Bizarre Phobias

Tom wrote to ask about the reality of a site called The Phobia Clinic. At first glance, the site definitely looks like it represents a real business that's selling a program to help people overcome their fears. The strangeness comes when you dig into some of the fears that they claim they can cure, and you have to wonder... do such fears or anxieties really exist? For example, they can cure you of Arachibutyrophobia (that's a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth), Ballistophobia (a fear of bullets... but why would anyone want to overcome their fear of bullets? Isn't that a good thing to be afraid of?), Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (fear of long words... the name of the anxiety alone probably sends sufferers into convulsions), and the list goes on and on. Despite all the weird anxieties, I think that the Phobia Clinic is real enough, in the sense that they'll take your money and offer some kind of 'cure.' But I'm skeptical about whether their cure actually works.

Psychology

Posted on Fri Nov 21, 2003



Comments

I have a fear of bending over!
I've looked on the internet to see what it's called and I can't find anything about it!
But I'm afraid that everything inside of me is going to fall out of my mouth!!
It's the strangest thing ever!!!
I abolutely will REFUSE to bed down at all, and if I must bend down, I will bend straight down with my knees instead of leaning over.
If anyone else has this fear and/or knows what it's called please share!!!!
Posted by Gypsi  on  Thu Jan 31, 2008  at  12:15 PM
I'm so glad I'm not the only one with a fear of little people, I don't want to be, and the strange thing is I know where mine came from. It started with nightmares after watching Willy Wonka, the original oompa loompas were just freaky. The second was actually someone showing me midget porn, I know how strange that is but it freaked me out so totally that I can't even look at them now.

It makes me feel like a horrible person, I am so against racism, sexism, ageism... or any other ism that it makes no sense that I would have a fear of something people can't control...

If there are any little people reading this I am soooo sorry.
Posted by Bosheme  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  05:38 PM
I forgot, but on the original topic. The usual course of action is to face your fear until it is no longer a fear. Usually in gradual steps, so for example if you are afraid of flying your first step might be looking at planes until you no longer feel uncomfortable. Then you might go out to a private airport and look at a real plane. Eventually sitting inside of it, and then actually flying.

