Our ancestors evolved to take shelter from the rain. For some, a practical avoidance of rain turns into an irrational fear, a phobia called ombrophobia. Those with ombrophobia may suffer from an anxiety disorder, experience heart palpitations, or have an irrational fixation on disasters. This can happen even in light rain or if the weather … Read more
Do you ever feel overwhelmed when it comes to mathematics? Do you get sick to your stomach when faced with equations and formulas? If so, then you’re not alone. A mathematics phobia is an intense fear of math, which can cause panic when individuals face equations and formulas. Symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, trembling … Read more
Let’s talk about phobias! Phobias are one of those things that, unless you have experience with them, it’s hard to really get your head around it. According to the American Psychiatric Association, a phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment … Read more
We looked at the 24 biggest fears and phobias and mapped them by state. Many of the most common fears this year are the usual suspects. People just do not like scary heights, for example. As long as there were steep cliffs and two-story homes of mud, wood, or stone; men and women probably displayed symptoms … Read more
In recent years, scientific research has been able to confirm that the anxiety disorder Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) is more common than originally thought. According to recent reports by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 1.2% of all US adults have been diagnosed with OCD – with over 80% of the affected suffering moderate to … Read more
Glossophobia is a common social phobia categorized under social anxiety. As of this writing, glossophobia affects a significant portion of the American population. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), public speaking anxiety affects “about 73% of the population.” Those affected by glossophobia are often mistaken for simply having a case of nerves … Read more
Sominphobia is the fear of dreams and can also be known as sleep anxiety. Though there are different kinds and levels, it can be said that Sominphobia refers to a generalized dislike or fear of dreaming. This can lead to either an inability to sleep or insomnia when attempting to fall asleep. It has been … Read more
Aichmophobia is a type of anxiety disorder involving an intense fear of sharp objects. It’s not known to be a common phobia – affecting around 2.5 – 5% of the population. However, it can cause some people intense anxiety, panic attacks, and behavioral changes. When we refer to ‘sharp objects,’ this isn’t just knives. People … Read more
A Fear of Crowds: Explaining Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by an intense fear of crowds or confined spaces or vast and open spaces. An ‘agoraphobe’ fears the possibility of losing control over a situation and not being able to escape easily in case of danger. An agoraphobic individual may be frightened of … Read more