When fear is something more... When fear is something more... Phobias in children: causes
As teenagers explore the world around them, gain new experiences, and confront new and challenging problems, worries and apprehensions are an almost inevitable part of the process of growing up.
According to one study, 43% of children aged 6 to 12 years experience many fears and worries. Fear of the dark, especially the fear of being alone in the dark, is one of the most common fears of children at this age, as is the fear of animals such as large barking dogs. Some children are afraid of fire, heights or thunder. Others follow reports on television and in newspapers and worry when they see reports of criminals, child abductors or nuclear war. If a family has recently experienced a serious illness or death of a family member, they may begin to worry about the health of the relatives around them.
During middle adolescence, fears tend to intensify and subside again. Most of them are minor, but even if they get worse, they usually go away on their own over time. However, sometimes these fears can become so strong, persistent and focused on one event that they develop into phobias or obsessive fears. Phobias, very strong, uncontrollable fears, can become persistent and debilitating, greatly affecting and interfering with a child's daily life. For example, a six-year-old child's phobia about dogs can cause him to panic, after which he will refuse to leave the house at all, fearing that there may be a dog there. A ten-year-old child may be so frightened by a news report about a serial killer that he will insist on sleeping in his parents' bed at night.
Some children this age may develop phobias towards people they encounter in everyday life. This severe shyness can prevent a child from making friends at school and forming relationships with most adults, especially strangers. They may deliberately avoid social events such as birthday parties or scout meetings, and will often find it difficult to communicate calmly with anyone outside their family.
Separation anxiety is also quite common among children of this age. In some cases, this fear may increase when a family moves to a new area or when children are placed in a child care facility where they feel uncomfortable. Such children may be afraid to go to summer camps or even go to school. Their phobias can cause physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach pains, and ultimately lead to a child becoming withdrawn and later depressed.
Around the age of 6-7 years, when children begin to understand what death is, another fear may arise. Realizing that death will eventually affect everyone, that it is a permanent and irreversible phenomenon, the completely normal worry about the possible death of family members - or even about the death of oneself - can only increase. In some cases, such preoccupation with death can lead to a state of incapacity.
Phobias
Symptoms
The feeling of fear is associated with a certain object or situation (fear of animals, claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces).
Behavior aimed at avoiding a situation that causes fear, as well as escaping from a similar situation or from an object.
Physiological changes caused by fear: tachycardia, increased sweating, tachypnea, shortness of breath, nausea.
The patient's reaction is inappropriate to the situation.
The phobia occurs as monosymptomatic or polysymptomatic.
Treatment
Explain the cause of the disease.
Before starting intervention using behavioral therapy methods, it is necessary to conduct a thorough analysis of objects and situations that cause fear.
Behavioral therapy. Systematic desensitization: gradual approach to an object that causes fear; Flood therapy: massive contact with the feared object and prevention of reactions.
Fear attacks and panic attacks
Symptoms
Sudden and unpredictable onset of fear; fear is not associated with any specific situation; physiological symptoms as in phobias; The duration of the attack is several minutes.
Treatment
Analysis of situations that cause a panic attack. Confrontational treatment in combination with training in strategies for overcoming fear.
Additionally - relaxation exercises, biofeedback training.
Drug treatment (rarely): antidepressants, anxiolytics.
Generalized fears
Also called spontaneous fears.
Symptoms:
- feeling of motor tension, feeling of oppression;
- autonomic complaints: complaints when swallowing, cold and sweaty extremities, tachycardia and palpitations;
- increased timidity, fear of danger, impaired concentration.
Treatment
Psychotherapy: teach coping strategies to reduce the severity of fear.
Supportive biofeedback techniques and relaxation exercises.
Maintenance drug treatment: antidepressants, antipsychotics.
Fear of separation, fear of school
Reason: excessively strong connection with a loved one. Sometimes a traumatic experience of separation in the past.
Symptoms:
- refusal to attend school and notifying parents about this;
- physical complaints without a identifiable organic cause;
- depressed mood;
- excessive fearfulness;
- fear of sudden illness, loss or disaster.
Treatment
Long-term refusal to attend school requires inpatient treatment.
The purpose of inpatient treatment: isolation of the patient, formation of his social independence, gradual accustoming to school.
Drug treatment: antidepressants.
Treatment of fears and phobias in children
Since fears are a normal part of life and often serve as a response to a real or at least perceived threat to the outside world, parents must reassure and support the child. When talking with him, parents should accept his experiences, but not exaggerate or strengthen them. Consider what is already being done to protect your child and work with your child to identify additional actions that can be taken. Such simple, sensitive and frank actions by parents will help solve or cope with most children's fears. If practical confirmation is not successful, the child's fears may turn out to be a phobia.
Fortunately, most phobias are treatable. In general, they are not a sign of a serious mental illness that requires treatment over many months or years.
The techniques described in this chapter will help your child cope with his everyday fears. However, if his worries persist and interfere with his enjoyment of life, the child “may need professional help from a psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in the treatment of phobias.
As part of a phobia treatment plan, many doctors recommend exposing a child to the source of their fears in small, non-harmful doses. With the guidance of a doctor, a child who is afraid of dogs can start by talking about his fears and watching photos or videos of dogs. After that, he can watch the dog from the window. Then, with one of the parents or a doctor nearby, the child can spend a few minutes in the same room with a friendly, affectionate puppy. Over time, the child will be able to feed the dog himself, and later be able to calmly be around unfamiliar larger dogs.
This gradual process is called desensitization - meaning that your child will become less sensitive to the source of his fear each time he has to face it. Ultimately, the child will no longer avoid the situation that has always served as the basis for his phobia. Although this process seems quite logical and uncomplicated, it should only be carried out under the close supervision of a professional.
Sometimes psychotherapy can also help children become more confident and less afraid. In addition, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques can help children in difficult situations.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend medications as part of a treatment program, but not as the only therapeutic intervention. Such medications may include antidepressants to help reduce the anxiety and panic that often underlie these problems.
Helping a child who is afraid
Here are some tips to help parents of children with fears and phobias.
- Talk to your child about his fears, while being an empathetic interlocutor. Explain that many children have their own fears, but with your help he will learn to cope with them.
- Do not humiliate your child or make fun of his fears, especially in front of his peers.
- Don't try to force your child to be brave. It may take some time before he learns to overcome his fears. However, you can try to convince him to gradually come closer and closer to the objects of his fears, but never insist on this. If your child is afraid of the dark, take him by the hand and stay in the dark room with him for a few seconds. If your child is afraid of water, walk with him in the children's pool as he wades through it, so that the water reaches the level of his knees. Praise him for every success, even the smallest one, and it will be easier for him to take the next step. Focus on what the child has already managed to cope with, and not on the source of fear itself.
A new phenomenon is emerging in various European countries. It lies in the fact that parents feel a sense of fear towards their own children, and even more so towards strangers. It should be recalled that paedophobia should not be confused with pedophilia. However, experts believe that this phobia is to some extent a perversion that literally turns on its head any relationship involving children and adults. If at a certain time children were afraid of their parents, now other trends are observed. Also, pedophobia refers to the fear not only of communicating with children, but also of having them and becoming a parent. Moreover, some pedophobes are even afraid of dolls made in the shape of infants.
Research on paedophobia has been conducted in many countries, and scientists have established a shocking fact. It turns out that more and more often adults refrain from scolding their child for wrong actions, stopping him, or reading a moral lesson. Moreover, this attitude is observed not only in relation to children, but also to older children who behave antisocially. It has been proven that the reason for this phenomenon is that fathers and mothers are afraid of the teenager’s violent reaction. That is, they fully admit that in response they may receive a rude excuse or even a physical blow. And although such cases are not so frequent, nevertheless, they are not an exception. That is why, sometimes it is preferable for parents to pretend that nothing happened.
Scientists pay a lot of attention to the study of this problem, and also come to another conclusion - that the fear of close communication with any children is due to the fear of discovering such a deviation as pedophilia in oneself. All this is directly related to cultural prohibitions regarding sexual relations with people of childhood, as well as to the prevailing false idea that children are asexual. In this case, people misunderstand their nature.
Currently, experts offer several versions that, to one degree or another, explain the origin and development of paedophobia. If we consider the option that states that pedophobia arose in a person in early childhood, then scientists suggest that an irrational fear of infants appears in a child when a new addition occurs to the family and a brother or sister appears in the house. In this case, as a rule, all the attention of adults is switched to the baby, and the older child is often left without attention, constantly sent to stay with his grandmother, and even moved out of his favorite room. The child’s psyche is very unstable, and he does not understand why this tiny creature takes all the love of his parents. At first, resentment arises, and only later, if the parents do not come to their senses in a timely manner and do not pay attention, then this state transforms into hatred of small children, and then into paedophobia.
