Anxiety, Panic & Health » Phobias

Phobia Names: Why Can’t We Just Agree?

Mike Nichols — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:12:39 +0000

Why are there so many names for phobias? Why can’t we just agree on one for each?

If you have the fear of newness or novelty, you get to choose among 8 terms: Cainophobia, Cainotophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, Kainolophobia, Kainophobia, Kainotophobia, and Neophobia. The fear of being touched has 6 names to describe it, and the fear of odors has 7!

Regrettably, the fellow on the right has only two terms to describe his fear of needles: Aichmophobia and Belonephobia. Maybe we could come up with a couple of others: stickophobia or ouchaphobia. Or if you’re classically trained: neraphobia, from the Latin root “nere,” or nemaphobia from the Greek “nema, ” both meaning “needle.”

Today’s post is a lighthearted look at all the multiple names given to phobias, complete with a cartoon. The topic is explored under the headings:

What are phobias, anyway?
Why are there so many names for the same phobia?
A big old list: Multiple names for the same phobia

What are phobias, anyway?

Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association is the main diagnostic reference book for mental health professionals in the US and in much of the rest of the world.

According to the DSM-IV, a phobia is characterized by:

A marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation (e.g., flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood).
Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed panic attack.
The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable.
The phobic situation(s) is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety or distress.
The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared situation(s) interferes significantly with the person’s normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.

A study by the National Institute of Mental Health found that up to 18 per cent of Americans — 55 million — suffer from at least one phobia. If there are so many suffering people out there, why can’t the mental health profession agree on a single name for a single phobia?

Why are there so many names for the same phobia?

Aeluro-, aelur-, ailuro, eluro- are all Greek root words for “cat”

Some of the reasons for the multiple names for phobias lie in the language of the root source of the word, whether that root word is plural or not, and how the root word is spelled.

Take, for example, some of the fear of cat’s terms. Felinophobia’s root is the Latin word “felinus,” Elurophobia’s root is directly from the Greek “eluro,” and gatophobia’s root is derived from the Spanish word for cat, “gato.” All these root words mean “cat.” Two of the other terms for the fear of cats, Aelurophobia and Ailurophobia, come from variant spellings of the Greek root word “eluro.”

Another reason is that phobias were not studied much until recent times. Each physician over time invented his (and it was a “his,” almost exclusively) own word for an observed phobia, usually dusting off his grammar-school Greek or Latin for the root word. So these terms come down to us in all their plurality from the moldy tomes of the ancients.

But not all terms were made hundreds of years ago. Greek and Latin root words are still being coined for certain mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, which is made of two Greek words slammed together in the early 20th century. Autism, neurotic, id and libido were all made up in the 20th century.

A big old list: Multiple names for the same phobia

Afraid of dirt? There are 11 names for it!

Below is a sample list of phobias with three or more terms identifying them — there are many, many more, but I decided enough was enough. So, sit back and relax while you read this list and wonder where all these terms came from:

