14 DAY TRIAL // Lately, we've come across stories about different types of strange phobias we’ve never heard of before, and this proves that some of the new fears people suffer from are definitely brought on by the pressures of the new era.
So, modern life causes modern phobias, and some of the things that people fear nowadays are really strange and funny, but they are certainly not a laughing matter to those suffering from them.
What is a phobia?
A phobia, from a scientific point of view, is a type of anxiety disorder that is driven by our emotions. It is usually defined as an emotional fearful response to an object or situation and is rarely based on objective facts or reality.
Its irrational nature means that will-power, facts and reassurance tend to have little impact in reducing the anxiety. People who have struggled with phobias know how immune these fears can be to logical analysis, so sufferers tend to go to great lengths to avoid a perceived danger which is much greater in their minds than in real life.
Over 50 million people in the USA and 10 million in the UK are thought to suffer from a phobia. These illogical fears can affect people of any age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
Modern phobias
The technological advancements and modern conveniences led to new and weird phobias, some of which you might suffer from without even knowing.
Nomophobia, for example, or the fear of being out of mobile phone contact – is the most common modern fear. It could affect up to 53 per cent of mobile phone users. More than one in two nomophobes never switch off their mobile phones. The word is an abbreviation of no-mobile-phone-phobia.
Cyberphobia, described as an abnormal fear of computers or technology, is also a result of the pressures of the 21 century.
Also connected to modern life and technology is Editiovultaphobic, the fear of Facebook. Although some might say that this is a ridiculous phobia, I can understand why some people don’t like having every aspect of their lives exposed in front of “friends” they have never met.
There are also other fears, not necessarily related to technology, like Chrometophobia, or excessive fear of money. This is one of the weirdest phobias you might not be aware about. It seems really strange that anyone could develop a fear of money when almost everybody else wants large amounts of it.
Also, it would seem natural that all people want to hear the good news and fear the bad news. But ironically, there are some people who fear hearing good news and seem to be unable to share someone else's happiness or to enjoy any happiness of their own. And these people are said to have Euphobia.
This one is really cruel: Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. No matter how hard I try I cannot even pronounce it. Does this mean I suffer from it?
Moreover, if you are terrified of looking at your own reflection in the mirror, you might be suffering Spectrophobia. This phobia is usually caused by a traumatic event in which victims believe they saw a ghostly apparition by looking at themselves in the mirror. Harsh fear, I would dare say, especially for women.
And if you don’t like to watch the birdie and say cheese, it means you have Ipovlopsychophobia, the fear of having your photograph taken. The name of this phobia literally means “the fear of having your soul stolen with a glance.” Selfie lovers aren't affected by this one, that's for sure.
The strangest and most dreadful of all is, without doubt, Phobophobia – an abnormal fear of phobias or of developing one. That is to say, fear of fear itself is a phobia. Weird, but I’m already afraid of not developing this one.
And the last one on my list is a phobia that could affect me without knowing. It’s called Editophobia and it means that you’re afraid of being edited or deleted.
How to cope with phobias?
As they say it, putting feelings into words helps a lot in overcoming a difficult situation. The same is valid for phobias. Verbalizing an emotional experience has proved very beneficial to people who suffer from different types of fear, as it improves their ability to cope with the situation and overcome the disturbing factor, experts say.
In the case of phobias, expressing the negative feelings allows people to be more willing to address their fears and manage them better.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also be beneficial, as it encourages patients to challenge dysfunctional beliefs by acknowledging their own feelings. The aim of the therapy is making the patient realize their fear is irrational.
Last but not least, antidepressant medications are often recommended in some cases of phobia, although the risk-benefit ratio is against their long-term use in phobic disorders.