specific type of phobia.
What is your outlook on phobias in general? Do you think they are real? or just some exaggeration for attention?
If you have any phobias to share, please tell me about a few below.
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