Being alone – Autophobia, Eremiophobia, Eremophobia, Ermitophobia, Isolophobia, Monophobia
Being locked in an enclosed space – Cleithrophobia, Cleisiophobia, Clithrophobia
Being poisoned – Toxiphobia, Toxophobia, Toxicophobia
Being touched – Aphenphosmphobia, Aphephobia, Chiraptophobia, Haphephobia, Haptephobia, Haptophobia
Blood – Hemophobia, Hemaphobia, Hematophobia
Cats – Aelurophobia, Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia, Galeophobia, Gatophobia
Childbirth – Maleusiophobia, Tocophobia, Parturiphobia, Lockiophobia
Cold – Cheimaphobia, Cheimatophobia, Cryophobia, Frigophobia, Pagophobia, Psychrophobia, Psychropophobia
Crowds – Demophobia, Enochlophobia Ochlophobia
Dirt and being dirty – Automysophobia, Coprophobia, Misophobia, Molysmophobia, Molysomophobia, Mysophobia, Rupophobia, Rypophobia, Scatophobia, Spermophobia, Verminophobia.
Disease – Nosophobia, Nosemaphobia, Pathophobia, Panthophobia, Monopathophobia
Everything – Panophobia, Panphobia, Pamphobia, Pantophobia
Fever – Febriphobia, Fibriphobia, Fidriophobia, Pyrexiophobia
Flying – Aviophobia or Aviatophobia, Pteromerhanophobia
France or French culture – Francophobia, Gallophobia, Galiphobia
Glass – Hyelophobia, Hyalophobia, Nelophobia
Hair – Chaetophobia, Trichopathophobia, Trichophobia Hypertrichophobia
Heights – Acrophobia, Altophobia, Bathophobia, Batophobia, Hypsiphobia, Hypsophobia
Insects – Acarophobia or Entomophobia, Insectophobia
Men – Androphobia or Arrhenphobia, Hominophobia
Mice – Musophobia, Murophobia, Suriphobia
Newness, novelty – Cainophobia, Cainotophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, Kainolophobia, Kainophobia, Kainotophobia, Neophobia
Night or darkness – Achluophobia, Lygophobia, Myctophobia, Noctiphobia, Nyctophobia, Scotophobia
Odors – Autodysosmophobia, Automysophobia, Bromidrophobia, Bromidrosiphobia, Olfactophobia, Osmophobia, Osphresiophobia
Pain -Agliophobia, Algophobia, Algiophobia, Ergasiophobia, Ergophobia, Odynephobia, Odynophobia, Ponophobia
Rabies – Cynophobia, Hydrophobophobia, Hydrophobia, Kynophobia, Lyssophobia
Red (color or word) – Ereuthophobia, Ereuthrophobia, Erythrophobia, Erthyrophobia, Erytophobia, and Rhodophobia
Thunder and lightning – Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia, Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia, Tonitrophobia
Walking – Ambulophobia, Basiphobia, Basophobia, Basostasophobia, Basistasiphobia Stasibasiphobia, Stasiphobia
Water – Aquaphobia, Caninophobia, Cynophobia, Hydrophobia, Hydrophobophobia, Kynophobia, Lyssophobia, Nautophobia

What do you think?

I have a fascination for words and their etymology. You can probably tell that! I hope I haven’t bored you with all these almost indecipherable Greek and Latin terms!

I want to emphasize that I in no way intend this post to make fun of people with these and other phobias. If you have a phobia that is impairing your life, I recommend seeing a mental health professional. Treatment usually takes only a few sessions for a lifetime of relief.

Do you have a phobia? Mine is roaches!
Do you find this list offensive, funny, or none of the above?
Did you even get this far with your reading?

As always, your comments are welcome!

If you have enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email at the top of your screen. It’s free! You can also follow me on Twitter from the same place. I would also appreciate your sharing this post using your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of this post.

More phobia lists for your reading pleasure:

The Phobia List – An enormous list sorted by the phobia terms

Types of Phobias – You can look up terms either by their names or “fear of…”

%RELATEDPOSTS%

Related Posts:

Spiders! Snakes! Blood! 13! – Specific Phobias: Where They Come From and What You Can Do About Them

Mike Nichols — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:15:05 +0000

Dogs! Mice! Needles! Insects! Cuts! Heights!

The list goes on and on. These are all known as Specific Phobias, and they are all the butt of many jokes.

But they are not a joke to many, many people. It is estimated by the National Institute of Mental Health that 19 million Americans have some sort of Specific Phobia.

A Specific Phobia is a type of Anxiety Disorder. It is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.

There are many Specific Phobias. Acrophobia is a fear of heights. You may be able to ski the world’s tallest mountains but not be able to go above the 3rd floor of an office building. You may be able to drive a car but be unable to enter an elevator. Other common phobias involve tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, animals and blood.

What exactly are Specific Phobias? What are the causes? How are they treated? Continue reading for answers to these and other questions (and a comic bonus!).

What exactly is a Specific Phobia?