At the same time, there is a certain contrast that concerns adults who suffer from pedophobia. For example, a printed publication called “The Madness of Modern Families” was published in England. This book gives a very accurate description of “crazy parents”, in which many people recognize their own reflection. For example, if parents buy their child a more expensive and prestigious phone than they have themselves, or do schoolwork for him, periodically remembering to make special mistakes in his work so that it looks more believable to the teacher. Such mothers and fathers constantly worry whether it is time for the child to have something to eat, or whether he is thirsty on a hot day. In addition, as soon as a child mentions that one of his friends has the latest technical innovation, they immediately deny themselves something, but buy the desired thing for their offspring. Based on all these signs, it can be unequivocally stated that such parents have the makings of paedophobia. Although in our time, as in any other time, it is difficult to be an exemplary parent, you should still adequately assess the demands and actions of your child.
Those suffering from paedophobia are convinced that the child is not a person; on the basis of this, their communication with a child or even a teenager occurs as with a “subhuman”. At the same time, a nihilistic attitude and hyperprotection are manifested, which is too demonstrative and inappropriate. Communication comes down to superficiality; showing affection and tenderness is out of the question. Children whose parents are paedophobes often suffer from childhood nihilism - they oppose themselves to adults.
This phobia may not have obvious symptoms if the disease manifests itself in a moderate form, and the patient has sufficient willpower not to demonstrate his fear of society and others. But in some cases, when irrational fear overcomes a person’s sanity, problems may arise during which the pedophobe behaves inappropriately. A person can be aggressive, or, conversely, weak-willed and whiny. If there is a child nearby in an empty seat on public transport, then the person suffering from paedophobia will most likely move as far as possible, or even get off much earlier than his stop, just so as not to see children near him.
There are also physical manifestations of phobia. They are usually expressed in symptoms such as dizziness, sudden weakness, and rapid pulse. The patient's mouth becomes dry and sweats profusely. If blood pressure drops sharply, fainting is possible. It should be emphasized that all these signs, although they have a negative impact on the human nervous system, nevertheless, they do not threaten life, as patients with pedophobia themselves are sometimes sure.
“Children are holy and pure. Even among robbers and crocodiles they are in the rank of angels. We ourselves can climb into any hole we want, but they must be enveloped in an atmosphere suitable for their rank.”
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
Although most children's fears are a temporary phenomenon and characteristic of the majority, sometimes fears are signs of problems, which are best detected as early as possible in order to have time to correct them.
Phobias translated from Greek (phobos) mean obsessive inadequate experiences of fears of a specific content, covering a person in a certain situation and accompanied by vegetative disorders (rapid heartbeat; sweating, redness; trembling or tremor; dry mouth; difficulty breathing and a feeling of suffocation; discomfort or pain in the chest; nausea or discomfort in the abdomen).
The difference between a phobia and just fear is the degree of intensity of the experience, as well as the fact that the child is aware of the abnormality of the situation, but cannot do anything about it. In children, as well as in adults, the causes of phobias, as a rule, are neuroses, psychoses and organic diseases of the brain.
How to distinguish fear from phobia in a child?
Phobias are attacks of terror that a child cannot control and overcome, and sometimes even explain. Most often, the occurrence of phobias is associated with a specific traumatic situation, which serves as an impetus for triggering the fear mechanism. With phobias, a child, in order to reduce the strength of fear, performs actions that are obsessive in nature. For example, a child who experiences a constant fear of infection or infection washes his hands every 20-30 minutes, wipes his table and toys. Thus, phobias clearly differ from fear in the strength of their manifestation, their obsession, and they disrupt the child’s adaptive behavior. That is, to put it simply, they interfere with life.
Huge phobia a bunch of. But in children the following are more common:
fear of pain (algophobia)
fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia)
fear of people (social phobia)
(zoophobia)
fear of dark places (ligrophobia)
fear of open space (agorophobia)
fear of infection or infection (germaphobia), etc.
As a rule, outside the period of exacerbation, children try to avoid contact with the objects of their fears, while in older years they are already aware of them. A special place is occupied by obsessive fears for the life and health of parents. Each child will be dominated by various fears: road accidents, illness of the father or mother, etc. Such phobias arise as early as 3-4 years, reaching their peak by primary school age.
Most often, phobias occur in children with imaginative thinking, rich imagination and neurosis-like disorders.
Since it can be difficult to diagnose phobias in young children due to insufficient speech development and the ability to analyze their own experiences, it is necessary to pay special attention to the child’s persistent habits that occupy an unusually large place in his life, for example, excessive neatness, a persistent desire to complete any actions to the end or avoiding something (someone), etc. And if critical thinking in children is still poorly developed, then emotional reactions are clearly expressed - screaming, crying, motor agitation. From them we can determine how appropriate the child’s behavior is to the situation. If a five-year-old child is hysterical when he needs to stay in the room for 5 minutes while his mother goes to the bath, then this is definitely an inadequate reaction. If the child is 1-2 years old, then such a reaction can be considered normal.
What should parents do if they are faced with the emergence of excessively strong fears in their children?
To begin with, do not try to diagnose yourself, do not label the child as “abnormal.” The right step is towards the office neurologist or psychologist, because if there are too many alarming signs, then you should not hope that everything will work out on its own. In everything related to the child’s health, the sooner action is taken, the better. Therefore, if you have any concerns, you should definitely contact a specialist. You should not take any action on your own, as the wrong approach can aggravate the child’s severe psycho-emotional state. Only doctors, and after a thorough examination and careful observation, can determine what is happening to the baby and what the development of the situation will be.
The most effective way is a combination of drug treatment and psychotherapy. Specialists who deal with this problem are psychiatrists, psychotherapists and neurologists. You also need to remember that all fears and phobias that arise in a child depend 90% on the psychological state of the mother (and father), the relationship between mother and child, and the psychological climate in the family. Most often, all family members need help, because otherwise the treatment will not produce results: a child receiving specialist help will constantly return to the previous family environment.
And if your fears are confirmed, do not panic or give up. It is important to believe in your child. After all, he loves you and counts on you, support and understanding, on the fact that you will accept him in any way.
What are the causes of children's fears and phobias?
- Lack of communication– the first and main reason. It is known that the frequency of phobias is higher in children who do not attend kindergartens, live in separate apartments, and do not have brothers and sisters - this is due to the fact that loneliness always increases the level of internal anxiety.
- Lack of clear examples from adults. If adults communicate with a child on an abstract-abstract level rather than on a visual-concrete level, the child often experiences anxiety due to misunderstandings.
- Forced or deliberate “seizure” by the mother of the role of head of the family. The woman who works and dominates the family is often restless and irritable in her relationships with children, which provokes a response of anxiety. In addition, ambitious and uncompromising mothers are often overly demanding and formal in dealing with children who do not suit them in terms of gender, temperament or character. Overprotection and an obsessive desire to direct the child’s life according to a pre-drawn plan cause anxiety among emotionally sensitive and impressionable preschool children.
Parents need to find time to communicate with their children, listen to them sincerely and interestedly, and be calm and confident themselves.
Sources: N. Tsarenko “Reading the thoughts of our children”,
E.I. Shapiro “If a child has fears...”
