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
By Eric Van Buskirk Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity, commonly called ADD or ADHD, is a mental disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) give guidelines for professionals and it is challenging to diagnose. ADHD affects around 3 to 5% of children worldwide, … Read more
Anthropophobia (or ‘anthrophobia’) is an often temporary social phobia, typically involving fear of crowds, eye contact, and receiving judgment from others. It’s defined as a “fear of people” and is common among 13-18-year-olds, for whom the slightest social contact can quickly seem insurmountable. Similarly to other specific phobias, we characterize anthropophobia as an intense fear … Read more
Note: This post was updated by Eric Van Buskirk on January 15, 2023 Most definitions and explanations for multiple personality disorder use the dissociative identity disorder definition, which is what it’s currently known as. Others make it seem more like a pop-psychology concept. While we can all understand people wanting to paint it in a … Read more
Nosophobia (or pathophobia) is the fear of disease. This phobia is more common among men than it is among women. In general, nosophobes are afraid of contracting specific diseases – namely sexually transmitted infections (STIs), cancer, cardiovascular diseases, MS (multiple sclerosis). How do you better understand nosophobia? Nosophobia (or pathophobia) is the fear of contracting … Read more
Many of us pick up small, comfortable habits over time that are part of strict routines. They make us feel better or add to a daily plan which makes our lives easier in small ways. For most of us, these quirky habits are comforting, reassuring even. Extreme OCD symptoms look very, very different.