A strong, irrational and involuntary fear reaction

There are three kinds of Phobias categorized under Anxiety Disorders: Agoraphobia, Social Phobia, and Specific Phobias. Specific phobias cause some people to have very strong, irrational, involuntary fear reactions that lead them to avoid common everyday places, situations or objects even though they logically know there isn’t any threat of danger. The fear doesn’t make any sense, but nothing seems to be able to stop it.

The key to the fear reactions of Specific Phobias is the strong, irrational, and involuntary reactions in the presence of or the anticipation of a specific place, object or situation. The Specific Phobia sufferer knows that their reaction is irrational, but even simply thinking about it can cause extreme anxiety.

What are the symptoms of a Specific Phobia?

Avoiding what you are afraid of

People with Specific Phobias try to avoid what they are afraid of. This avoidance is a key feature of the Anxiety Disorders. If a feared object or situation cannot be avoided, a person may experience:

Panic and fear
Rapid heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Trembling
A strong desire to get away

When confronted with the feared situation or object, they may even have a panic attack — the abrupt onset of intense fear or terror in which people feel like they are losing control, unable to breathe or having a heart attack.

What’s the difference between normal anxiety and a Specific Phobia?

If you’re human, you have anxiety

Humans are built to have anxiety. The fear response has helped our species survive for as long as it has. Normal fear and apprehensiveness protects us from many dangerous situations, heightens our senses, and causes us to gather our wits and strength for difficult situations.

However, there is a big difference between “normal” anxiety and a Specific Phobia. Some examples are:

Normal: Feeling queasy while climbing a tall ladder. Phobia: Refusing to attend your best friend’s wedding because it’s on the 25th floor of a hotel.
Normal: Worrying about taking off in an airplane during a lightening storm. Phobia: Turning down a big promotion because it involves air travel.
Normal: Feeling anxious about your neighbor’s pit bull. Phobia: Avoiding visiting any homes of your neighbors for fear of seeing a dog.
Normal: Disgust at seeing a cockroach in your kitchen. Phobia: Avoiding an outdoor barbecue for fear of mosquitos.
Normal: Dislike of having blood drawn. Phobia: Passing out when having blood drawn.

What causes Specific Phobias?

No single reason for Specific Phobias

As with most of the Anxiety Disorders, there is no single known cause of Specific Phobias. Scientists believe that phobias can be traced to a combination of genetic tendencies, brain chemistry, and other biological, psychological and environmental factors. Specific Phobias can develop at any time, but are more likely to develop in childhood and adolescence. They are slightly more prevalent in women than in men.

It is known that Specific Phobias run in families for both genetic and environmental reasons. Traumatic events often trigger the development of Specific Phobias. I have cynophobia, the fear of dogs, from a traumatic event where I was attacked by dogs in my childhood.

Evolutionary Psychologists and others speculate that certain fears are built in, such as the fear of snakes and high places. Even babies demonstrate these fears. The fear of blood and open spaces may have helped our ancestors avoid dangerous situations. Evolutionary Psychologists think that these fears have had a role in preserving humans over the millennia.

What are some common phobias?

Common phobias

The list of Specific Phobias ranges in the hundreds, some silly and some very real. And many phobias have several different names, depending on which language the root of the word is drawn from.
For example, Ailurophobia is the fear of cats. “Ailuro” is the Greek word for cat. Synonyms include Aelurophobia (a different spelling), Elurophobia (another different spelling), Felinophobia (from “Felinus,” Latin for cat), and Gatophobia (from “Gato,” Spanish for cat).
Among the more common phobias are:

Achluophobia or Scotophobia — Fear of darkness
Acrophobia — Fear of heights.
Aichmophobia — Fear of needles or pointed objects.
Amaxophobia — Fear of riding in a car
Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia — Fear of spiders
Aviophobia, Aviatophobia or Pteromerhanophobia — Fear of flying
Brontophobia, Ceraunophobia or Keraunophobia — Fear of thunder and lightning
Claustrophobia — Fear of confined spaces
Cynophobia — Fear of dogs or rabies
Dermatophobia — Fear of skin lesions or cuts
Hydrophobia or Potamophobia — Fear of water, rivers or running water
Ophidiophobia — Fear of snakes
Hemophobia, Hemaphobia or Hematophobia — Fear of blood
Insectophobia — Fear of insects
Kenophobia — Fear of voids or empty spaces
Lygophobia — Fear of darkness
Musophobia or Muriphobia — Fear of mice
Oneirophobia — Fear of dreams
Pathophobia or Bacteriophobia — Fear of bacteria, germs or disease
Somniphobia — Fear of sleep
Spermatophobia or Spermophobia — Fear of germs
Stenophobia — Fear of narrow things or places
Triskaidekaphobia or Terdekaphobia — Fear of the number 13
Trypanophobia — Fear of injections