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Natalia Tsarenko “We read the minds of our children”
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1. selachophobia – fear of sharks
2. Nosophobia – fear of illnesses
3. algophobia – fear of pain
4. Iatrophobia – fear of doctors
5. acrophobia – fear of heights
6. glossophobia – fear of speaking in public
7. Brontophobia – fear of thunder
8. Ripophobia – fear of dirt
9. claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces
10. Eisoptrophobia – fear of mirrors
11. ophidiophobia – fear of snakes
12. Dentophobia – fear of dentists
13. Felinophobia – fear of cats
14. hematophobia – fear of blood
15. rodentophobia – fear of rats
16. Vespertiliophobia – fear of bats
17. ranidaphobia – fear of frogs
18. spermophobia – fear of germs
19. keraunophobia – fear of lightning
20. Gephyrophobia – fear of bridges
21. monitorophobia – fear of observation
22. entomophobia – fear of insects
23. catagelophobia – fear of ridicule
24. social phobia – fear of awkward behavior
25. atychiphobia – fear of failure
26. social phobia – fear of society
27. agoraphobia – fear of public places
28. hoplophobia – fear of firearms
29. pyrophobia – fear of fire
30. eremophobia – fear of loneliness
31. Aichmophobia – sharp objects
32. rectophobia – fear of rejection
33. arachnophobia – fear of spiders
34. scelerophobia – fear of bad people
35. aviophobia – fear of flying
36. politiophobia – fear of the police
37. carcinomatophobia – fear of cancer
38. emetophobia – fear of vomiting
39. herpetophobia – fear of reptiles
40. Thanatophobia – fear of death
41. caninophobia – fear of dogs
42. aetatemophobia – fear of aging
43. achluophobia – fear of the dark
44. terrorophobia – fear of terrorism
45. ochlophobia – fear of crowds
46. necrophobia – fear of corpses
47. pnigophobia – fear of suffocation
48. trypanophobia – fear of needles
49. aquaphobia – fear of drowning
50. dysmorphophobia – fear of physical disabilities
Full list of phobias:
CAD-PHOBIA – fear of coronary heart disease
CDLD‑PHOBIA – fear of coal dust
CFS‑PHOBIA – fear of chronic fatigue syndrome
COPD‑PHOBIA – fear of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CTS‑PHOBIA – fear of carpal tunnel syndrome
IBS‑PHOBIA – fear of irritable bowel syndrome
MVP‑PHOBIA – fear of mitral valve prolapse
OCD-PHOBIA – fear of obsessive-compulsive disorder
PLS‑PHOBIA – fear of phantom limb syndrome
PND‑PHOBIA – fear of postpartum depression
PTSD‑PHOBIA – fear of post-traumatic stress disorder
SAD-PHOBIA – fear of seasonal affective disorder
SIDS-PHOBIA – fear of sudden infant death syndrome
TMJ‑PHOBIA – fear of temporomandibular joint disorder
UFO-PHOBIA – fear of UFOs
X-PHOBIA – fear of the letter X
ABANNUMOPHOBIA – fear of abandonment
ABLUTOPHOBIA – fear of washing
ABORTIFUPHOBIA – fear of abortion
AVIDSOPHOBIA – fear of turning into a bird
AVIAPHOBIA – fear of flying (in air vehicles)
AURORAPHOBIA – fear of the polar lights
AUSTRALOPHOBIA – fear of Australia (everything Australian)
AUTOKINETOPHOBIA – fear of cars
AGIOPHOBIA – fear of sacred things
AGNOSOPHOBIA – fear of the unknown
AGONOPHOBIA – fear of rape (imaginary)
AGORAPHOBIA – fear of public places
AGRAPHOBIA – fear of violence
AGREXOPHOBIA – fear of love (lovemaking)
AGRISOOPHOBIA – fear of wild animals
ADDICEROPHOBIA – fear of a bad habit
ASIAPHOBIA – fear of Asia (everything Asian)
AIBOPHOBIA – fear of palindrome
AICHMOPHOBIA – fear of sharp objects
ACAROPHOBIA – fear of ticks
AQUAPHOBIA – fear of drowning
ACCULTURAPHOBIA – fear of assimilation
ACLIOPHOBIA – fear of deafness
ACONSCIOPHOBIA – fear of unconsciousness
ACROTOMOPHOBIA – fear of amputees
ACROPHOBIA – fear of heights
AKUSAPUNGEREPHOBIA – fear of acupuncture
ACOUSTICOPHOBIA – fear of sounds
ALECTOROPHOBIA – fear of roosters
ALKEPHOBIA – fear of deer
ALLIUMOPHOBIA – fear of garlic
ALLODOXOPHOBIA – fear of opposing opinions
ALBUMINUROPHOBIA – fear of kidney disease
ALGOPHOBIA – fear of pain (own)
ALTOCALCIFOBIA – fear of shoes
AMAXOPHOBIA – fear of carriages
AMARUPHOBIA – fear of bitterness
AMATOPHOBIA – fear of dust
AMAUROPHOBIA – fear of blindness
AMBULAPHOBIA – fear of body movement
AMERIPHOBIA – fear of America (everything American)
AMICHOPHOBIA – fear of scratching
AMNESIOPHOBIA – fear of amnesia
ANABLEPOPHOBIA – fear of looking up
ANASTHEMOPHOBIA – fear of height difference
ANGINOPHOBIA – fear of narrowness
ANGLOPHOBIA – fear of England (everything English)
ANGROPHOBIA – fear of anger (fear of getting angry yourself)
ANDROGYNOPHOBIA – fear of concealing gender
ANDROMIMETOPHOBIA – fear of women imitating men
ANDROTIKOLOBOMASSOPHOBIA – fear of ears (male)
ANDROPHOBIA – fear of men
ANECOPHOBIA – fear of homelessness
ANEMOPHOBIA – fear of wind
ANIMATOPHOBIA – fear of cartoon characters
ANKYLOPHOBIA – fear of joint immobility
ANTICOPHOBIA – fear of antiques
ANTHLOPHOBIA – fear of flooding
ANTOPHOBIA – fear of flowers
ANTHROPHOBIA – fear of people
ANUPTAPHOBIA – fear of a single lifestyle
APEIROPHOBIA – fear of infinity
APOCALYPSOPHOBIA – fear of the apocalypse (end of the world)
APOTEMNOPHOBIA – fear of amputation
APPROBAREPHOBIA – fear of approval
ARAHIBUTYROPHOBIA – fear of peanut butter
ARACHNOPHOBIA – fear of spiders
ARGENTOPHOBIA – fear of silver
ARIPOPHOBIA – fear of cleanliness
ARCANOPHOBIA – fear of magic
ARCTOPHOBIA – fear of teddy bears
ARKUSOPHOBIA – fear of arches
ARSONOPHOBIA – fear of arson
ASYMMETRIOPHOBIA - fear of asymmetry
ASTHENOPHOBIA – fear of weakness
ASTRAPHOBIA – fear of the starry sky
ASTROLOGIOPHOBIA – fear of astrology
ASPHYXIOPHOBIA – fear of self-strangulation
ASCENAROPHOBIA – fear of hills
ATAZAGORAPHOBIA – fear of oblivion (from others)
ATAXIAPHOBIA – fear of ataxia
ATAXIOPHOBIA – fear of disorder
ATANPHOBIA – fear of oats
ATELOPHOBIA – fear of imperfection
ATEPHOBIA – fear of destruction
ATICHIPHOBIA – fear of defeat (failure)
ATOMOSOPHOBIA – fear of atomic energy and nuclear war
AUTOASSASSINOPHOBIA – fear of killing (one’s own)
AUTODYSOMOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (one’s own)
AUKTORITOPHOBIA – fear of government officials
AULOPHOBIA – fear of wind instruments
AUTOMISOPHOBIA – fear of a dirty body (one’s own)
AURANGEPHOBIA – fear of the color orange
AUROPHOBIA – fear of gold
AUTISMOPHOBIA – fear of autism
AUTOGONISTOPHOBIA – fear of being filmed on camera
AUTOPHOBIA – fear of loneliness
AFRONEMOPHOBIA – fear of thinking (irrational)
AFROPHOBIA – fear of Africa (everything African)
ACHLUOPHOBIA – fear of the dark
ACEROPHOBIA – fear of acid
ACIDUSRIGAREPHOBIA – fear of acid rain
AEROACROPHOBIA – fear of open, high spaces
AERONAUSIPHOBIA – fear of air sickness
AEROPOLLUEREPHOBIA – fear of air pollution
AEROPHOBIA – fear of air
AEROEMPHYSEMOPHOBIA – fear of decompression sickness