What are the treatments for Specific Phobias?

People are ashamed of phobias

According to Isaac Marks, a psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry in London and an authority on fear and Anxiety, phobias are still not taken seriously enough. He says, “People with phobias are often told to pull themselves together. They are ashamed of their phobias and try to hide them.”

Fortunately, the tide is turning as awareness increases and people begin to take the treatment of Specific Phobias more seriously. New ways of thinking about phobias are producing treatments that are inexpensive, effective and that do not take a long time.

A type of therapy called Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has proven to be a very effective treatment for Specific Phobias. It involves helping people become gradually more comfortable with situations that frighten them. This is similar to another treatment, Exposure Therapy, which exposes a person to the feared object or situation gradually. Relaxation and breathing techniques are also helpful.

There is no proven drug treatment for Specific Phobias, but certain medications may help reduce symptoms of Anxiety before one faces a phobic situation.

A funny bonus

Funny videoAs you know, I take Specific Phobias very seriously. They cause disruptions in a person’s life that can lead to more serious mental disorders such as Agoraphobia, Social Phobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Moreover, many people self-medicate for their Specific Phobia with alcohol and drugs (illegal or legal). This self-medication can lead to many other problems, as well.

That being said, I was sent a hilarious video by a friend that spoofs a Fear Management group therapy session. The phobias presented in the group are silly and made up, such as the fear of repetitions in speech, or barking like a dog when hearing others tell their problems.

I offer this bonus as a bit of comic relief after a very serious discussion:

What do you think?

As mentioned, I have a fear of dogs (especially big dogs). In addition, I admit to a fear of confined spaces and a fear of heights. I have had these for as long as I can remember.

Do you have any Specific Phobias?
Have you been able to rid yourself of a Specific Phobia? How did you do it?
Do you think the video was appropriate?

As always, your comments are welcome!

If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email at the top of your screen. It’s free! I would also appreciate your sharing it using your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of this post.

Resources used in this post:

Anxiety Disorders Association of America. (2007). Specific Phobias. Retrieved June 23, 2008 from Anxiety Disorders Association of America Web site (PDF): http://adaa.org/bookstore/Brochures/phobias_adaa.pdf

National Institute of Mental Health. (2006, December 12). Facts About Phobias. Retrieved August 26, 2008 from Psych Central Web site: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/facts-about-phobias/

National Institute of Mental Health. (2006, December 12). Specific Phobias. Retrieved August 26, 2008 from Psych Central Web site: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/specific-phobias/

Saul, Helen. (1993, December 18). Phobias: is there a way out? Retrieved August 26, 2008 from NewScientist Web site: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14019043.700-phobias-is-there-a-way-out.html

Aviophobia: Understanding the Fear of Flying

Mike Nichols — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:11:22 +0000

Traveling by airplane is one of the fastest, safest and easiest modes of transportation. It enables people to travel vast distances unthinkable just a few short decades ago.

While most people enjoy the convenience of air travel, people with a flight phobia have an intense fear of flying. This fear may prevent a person from going on vacations or visiting family and friends. It can cripple the careers of businesspeople by preventing them from traveling on work-related business.

Fear of flying, also known as aviophobia, is an Anxiety Disorder classified as a situational Specific Phobia. The person with fear of flying has a continuing and excessive fear triggered by flying or the thought of flying. Typically, flying is avoided or endured with intense anxiety, which may take the form of a panic attack.