AESOPHOBIA – fear of copper
AETATEMOPHOBIA – fear of aging
BACTERIOPHOBIA – fear of bacteria
BALLISTOPHOBIA – fear of bullets
BANANOPHOBIA – fear of bananas
BARBAFOBIA – fear of hairdressers
BARLIPHOBIA – fear of barley
BAROPHOBIA – fear of gravity
BASIOPHOBIA – fear of walking
BATISIDERODROMOPHOBIA – fear of the subway
BATMOPHOBIA – fear of thresholds
BATOPHOBIA – fear of tall buildings
BATOPHOBIA – fear of depth
BATRACHOPHOBIA – fear of amphibians
BATTUEREPHOBIA - fear of self-spanking
BACILLOPHOBIA – fear of bacilli
BELLUMAPHOBIA – fear of war
BELLUSAPHOBIA – fear of beauty salons
BELONOPHOBIA – fear of needles
BIASTOPHOBIA – fear of sexual violence
BIBLIOPHOBIA – fear of books
BINIFOBIA – fear of twins
BLATTAPHOBIA – fear of cockroaches
BLENOPHOBIA – fear of mucus
BOVINUPHOBIA – fear of cows
BOLSHEVISMOPHOBIA - fear of Bolshevism
BORBORYGAMIPHOBIA – fear of stomach rumbling
BOTANOPHOBIA – fear of plants
BOTTIAPHOBIA – fear of buttons
BOEIFOBIA – fear of boys
BRECHMOPHOBIA – fear of the brain
BROMIDROSIPHOBIA – fear of body odor (of other people)
BRONTOPHOBIA – fear of thunder
BRUNDISIPHOBIA – fear of bronze
BUGIPHOBIA – fear of beeches
BUDDHIST PHOBIA – fear of Buddhism
BUFONOPHOBIA – fear of toads
BCHEROPHOBIA – fear of the color brown
VACCINOPHOBIA – fear of vaccination
WALLONOPHOBIA – fear of the Walloons (everything Walloon)
VEGERVATOPHOBIA – fear of weight difference
VENTRILOCOPHOBIA – fear of ventriloquists
VERMINOPHOBIA – fear of pests (animals)
VESPERTILIOPHOBIA – fear of bats
VESTIPHOBIA – fear of clothes
WICKAFOBIA - fear of witchcraft
VIOLENTIOPHOBIA – fear of abuse
VIRGINITIFOBIA – fear of rape of a virgin
VITRICOPHOBIA – fear of stepfather
VUTEVTINDIONOPHOBIA – fear of picnics
HABITUSIOPHOBIA – fear of habits
HADEPHOBIA - fear of hell
GALEOPHOBIA – fear of ferrets
HALITOPHOBIA – fear of bad breath
HALLUCINATOPHOBIA – fear of hallucinations
Halophobia – fear of breathing
HAMARTHOPHOBIA – fear of mistakes
GAMOPHOBIA – fear of marriage
GASTROENTERICOPHOBIA – fear of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
HAPHEPHOBIA – fear of touching (from other people)
GEBOPHOBIA – fear of teenagers
GEUMOPHOBIA – fear of taste
HEDONOPHOBIA – fear of pleasure
HEXAKOSIOHEXECONTAHEXAPHOBIA – fear of the number 666
HELIOPHOBIA – fear of laughter (your own)
HELIOPHOBIA – fear of the sun
HELLENOLOGOPHOBIA – fear of scientific terms
HELMINTHOPHOBIA – fear of worms
HEMATOPHOBIA – fear of blood
HEMICRANIAPHOBIA – fear of headaches
HEMORRHOIDOPHOBIA – fear of hemorrhoids
GENVERRUKAPHOBIA – fear of genital warts
GENIOPHOBIA – fear of chins
GENOPHOBIA – fear of sex
GENUPHOBIA – fear of knees
HEPATITOPHOBIA – fear of hepatitis
GERASCOPHOBIA – fear of old age
GERBILLOPHOBIA – fear of gerbils
GERMANOPHOBIA – fear of Germany (everything German)
GERONTOPHOBIA – fear of older people
HERPESOPHOBIA – fear of herpes
HERPETOPHOBIA – fear of reptiles
HETEROPHOBIA – fear of heterosexuality
GEPHYROPHOBIA – fear of bridges
HYBRISTOPHOBIA – fear of criminals
HYGROPHOBIA – fear of body fluids
HYDRARGYROPHOBIA – fear of drugs (mercury)
HYDROPHOBIA – fear of water
HYELOPHOBIA – fear of glass
HIELOEPISTEGOPHOBIA – fear of glass ceilings
HYLEPHOBIA – fear of materialism
HYLOPHOBIA – fear of the forest
GYMNOPHOBIA – fear of nudity
GYNEMYMETOPHOBIA – fear of men imitating women
GYNEPHOBIA – fear of women
GYNOTICOLOBOMASSOPHOBIA – fear of ears (female)
HYPENGIOPHOBIA – fear of responsibility
HYPERTHYROIDOPHOBIA - fear of Graves' disease
HYPERTRICHOPHOBIA – fear of hair (falling out)
HYPNOPHOBIA – fear of hypnosis
HYPOGLYCEMIOPHOBIA – fear of hypoglycemia
HYSTERECTOMOPHOBIA – fear of hysterectomy
HYPEPHOBIA – fear of fabric (not clothes)
GLOBAPHOBIA – fear of globalization
GLOSOPHOBIA – fear of speaking in public
GLUTTOPHOBIA – fear of overeating
GNOSOPHOBIA – fear of the known
GODOPHOBIA – fear of travel
HOLLANDOPHOBIA – fear of Holland (everything Dutch)
HOMILOPHOBIA – fear of sermons
HOMICHLOPHOBIA – fear of fog
HOMOPHOBIA – fear of homosexuality
HOMOCIDEPHOBIA – fear of killing (another person)
GONIPHOBIA – fear of knees bending backwards
GONOREOPHOBIA – fear of gonorrhea
HOPLOPHOBIA – fear of firearms
HORMEPHOBIA – fear of shock
GRAVAROPHOBIA – fear of bereavement
GRANOPHOBIA – fear of grains
GRAPHOPHOBIA – fear of handwriting
GROSSUSOPHOBIA – fear of large objects and objects
GULOPHOBIA – fear of wolverine
DACRYPHOBIA – fear of tears
DACTYLOPUNGEROPHOBIA – fear of pointing
DACTYLOPHOBIA – fear of fingers
DAOPHOBIA – fear of Taoism
DARATAPHOBIA – fear of wheat
DATUSIOPHOBIA – fear of dating
DEVORAPHOBIA – fear of being eaten alive
DESERTOPHOBIA – fear of the desert
DEIPNOPHOBIA – fear of dinners
DECAPITOPHOBIA – fear of beheading
DEXTROPHOBIA – fear of being right-handed
DELUDEREPHOBIA – fear of delusions
DEMENTOPHOBIA – fear of madness
DEMONOPHOBIA – fear of demons
DENDROPHOBIA – fear of trees
DENTOPHOBIA – dentists
DEPRESSOPHOBIA – fear of depression
DERMATOPATHOPHOBIA – fear of skin diseases
DERMAPHOBIA – fear of skin
DESYNCHRONOPHOBIA – fear of jet lag
DEFECALGESIOPHOBIA – fear of bowel movements (painful)
DEFECTOPHOBIA – fear of defects
DECIDOPHOBIA – fear of decisions (decision making)
DIABETOPHOBIA – fear of diabetes
DIAREOPHOBIA – fear of diarrhea
DIVORTIOPHOBIA – fear of divorce
DIESOMNIOPHOBIA - fear of empty thoughts
DIETOPHOBIA – fear of dieting
DICEPHOBIA – fear of justice
DINOPHOBIA – fear of whirlpools
DIPLOPHOBIA – fear of double vision
DIPSOPHOBIA – fear of drinking
DISABILIOPHOBIA – fear of undressing
DYSMORPHOBIA – fear of ugliness
DISOMOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (of others)
DISTICHIPHOBIA – fear of accidents
DYSPHOPHOBIA – fear of bad news
DOMATOPHOBIA – fear of home
DORAPHOBIA – fear of animal skin and fur
DOXOPHOBIA – fear of opinions
DROMOPHOBIA – fear of the street
EUROPHOBIA – fear of Europe (everything European)
HEREYOPHOBIA – fear of heresy
ZELOPHOBIA – fear of jealousy
ZEMMIPHOBIA – fear of mole rats
ZOMBIPHOBIA – fear of zombies
ZOONECROPHOBIA – fear of dead animals
ZOOPHOBIA – fear of animals (pets)
IDEOPHOBIA – fear of ideas
HIEROPHOBIA – fear of religious objects
ICONOPHOBIA – fear of icons
ILLINGOPHOBIA – fear of dizziness
IMPOTENTOPHOBIA – fear of impotence
INANIREPHOBIA – fear of starvation
INVIDIAPHOBIA – fear of envy
INDIGESTIOPHOBIA – fear of indigestion
INDIOPHOBIA – fear of India (everything Indian)
HINDU PHOBIA – fear of Hinduism
INCONTINEPHOBIA – fear of urinary incontinence
INSOMNIAPHOBIA – fear of insomnia
INSULOPHOBIA – fear of islands
INFANTOPHOBIA – fear of babies
INFERTILIOPHOBIA – fear of infertility
IOPHOBIA – fear of rust
IRISOPHOBIA – fear of rainbows
ISLAMOPHOBIA – fear of Islam
ICELANDOPHOBIA – fear of Iceland (everything Icelandic)
ISOPTEROPHOBIA – fear of termites