Famous people afraid to fly include John Madden (NFL coach and commentator), Stanley Kubrick (filmmaker), Kim Jong-Il (North Korean leader), Whoopi Goldberg (actress), Joseph Stalin (past ruler of the Soviet Union), and wrestler Andre the Giant.

Several studies have found that up to 40 percent of people have some degree of anxiety about flying. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 6.5 percent of Americans — 20 million — have a fear of flying so intense that it qualifies as a Specific Phobia. More women than men suffer from fear of flying.

In addition to those with flight phobia, there are individuals who fear and avoid flying because they suffer from Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia—they fear having a panic attack while on an airplane. However, unlike those with a specific flying phobia, people with agoraphobia also fear other situations from which escape may be difficult if they have a panic attack.

What are the causes for fear of flying?

The cause for fear of flying is disputed. While most researchers believe it is a learned fear, the factors that make one vulnerable to its development may vary.

The way each individual processes threatening stimuli may help determine whether a fear of flying develops. If a person tends to catastrophize outcomes based on unfamiliar stimuli such as loud noises and turbulence, and adds to that an overreaction to other fears, such as the fear of terrorism, they may be well on the way to developing a flight phobia.

The components of a fear of flying are created from other phobias and fears:

Fear of heights (acrophobia)
Fear of closed in spaces (claustrophobia)
Loss of personal freedom and control, or being dependent on technology or other people
Fear of having Panic Attacks in places where escape would be difficult or embarrassing (Agoraphobia)
Fear of being over water
Fear of the dark (flying at night)
Fear of the unknown
Fear of accidents that might cause injury or death
Fear of terrorism, skyjacking or other deliberate attacks
Being idle for long periods of time
The security screening process
Concerns about turbulence and other weather conditions
Not understanding the activities associated with a normal flight
Underlying issues from past psychological or physical trauma

In addition, other factors that may predispose someone to developing a flight phobia include:

Stressful life events
Personality factors, such as individuals who find it difficult to give control to another
Misinformation about the danger of flying
A biological predisposition

What is the treatment for fear of flying?

Treatment for fear of flying has three components: education, therapy, and medication. Not all are required for every person.

Education

In some cases, educating people with a fear of flying about the “nuts and bolts” of aviation can considerably diminish their irrational fears. Understanding what a certain sound is or that an encounter with turbulence will not destroy the aircraft is beneficial to easing the fear of the unknown.

Even so, when airborne and experiencing turbulence, terror can result, despite the person knowing logically that the plane is not in danger. In such cases, therapy — in addition to education — is needed to gain relief.

Therapy

The primary treatment for fear of flying is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This involves exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques. These rest on the theory that a phobia is due to an initial sensitizing event (ISE) that has created the feelings of fear. The initial sensitizing event was the first time that the person felt those intense feelings of fear.

A trained professional can help an individual develop a treatment plan to extinguish a phobia through either graded exposure (desensitization) or intensive exposure (flooding).

Traditionally, exposure therapy has had to be carried out on actual airplanes. Patients faced their fear gradually by meeting at an airport and boarding a stationary plane several times before taking an actual flight. Success rates for exposure therapy are about 90 percent.

However, this type of exposure therapy has declined since the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as airport security has tightened.

Virtual-reality programs are now being used experimentally. They offer a computer-generated simulation of flying that is three-dimensional and lifelike. Dr. Barbara Rothbaum of Emory University in Atlanta, who has studied virtual-reality treatments for fear of flying, says that the success rate is comparable to more traditional exposure therapy.

Medication

Aside from sedatives, such as the benzodiazepines Xanax, Valium, Ativan, most drug therapy efforts have been unsuccessful in treating fear of flying. Passengers often self-medicate with alcohol, as well. But sedatives and alcohol typically only provide short-term relief.

The one exception to the ineffectiveness of drug therapy would be when the fear of flying is secondary to Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia. In this case, antidepressant medications may be used in combination with the behavioral therapy for maximal benefits.

What do you think?

Do you or someone you know have a fear of flying?
Have you sought treatment? If so, what kind of treatment did you receive?

If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email at the top of the screen. I would also appreciate it if you shared this article with your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of the post.