HYSTERICOPHOBIA – fear of hysteria
ITALOPHOBIA – fear of Italy (everything Italian)
JUDEOPHOBIA – fear of Judaism
ICHTHYOLACCOPHOBIA – fear of aquariums
ICHTHYOPHOBIA – fear of fish
CADENTEMOPHOBIA – fear of gambling
KACOPHOBIA – fear of ugly appearance
CALIAANDROPHOBIA – fear of handsome men
KALIGYNEPHOBIA – fear of beautiful women
CANINOPHOBIA – fear of dogs
CANNABIFOBIA – fear of marijuana
CAPITALOPHOBIA – fear of capitalism
CARBOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of carbohydrates
CARDIOPATHOPHOBIA – fear of heart disease
CARDIOPHOBIA – fear of the heart
CARDIAC SURGERY PHOBIA – fear of heart surgery
CARNOLEVAREPHOBIA – fear of attractions
CARNOPHOBIA – fear of meat
CARCINOMATOPHOBIA – fear of cancer
CASICAREPHOBIA – fear of waterfalls
CASTRATOPHOBIA – fear of castration
CATAGELOPHOBIA – fear of ridicule
CATAPEDOPHOBIA – fear of jumping
CATARACTOPHOBIA – fear of cataracts
CATISOPHOBIA – fear of sitting
CATHOLICOPHOBIA – fear of Catholicism
QUADRATOPHOBIA – fear of quadratic equations
QUADROPHOBIA – fear of quartering
QUATROPHOBIA – fear of quartets
QUIRITAREPHOBIA – fear of screaming
CELTOPHOBIA – fear of the Celts (everything Celtic)
KENOPHOBIA – fear of emptiness
KERAUNOPHOBIA – fear of lightning
CYBERPHOBIA – fear of cyberspace
KYMOPHOBIA – fear of waves
KINESOPHOBIA – fear of movement
CYPRIDOPHOBIA – fear of prostitutes
Cypriphobia – fear of sexually transmitted diseases
KYPHOPHOBIA – fear of stooping
CLOUDEROPHOBIA – fear of fences
CLAUTROPHOBIA – fear of enclosed spaces
KLEPTOPHOBIA – fear of theft
CLYSMOPHOBIA – fear of enemas
CLIMACOPHOBIA – fear of stairs
CLIMATOPHOBIA – fear of climate
CLINOPHOBIA – fear of beds
CLIOPHOBIA – fear of listening
CNIDOPHOBIA – fear of stings
COITOPHOBIA – fear of coitus
COITUSINTERCURSOPHOBIA – fear of sexual intercourse
COITUSMOREPHOBIA – fear of sexual intercourse with wild animals
COITUSORALISIPHOBIA – fear of oral intercourse
COIMETROPHOBIA – fear of cemeteries
KOINONIPHOBIA – fear of rooms
COCAINE PHOBIA – fear of cocaine
COMETOPHOBIA – fear of comets
COMMITTEROPHOBIA – fear of long-term relationships
COMMUNISMOPHOBIA – fear of communism
COMPETEROPHOBIA – fear of competition
COMPUTER PHOBIA – fear of computers
CONDOMOPHOBIA – fear of condoms
CONSECOTALEOPHOBIA – fear of chopsticks
CONSCIUSIOPHOBIA – fear of consciousness
CONTINGEREPHOBIA – fear of infection
CONTRAROTAPHOBIA – fear of control
CONTRACTOPHOBIA – fear of seduction
COUNTERPHOBIA – fear of avoiding frightening situations
CONFRONTOPHOBIA – fear of confrontation
COPOPHOBIA – fear of fatigue
COPROSTASOPHOBIA – fear of constipation
COPROPHOBIA – fear of bowel movements
CORNOOPHOBIA – fear of corners
CORONOPHOBIA – fear of crowns
COSMOPHOBIA – fear of space
COULROPHOBIA – fear of clowns
CREATUSIPHOBIA – fear of creativity
CREMNOPHOBIA – fear of rocks
CRYOPHOBIA – fear of cold
CRYSTALLOPHOBIA – fear of crystals
CRITICOPHOBIA – fear of criticism
XANTHOPHOBIA – fear of the color yellow
XENOGLOSSOPHOBIA – fear of foreign languages
XENOCLEPTOPHOBIA – fear of foreign thieves
XENOPHOBIA – fear of foreigners
XENOATROPHOBIA – fear of foreign doctors
XEROPHOBIA – fear of dryness
XYLINALINOPHOBIA – fear of cotton wool
XYROPHOBIA – fear of the razor
CULTUSOPHOBIA – fear of cults
CURSUSOPHOBIA – fear of curses
LAVATORIPHOBIA – fear of restrooms
LAGOPHOBIA – fear of rabbits
LACTAPHOBIA – fear of breastfeeding
LACTOPHOBIA – fear of milk
LARINGOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry throat
LATEXOPHOBIA – fear of latex
LAHANOPHOBIA – fear of vegetables
LEVISIOPHOBIA – fear of floating (in the air)
LEUCOPHOBIA – fear of the color white
LEMUROPHOBIA – fear of vampires
LENTUPHOBIA – fear of slow speed
LEONTOPHOBIA – fear of lions
LEOPARDOSOPHOBIA – fear of leopards
LEPROPHOBIA – fear of leprosy
LIBROPHOBIA – fear of scales (weighing)
LIGYROPHOBIA – fear of noise
LYGOPHOBIA – fear of gloomy moods
LYCANTHROPHOBIA – fear of wolves
LILAPSOPHOBIA – fear of storms
LIMNOPHOBIA – fear of lakes
LINGERIPHOBIA – fear of underwear
LINONOPHOBIA – fear of strings
LYSOPHOBIA – fear of madness (one’s own)
FLYSSEISODOPHOBIA – fear of losing virginity
LITICAPHOBIA – fear of litigation
LOBOTOMOPHOBIA – fear of lobotomy
LOGOPHOBIA – fear of words
LOCUSOPHOBIA – fear of places (specific places)
LUNOPHOBIA – fear of the moon
LUTRAPHOBIA – fear of waterfowl with fur
MAGEROCOPHOBIA – fear of cooking
MAEUSIOPHOBIA – fear of pregnancy
MACROPHOBIA – fear of waiting
MAMMAGYMNOPHOBIA – fear of breasts (female)
MAMMANDROPHOBIA – fear of breasts (male)
MAMMAPHOBIA – fear of breasts
MANIAPHOBIA – fear of madness (of others)
MARXOPHOBIA – fear of Marxism
MASERPHOBIA – fear of Singapore (everything Singaporean)
MASTIGOPHOBIA – fear of spanking in public places
MASTICOGUMMIPHOBIA – fear of chewing gum
MATEROPHOBIA – fear of mother
MEGABIOPHOBIA – fear of large animals
MEGALOPHOBIA – fear of large objects and items
MEDOMALACUPHOBIA – fear of erectile dysfunction
MEDORTOPHOBIA – fear of the penis (erect)
MELANOPHOBIA – fear of the color black
MELISSOPHOBIA – fear of bees
MELKRYPTOVESTIMENTOPHOBIA – fear of black underwear
MELOPHOBIA – fear of music
MENDICAREPHOBIA – fear of beggars
MENINGITOPHOBIA – fear of brain diseases
MENOPAUSEOPHOBIA – fear of menopause
MENTALISTRETARDOPHOBIA – fear of mental retardation
MERINTHOPHOBIA – fear of being tied down
MERCURIOPHOBIA – fear of mercury
METALLOPHOBIA – fear of metal
METATESIOPHOBIA – fear of out-of-limit places
METHYLOPHOBIA – fear of alcohol
METROPHOBIA – fear of poetry
MYCOPHOBIA – fear of mushrooms
MICROBIOPHOBIA – fear of small animals
MICROPHOBIA – fear of small objects and objects
MINIMALOPHOBIA – fear of minimalism
MYSOPHOBIA – fear of dirty bodies (of others)
MYTHOPHOBIA – fear of myths
MNEMOPHOBIA – fear of memory (memories)
MOBILOPHOBIA – fear of cars (as a driver)
MOLISMOPHOBIA – fear of infections
MONITOROPHOBIA – fear of observation (from others)
MORPHOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of wet objects
MOTOROPHOBIA – fear of cars (as a passenger)
MOTTEPHOBIA – fear of moths
MUSEOPHOBIA – fear of museums
MUSOPHOBIA – fear of mice
NAUZEAPHOBIA – fear of nausea
NAUTOPHOBIA – fear of ships
NANOSOPHOBIA – fear of dwarfs
NARCOLEPSIPHOBIA – fear of narcolepsy
NARRATOPHOBIA – fear of pornographic literature
NASOPHOBIA – fear of noses
NATALISOPHOBIA – fear of birthdays
NATAROPHOBIA – fear of swimming pools
NAZISMOPHOBIA – fear of Nazism
NEGROPHELINOPHOBIA – fear of black cats
NEGROPHOBIA – fear of black people
NECROPHOBIA – fear of corpses
NEOPHARMACOPHOBIA – fear of drugs (new)
NEOPHOBIA – fear of new things
NEPHOBIA – fear of clouds
NIHILOPHOBIA - fear of anything
NICTOHILOPHOBIA – fear of the forest at night
Nyctophobia - fear of the night
NYMPHOPHOBIA – fear of teenagers (girls)
NOVERCAPHOBIA – fear of adoptive mothers
NOMENATOPHOBIA – fear of names
NORMOPHOBIA – fear of conformity
NORTHAMERICAN PHOBIA – fear of North America (everything North American)
NOSOCOMEPHOBIA – fear of hospitals
NOSOPHOBIA – fear of illness
NOSTOPHOBIA – fear of home (returning home)
NOCENTEMOPHOBIA – fear of wine
NOCEREPHOBIA – fear of interference
NUMEROPHOBIA – fear of numbers
OBESOPHOBIA – fear of obesity
OBLIVIOPHOBIA – fear of oblivion (from others)
OBLIGATION PHOBIA – fear of obligations
OBSESSIOPHOBIA – fear of obsession
OVOPHOBIA – fear of eggs
ODONTOACHOPHOBIA – fear of toothache
ODONTOPHOBIA – fear of teeth
OCTOPHOBIA – fear of the number 8
OCULOPHOBIA – fear of eyes
OLFACTOPHOBIA – fear of (certain) odors
OMBROPHOBIA – fear of rain
OMMATOMALOPHOBIA – fear of the evil eye
OMNIBUSOPHOBIA - fear of the bus
ONEIROGMOPHOBIA – fear of wet dreams
ONEUROPHOBIA – fear of dreams
ONYCHOPHOBIA – fear of nails
ONOMATOPHOBIA – fear of being called by name
OPIOPHOBIA – fear of drugs (prescription drugs)
OPTAREPHOBIA – fear of shopping
OPTOPHOBIA – fear of opening eyes
ORALISIPHOBIA – fear of the mouth
ORDINEMOPHOBIA – fear of order
ORYZAFOBIA – fear of rice
ORNITHOPHOBIA – fear of birds
ORTHOGRAPHOBIA – fear of spelling mistakes
ORCHIDOPHOBIA – fear of orchids
OSTRACONOPHOBIA – fear of crustaceans and molluscs
OSPHRESIOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (one’s own)
OTOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry mouth
OPHIDIOPHOBIA – fear of snakes
OCHLOPHOBIA – fear of crowds
OCHOPHOBIA – fear of a vehicle (being in it)
OENOPHOBIA – fear of wine
PAGOPHOBIA – fear of frost
PALLONOPHOBIA – fear of balloons
PANICOPHOBIA – fear of panic
PANTHEROPHOBIA – fear of panthers
PANTOPHOBIA – fear of everything
PANFOBIA – fear of everything
PAPAPHOBIA - fear of the Pope
PAPYROPHOBIA – fear of paper
PARADOXOPHOBIA – fear of paradoxes
PARALIPOPHOBIA – fear of irresponsibility
PARAMNESIAPHOBIA – fear of déjà vu
PARANOIAPHOBIA – fear of paranoia
PARAPLEGAPHOBIA – fear of people with disabilities
PARASKEVEDICATRIAPHOBIA – fear of Friday the 13th
PARAPHOBIA – fear of sexual perversion
PARENTEPHOBIA – fear of parents
PARTHENOPHOBIA – fear of girls
PARTUROPHOBIA – fear of labor pains
PATEROPHOBIA – fear of fathers
PATOPHOBIA – fear of suffering
PATRIOPHOBIA – fear of heredity
PEDICOOPERIPHOBIA – fear of shoes
PEDIOPHOBIA – fear of dolls
PEDOPHOBIA – fear of children
PECCATOPHOBIA – fear of sin
PELADOPHOBIA – fear of bald people
PELLAGROPHOBIA – fear of pellagra
PENIAPHOBIA – fear of poverty (one’s own)
PENNAPHOBIA – fear of wings
PENTERAPHOBIA – fear of mother-in-law and mother-in-law
PENTEROPHOBIA – fear of father-in-law and mother-in-law
PERSONALIPARENTEPHOBIA – fear of raising children
PERFECTOPHOBIA – fear of perfection
PIGOPHOBIA – fear of the buttocks
PICTOPHOBIA – fear of images
PINGWIPHOBIA – fear of fat
PIPAREOBIA – fear of pipes (full)
PYROSIPHOBIA – fear of heartburn
PYROPHOBIA – fear of fire (fire)
PLAGAPHOBIA – fear of the plague
PLACOPHOBIA – fear of tombstones
PLANNUMAPHOBIA – fear of plans
PLEURODELIPHOBIA – fear of newts
PLEGEPHOBIA – fear of being hit
PLUBMISMUPHOBIA – fear of lead poisoning
PLUVIOPHOBIA – fear of showers
PLUTOPHOBIA – fear of wealth
PMS-PHOBIA – fear of premenstrual syndrome
PNEUMATOPHOBIA – fear of spiritual phenomena
PNIGEROPHOBIA – fear of immobilization
PNIGOPHOBIA – fear of suffocation
POGONOPHOBIA – fear of beards
PODOPHOBIA – fear of steps
POINEPHOBIA – fear of punishment (in all forms)
POLYITEROPHOBIA – fear of changing sexual partners
POLYCRATIPHOBIA – fear of success
POLIOSOPHOBIA – fear of polio
POLITICOPHOBIA – fear of government
POLYPHOBIA – numerous things
POLICE PHOBIA – fear of the police
POLLUTIOPHOBIA – fear of pollution
POLONIAPHOBIA – fear of Poland (everything Polish)
PORCUPHOBIA – fear of pigs
PORNOPHOBIA – fear of pornographic images
PORPHYROPHOBIA – fear of the color purple
POSESSIOPHOBIA – fear of possession
POTAMOPHOBIA – fear of rivers
POTOPHOBIA – fear of drinks
PRIAPISAPHOBIA – fear of priapism
PRIMATEPHOBIA – fear of monkeys
PROCTOPHOBIA – fear of the rectum
PROSOPHOBIA – fear of progress
PROTESTANTOPHOBIA – fear of Protestantism
PSEUDOZOOPHOBIA – fear of fantastic animals
PSEUDO-NECROPHOBIA – fear of death (imitation of death)
PSEUDOPATOPHOBIA – fear of illness (imaginary)
PSELLISMOPHOBIA – fear of stuttering
PSYCHEPHOBIA – fear of butterflies
PSYCHOPHOBIA – fear of the psyche
PSYCHROPHOBIA – fear of colds
PSORAPHOBIA – fear of itching
PTERONOPHOBIA – fear of feathers
PUBERTAPHOBIA – fear of puberty
PUBICANCEROPHOBIA – fear of pubic lice
PUPAPHOBIA – fear of puppets
RABDOPHOBIA – fear of spanking
RABIPHOBIA – fear of rabies
RADIOPHOBIA – fear of radiation (medical)
RADONOPHOBIA – fear of radon
RANIDOPHOBIA – fear of frogs
RECTOPHOBIA – fear of rejection
RECTOPHOBIA – fear of diseases of the rectum
RETROTEMPOPHOBIA – fear of traveling back in time
RETROPHOBIA – fear of the old
RIPOPHOBIA – fear of dirt
RITIPHOBIA – fear of wrinkles
RITUALISIPHOBIA – fear of rituals
RODENTOPHOBIA – fear of rats
RUINOPHOBIA – fear of destruction
RUSOPHOBIA – fear of Russia (everything Russian)
SALYROPHOBIA – fear of salty body fluids
SALIPHOBIA – fear of salt
SAMAINOPHOBIA – fear of Halloween
SARMASSOPHOBIA – fear of touching (people)
SATANOPHOBIA – fear of Satan
SEDATEPHOBIA – fear of silence
SEISMOPHOBIA – fear of earthquakes
SECRETOPHOBIA – fear of secrets
SELAPHOBIA – fear of flashes of light
SELACHOPHOBIA – fear of sharks
SEPARATOPHOBIA – fear of separation
SEPTOPHOBIA – fear of rot
SESQUIPEDALOPHOBIA – fear of words (long or difficult to pronounce)
SIDERODROMOPHOBIA – fear of trains
SIDEROPHOBIA – fear of stars
SYMBIOPHOBIA – fear of close connections
SYMBOLOPHOBIA – fear of symbols
SYMMETROPHOBIA – fear of symmetry
SYMPHOROPHOBIA – fear of disasters
SYNGENESOPHOBIA – fear of relatives
SINISTROPHOBIA – fear of left-handedness
SYNOPHOBIA – fear of China (everything Chinese)
CITY CENTRUPHOBIA – fear of the Central Row
SITOPHOBIA – fear of food
SYPHILOPHOBIA – fear of syphilis
SCABIOPHOBIA – fear of scabies
SCALATOROPHOBIA – fear of escalators
SCATOPHOBIA – fear of fecal contamination
SCOPOPHOBIA – fear of looking
SCOTOMOPHOBIA – fear of blind spots in vision
SCOTOPHOBIA – fear of Scotland (everything Scottish)
SCRIPTOPHOBIA – fear of notes in public places
SMICHENOPHOBIA – fear of smoking
SOMNOPHOBIA – fear of sleep
SORYCOMORPHAPHOBIA – fear of moles
SOTERIOPHOBIA – fear of dependence (on a person)
SOPHOBIA – fear of learning
SOCERAPHOBIA – fear of the wife’s or husband’s parents
SOCIALISMOPHOBIA – fear of socialism
SPAMOPHOBIA – fear of spam
SPACE PHOBIA – fear of space travel
SPECTROPHOBIA – fear of ghosts
SPERMATOPHOBIA – fear of sperm
SPERMOPHOBIA – fear of germs
AIDS PHOBIA – fear of AIDS
SPORTOPHOBIA – fear of sports
STAUROPHOBIA – fear of crucifixes
STAREOPHOBIA – fear of standing in one place
STASIBASIPHOBIA – fear of standing up
STATUOPHOBIA – fear of statues
STENOPHOBIA – fear of narrow places and objects
STIGMATOPHOBIA - fear of scars
STRICTUPHOBIA – fear of stress
STROUTIOPHOBIA – fear of ostriches
SUAVISIFOBIA – fear of sweets
SUICIDOPHOBIA – fear of suicide
SUPERNATURAPHOBIA – fear of the supernatural
SUPERSTICIOPHOBIA – fear of prejudice
SUSPIRAROPHOBIA – fear of sewers
SPHEXOPHOBIA – fear of wasps
SCHIZOPHRENIOPHOBIA – fear of schizophrenia
SCELEROPHOBIA – fear of bad people
SCIOPHOBIA – fear of shadows
TAASOPHOBIA – fear of sitting in one place
TAUROPHOBIA – fear of bulls
TAXOPHOBIA – fear of neatness
THALASSOPHOBIA – fear of the sea
THANATOPHOBIA – fear of death
TANGEREPHOBIA – fear of touching (objects)
TATUPHOBIA – fear of tattoos
TAPHEPHOBIA – fear of being buried alive
TACHOPHOBIA – fear of speed
TAENIOPHOBIA – fear of tapeworms
TV PHOBIA – fear of televisions
THEATROPHOBIA – fear of theaters
TEXT PHOBIA – fear of fabrics (certain types of fabrics)
TELEOPHOBIA – fear of ceremonies
TELEPHONOPHOBIA – fear of phones
THEOLOGICOPHOBIA – fear of theology
THEOPHANIAPHOBIA – fear of precious jewelry
THEOPHOBIA – fear of religion
TERATOPHOBIA – fear of deformed children
TERATROPHOBIA – fear of monsters
THERMOPHOBIA – fear of heat
TERROROPHOBIA – fear of terrorism
TETANOPHOBIA – fear of tetanus
TECHNOPHOBIA – fear of technology
TIGRISOPHOBIA – fear of the tiger
THYMOPHOBIA – fear of status
TYRANOPHOBIA – fear of a tyrant
TITILLAREPHOBIA – fear of tickling
TOCOPHOBIA – fear of childbirth
TOXICOPHOBIA – fear of poison
TOMOPHOBIA – fear of surgery
TOPOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of wet places
TOPOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry places
TOPOPHOBIA – stage fright
TORTUROPHOBIA – fear of pain (other people)
TRAUMATOPHOBIA – fear of injury
TREMOPHOBIA – fear of shaking
TRYPANOPHOBIA – fear of injections (pricks)
TRYPOPHOBIA – fear of holes
TRISKAYDEKAPHOBIA – fear of thirteen (Number 13)
TRICHINOPHOBIA – fear of trichinosis
TRICHOPATOPHOBIA – fear of hair (patients)
TRICHOPHOBIA – fear of hair
TROGLOPHOBIA – fear of caves
TROPOPHOBIA – fear of moving
TUBERCULOPHOBIA – fear of tuberculosis
TUBUPHOBIA – fear of tunnels
TURAPHOBIA – fear of doors
TOURIST PHOBIA – fear of indigestion
TUROPHOBIA – fear of cheeses
ULULAPHOBIA – fear of owls
ULCEROPHOBIA – fear of ulcers
UMBILICOPHOBIA – fear of belly buttons
UNIFORMOPHOBIA – fear of uniforms
URANOPHOBIA – fear of the sky
URODELAPHOBIA – fear of salamanders
UROPHOBIA – fear of urine
URSOPHOBIA – fear of bears
UTRICARIAPHOBIA – fear of urticaria
FABRICOPHOBIA – fear of fabrics (fabric products)
PHAGOPHOBIA – fear of uncontrolled food intake
PHALAKROPHOBIA – fear of baldness
PHALOPHOBIA – fear of the penis (non-erect)
FANTASIC COMPANIOPHOBIA – fear of imaginary friends
PHARMACOPHOBIA – fear of drugs
FASCISMOPHOBIA – fear of fascism
FEBRIPHOBIA – fear of fever
FAIRIOPHOBIA – fear of fairies
PHELINOPHOBIA – fear of cats
FENGOPHOBIA – fear of daylight
FERRUMOPHOBIA – fear of iron
FIGEPHOBIA – fear of persecution
PHILEMAPHOBIA – fear of kisses
PHILOSOPHOBIA – fear of philosophy
PHILOPHOBIA – fear of love (falling in love)
FISUROPHOBIA – fear of cracks
FLATULENTIOPHOBIA – fear of bloating
PHOBOPHOBIAPHOBIA – fear of fear of phobias
PHOBOPHOBIA – fear of fear
PHONOPHOBIA – fear of conversation
FORAREPHOBIA – fear of boredom
PHORISOPOMOPHOBIA – fear of door handles
FORMICOPHOBIA – fear of ants
PHOTOALGIAPHOBIA – fear of eye pain
PHOTOAUGLIAPHOBIA – fear of bright lights
PHOTOBOSOPHOBIA – fear of light bulbs
PHOTOPHOBIA – fear of light
FRANCOPHOBIA – fear of France (everything French)
FRENDOPHOBIA – fear of passwords
PHRENOPHOBIA – fear of mental illness
PHRONEMOPHOBIA – fear of thinking (rational)
FRUSTRATOPHOBIA – fear of frustration
PHTEIROPHOBIA – fear of lice
CHAOSOPHOBIA – fear of chaos
HEIMAPHOBIA – fear of cold objects
CHELONAPHOBIA – fear of turtles
CHEMOTHERAPIOPHOBIA – fear of chemotherapy
CHEMOPHOBIA – fear of chemicals
CHEROPHOBIA – fear of happiness
CHIONOPHOBIA – fear of snow
CHIROPHOBIA – fear of hands
HIRSUTOPHOBIA – fear of hair (long)
CHLAMYDIOPHOBIA – fear of chlamydia
CHLOROPHOBIA – fear of the color green
CHOLERAPHOBIA – fear of cholera
CHOLEROPHOBIA – fear of the anger of others
CHOLESTERIN PHOBIA – fear of cholesterol
CHOROPHOBIA – fear of dancing
CHREMATYSTOPHOBIA – fear of robbery (in the role of a victim)
CHREMATOPHOBIA – fear of money
CHRISTOPHOBIA – fear of Christianity
CHROMOANTHROPHOBIA – fear of people with a different skin color
CHROMOPHOBIA – fear of flowers
CHRONOMETROPHOBIA – fear of clocks
CHRONOSPOINEPHOBIA – fear of chronic pain
CHRONOPHOBIA – fear of time
CETUSAPHOBIA – fear of marine mammals
CYANOPHOBIA – fear of the color blue
CYCLOANEMOPHOBIA – fear of cyclones
SCHOOL PHOBIA – fear of school
EUROTOPHOBIA – fear of the vagina
EDIFICIFOBIA – fear of buildings
EISODOPHOBIA – fear of virginity
EISOPTROPHOBIA – fear of mirrors
EQUINOPHOBIA – fear of horses
ECDISIOPHOBIA – fear of strippers
EXAMENOPHOBIA – fear of exams
EXERCISOPHOBIA – fear of exercise
ECCLESIOPHOBIA – fear of churches
ECOPHOBIA – fear of home (being at home)
ELEVATOPHOBIA – fear of elevators
ELEUTHEROPHOBIA – fear of freedom
ELECTROCONVULSIOPHOBIA – fear of electroshock therapy
ELECTROPHOBIA – fear of electricity
HELLENOPHOBIA – fear of Greece (everything Greek)
EMETOPHOBIA – fear of vomiting
ENDITOPHOBIA – fear of getting dressed
ENETOPHOBIA – fear of pins
Enissophobia – fear of shame
ENTOMOPHOBIA – fear of insects
ENURESOPHOBIA – fear of urinary incontinence during sleep
EOSOPHOBIA – fear of dawn
EPILEPSYOPHOBIA – fear of epilepsy
EPISTAXIOPHOBIA – fear of nosebleeds
EPISTEMOPHOBIA – fear of knowledge
EPISTOLOPHOBIA – fear of letters
ERGASIOPHOBIA – fear of work
EREMOPHOBIA – fear of loneliness
ERETROPHOBIA – fear of the color red
Phobias in children: treatment of anxiety disorders in school and preschool age patients
Almost all children of school and preschool age, teenagers experience some kind of fears and anxieties. The appearance of fear in an extreme situation is a normal physiological reaction designed to mobilize the body's resources. Thanks to the emergence of fear when danger exists, a person is able to instantly pull himself together and make a decision about his further behavior.
However, in some children, as in adults, fear arises for no reason and constantly overcomes. The presence of illogical, uncontrollable, obsessive anxiety in a person, which causes significant psychological discomfort and prevents full interaction in society, gives reason to assume the development of an anxiety-phobic disorder, colloquially called a phobia.
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Phobic fear has clear differences from a normal physiological reaction. Phobias are characterized by the intensity of experiences, the duration of painful sensations, the inadequacy of emotions in the existing situation, and the obsession with thinking about the object of anxiety.
With the development of an anxiety-phobic disorder, fear occurs not only during direct contact with a frightening object or when being in a frightening situation. If a person is obsessed with a phobia, his anxiety is groundless, persistent, and constant. He loses the ability to control and manage his emotional state.
It should be pointed out that children, like adults, understand the absurdity of their experiences. They are critical of their condition and realize the inappropriateness of their behavior. People often make significant efforts to get rid of destructive emotions. However, a phobia is insidious in that it deprives a person of the opportunity to think adequately and does not allow him to be the master of his inner world.
Phobias in children: features of disorders in childhood
When a phobia occurs, preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents experience an irrational, obsessive fear of a huge number of different objects, phenomena, problems and situations. Very often, pathological fear is completely unrelated to real-life circumstances. Objects that frighten a child are often created by his imagination and exist in a fictional world. At the same time, the symptoms make themselves felt when circumstances arise that have minimal similarity to situations created by fantasy.
Children suffering from phobias are held captive by their destructive experiences almost constantly., deprived of psychological comfort during the daytime and not being able to relax calmly and fully at night. Once caught in the network of an anxiety-phobic disorder, a child or teenager begins to use a defensive model of action - avoidance behavior.
Children dependent on phobias deliberately limit themselves from being in places where, in their opinion, there is a possibility of encountering a frightening object. Such guys deliberately refuse to perform actions that could potentially provoke a panic attack. Children who are dependent on phobias cannot reveal their creative potential and are not able to fully assimilate educational material. They experience obvious difficulties in establishing new contacts and cannot maintain normal relationships with peers. Overwhelming fear forces them to give up exciting activities, not allowing them to fully devote themselves to their favorite activity.
In childhood, phobias that require emergency treatment are recorded very often. Moreover, each age has its own specific fears and anxieties. As clinical practice shows, children aged two to four years are characterized by a fear of animals. Children of preschool age are most often afraid of being left alone and do not dare to be alone in dark rooms. Also, for the age range from four to seven years, phobias associated with mysticism are typical. Children at this age are very afraid of the influence of evil spirits and are afraid of creatures created by their own imagination.
Social phobias are common among school-age children.: They experience panicky fear of speaking in public. They may be terrified of teachers and experience uncontrollable anxiety before upcoming exams. Some schoolchildren suffer from phobias, the essence of which is the inability to make new acquaintances.
Adolescents often experience a total fear of death and related disorders, for example, fear of contracting an incurable disease or fear of becoming an accidental victim of violence. Some teenagers develop irrational anxiety associated with anticipation of the outbreak of hostilities or aimed at potential natural disasters.
It is necessary to point out that severe phobias, which impose significant restrictions on the lives of children, are identified in more than 1% of all children and adolescents. However, this indicator reflects only the number of clinically recorded cases. Many stubbornly hide the presence of painful experiences. Or their parents do not attach much importance to the emotional state of the child, considering fears to be a far-fetched and spontaneously passing phenomenon.
Most often, female patients come to medical institutions. This can be explained by the fact that girls and young women, unlike boys and young men, are more open people and are ready to openly express their experiences out loud.
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Phobias in children: causes
The foundation for the formation of phobias is a specific characterological portrait of a small personality. The vast majority of children who have been diagnosed with anxiety-phobic disorder are characterized by increased impressionability, vulnerability, suspiciousness, and suspicion. Such guys are restless and anxious. They tend to focus excessively on their experiences and think for a long time about the event that happened. These guys are distinguished by their wild imagination and often have extraordinary creative abilities.
The reasons that triggered the onset of disorders in children may be:
- unfavorable atmosphere in the family, quarrels and scandals between parents;
- growing up in an asocial family surrounded by drinkers or immoral people;
- family breakdown or death of a close relative;
- experienced physical or mental violence;
- tough, directive parenting style;
- total control by parents;
- excessive demands on the child, criticality, rejection of the characteristics of his personality;
- excessive adult care, the inability of a child or teenager to carry out independent actions;
- “pendulum-shaped” style of education – the use of “carrot and stick”, radically different demands from mother and father, the essence of which is not understood by the child;
- change in usual living conditions - moving to another city, changing place of study;
- overload with negative information, regular viewing of programs with scenes of violence, passion for aggressive computer games;
- the fear experienced when a little person became an accidental witness to some tragedy;
- excessive anxiety of parents, inability of adults to control their emotions.
Phobias in children: symptoms
Anxiety-phobic disorders in children, as in adults, are manifested by a variety of symptoms, which can be roughly divided into the following categories:
- physiological manifestations of fear;
- psycho-emotional disorders;
- behavioral changes.
Physiological symptoms
Somatic manifestations of phobias include various problems of the digestive tract. The baby complains of abdominal pain. Dyspeptic disorders may appear. Children report dry mouth and unquenchable thirst.
Children with the disorder also experience a variety of respiratory symptoms. The guys complain about the inability to take a full breath. Babies often experience rapid breathing. Shortness of breath may occur in the absence of physical activity.
Common symptoms of phobias: various malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. The child has an unstable pulse and rapid heartbeat. He may complain of pain in the heart area. Some guys indicate that they experience pressing, squeezing sensations in this area.
Some guys have increased urge to urinate. Patients often report that they experience tinnitus and floaters appearing before their eyes. Very often, patients with anxiety-phobic disorders experience compressive sensations in the cranial area. This type of headache is commonly called “neurasthenic helmet.”
Psycho-emotional disorders
A common symptom recorded in children is a premonition of an imminent catastrophe. Children and teenagers constantly feel nervous tension. They can't relax.
Significant problems with concentration are recorded, which is why the child cannot learn new educational material. Due to insufficient concentration of attention, the mnestic function deteriorates: the student has difficulty reproducing previously well-known material. Some children report that there is a “vacuum” in their head and a lack of thoughts.
Suffering from phobias emotional status of the child: his mood often changes. In the moment when fear is released, he can be cheerful, and in the next moment, when anxiety reappears, the baby can start crying.
Behavioral changes
One of the leading symptoms of phobias is disturbance of sleep patterns and quality. In the evening, the child cannot fall asleep for a long time. The baby often wakes up at night. His dreams are nightmarish dreams whose characters are objects of fear. In the morning the child feels overwhelmed. There is drowsiness during the daytime.
Another sign of phobias is changing eating habits. Some babies lose their appetite and refuse to eat. Other guys, on the contrary, begin to eat very often, consuming food in excessively large portions, while constantly feeling hungry.
If a person is overwhelmed by phobias, his style of interaction in society changes. Children suffering from anxiety-phobic disorders are characterized by conflict and intransigence. They are hostile and aggressive towards their peers. They are distrustful of educators and teachers.
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Phobias: treatment methods
Treatment of phobias in children occurs using an integrated approach, including drug treatment, psychotherapeutic correction and hypnosis.
Since any pharmacological drugs have a wide range of side effects, and some medications are completely prohibited for use in pediatric patients, drug treatment of disorders is carried out only in extremely severe cases. At the same time, doctors try to select herbal preparations for the patient.
The basis for the treatment of phobias in children is psychotherapeutic techniques. Psychotherapy techniques are aimed at reducing the symptoms of pathological fear. With the help of psychotherapy, it is possible to teach a child adequate ways to respond when faced with an object of anxiety. During psychotherapy sessions, the patient masters methods of relaxation and relieving muscle tension. The child will learn what options exist for resolving conflict situations. He acquires knowledge thanks to which he manages to establish normal relationships with other people.
Psychotherapeutic treatment allows you to identify dominant destructive thoughts and change them to positive thoughts. During sessions, the child realizes and changes false, externally inspired beliefs.
However, psychotherapy is not able to completely rid children of phobias, since the effect provided eliminates only the rational components of fear. In order to free a child from irrational anxiety once and for all, it is necessary to establish and subsequently eradicate the cause of panic fear. This opportunity is provided only by treatment using hypnosis.
Hypnosuggestive treatment involves introducing the patient into a state of hypnotic trance, in which the censorship of consciousness is temporarily removed and access to the subconscious is opened, where all information about a person’s personal history is stored. When treated with hypnosis, the child seems to return to his past and relive the traumatic situation. However, this happens in a comfortable environment without causing mental trauma. Thanks to this, the child interprets the drama differently and ceases to feel irrational fear.
Hypnosis treatment not only helps to identify and eliminate the cause of the phobia. Hypnotherapy gives an impetus to discover a person’s abilities and motivates him to develop his personality. After hypnosis therapy, the child is completely freed from phobias, becoming a person independent of fears and anxieties.