It's facing the fear in small doses until you overcome it. My guess is this clinic would just walk you through these steps... You could save a lot of money just going through it on your own with someone you trust.
Posted by Bosheme  on  Fri Feb 22, 2008  at  05:42 PM
so i have this wierd-o phobia of flesh rubbing or touching fabric or cotton or rugs or whatever.. sometimes it FREAKS me out anxiety tears the whole nine yards sometimes it just makes me shiver and feel disgusting, i dont know why sometimes its worse and why similar things can either not bother me or bother me aot, the whole thing is very annoying and confusing.. it had gotten to a point that its disturbing my everyday life.. i need help guys!
Posted by Leah  on  Sun Feb 24, 2008  at  11:07 PM
i have a fear of NOT being homosexual. Waking up and being straight would just ruin my life. You see, I've always wanted to be a hair dresser and as everyone knows, all hair dressers are homosexual, like me. I also have a fear of bananas. I have an idea why but I don't think this is a particularly proper forum for THAT explanation. I don't like men with mustaches but that's not really a phobia, it's just irritating and scratchy. You know what I DO like? I'm really fond of kiwi. Tried it for the first time 8 years ago and can't get enough of it to this day.
Posted by Garry Lee Eacker  on  Wed Feb 27, 2008  at  10:49 AM
BHAHAHA, fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Now that is just plain insane. What's next, an mmorpg phobia...fear of gaming. Ridiculous.
Posted by Xerox  on  Thu Feb 28, 2008  at  12:08 AM
Ok so I have a friend who has a fear of lotion...its really odd cause if she touches or sees lotion she freaks out...does anyone know what this phobia is called??
Posted by Olivia  on  Wed Mar 05, 2008  at  06:21 PM
I thought I was the only person in the world that was terrified of "Little People"! I believe mine started by watching "Wild, Wild West" as a Child. (Dr. Loveless was an evil, mean little person.) When I was 6, my sisters took me into a gym at a local park. There was a Little person basketball game going on. They shut the doors on me and wouldn't let me out. A bunch of little people came over and saw me crying. They were tryig to help me, but had no idea I was freaking out because I was scared of them. To this day if I see someone I have to turn the corner, or avoid them by all means. I feel light headed and sick to my stomach. It makes me feel bad, but I can't help it. I know, fro cripes sake, they are NOT evil and want to tie me up in a crazy contraption like "Jim West" LOL! The fear just flies in and completly takes me over. "Aconroplasiaphobia" (Spelling?) is the name for this crazy fear!
Posted by Jdsmom  on  Fri Mar 07, 2008  at  02:09 AM
I have a bizare phobia of girls named brittany. I also have a phobia of squirrels with big yellow teeth. They scare me, i start to panic and turn bright red. In my kitchen, there are many things that i am afraid of. For example, metal spatulas scare me, I always feel like they will eat me in my sleep. I have nightmares about burnt burgers. I will not come near a cow, im scared that they may eat me just like I eat them.
Posted by Hairry Barb Wire  on  Fri Mar 07, 2008  at  11:03 PM
Hi, My husband suffers from lollypopguildphobia, we have had to run though the streets during high traffic, we can
Posted by Lollypopguildphobia sufferers wife  on  Tue Mar 11, 2008  at  06:54 AM
OMG...me to i have a serious fear of midgets they scare the hell out of me for real! do yall know what the name of that is i check the phobia list an i couldnt find it...so if you can post it and help me out plz...
Posted by kirsten  on  Mon Mar 17, 2008  at  01:42 PM
I dont like wet rags and homosexuals but lesbians are cool
Posted by Derek  on  Wed Mar 19, 2008  at  10:52 AM
i have a fear of sheets too. i hate the feel of having them surround me and i hate the feel of the cotton. even the sound of cotton sheets rubbing togeather scared me. i also have a fear of intercourse and a huge fear of dark closets. i cant go to sleep witout making sure ever closet in my house is securely shut. i have cats and one of them knows how to open doors and sometimes he figures out how to open up the closet at night. if i wake up and see the closet open i get so afraid that i cant move and im afraid to breathe. i hold a flashlight when i go to bed just so that if it ever happens i can have light. but then when it happens im too afraid even move my finger and turn the switch on. i just cry. any name for that fear?????
Posted by katie  on  Sun Mar 23, 2008  at  06:39 AM
the wierdest of my phobias is sticky things. it creeps me out even typing it out.
its like its eternial stick will never release its self from you..
you will never be free from this monster.. feeling and being physically sick when one is in the same room as me.
its hard in school when teachers even in the last year of secondary they give them out to pupils and you say you dont want one and the dreaded question why!?!
replying under my breath being so ashamed of such a stupid and silly little thing even they tease me.
causing me to be so scared even more.. having never met any one the same as me i have no idea what im so scared of ..
have to go out of a room till the class are finished a task
crying .. why am i so different .. panic attacks!
what is wrong with me
i see know many people have phobias that some will never be cured or found out what this is because of, i dont know why mine began
However i do know that its an evil thing which the devil has a grip on your life. if takes controll! you need to demolish this. i am only 15 years old and in these 15 years of being alive i have began to realise the only way out of this trap because thats what it is, is to be saved by jesus!!!!!! pray its not hard
Posted by ..........................................>  on  Sun Mar 23, 2008  at  02:24 PM
i have a really wierd paper phobia, when someone uses markers or closes a cardboard box or just touches styrophome it gives me the goosebumps and just gives me the willies. i am currently still in school and the phobia really interferes with my school work, so any cure would be great.
Posted by james harris  on  Mon Mar 24, 2008  at  01:57 PM
ii have a phobia, but ii don't know what iit iis


iim scared a whole bunch of nasty lookiin bumps on peoples bodiies!!!!!!!

iis there anyone who's scared of that??
Posted by caligirl  on  Sat Apr 05, 2008  at  09:58 PM
Hi
I have a fear of puppets, have just been discussing midget phobia with a lady I work with, can't beleive how common it is!

bex
Posted by bex  on  Tue Apr 08, 2008  at  01:26 PM
hi... umm... im afraid of stairs... not climbing them, just freaked out that someone is gonna come sneak up on me, and kill me :(. does ANYONE know wat it is called?? thank you!!

does anyone know wat the fear of towel textures is called?? i hate that feeling 😛

Thank you!!
Posted by Rebecca  on  Sun Apr 20, 2008  at  05:33 PM
I have a secret fear of saying the word "poo" I havnt even told the closest friend this strange Phobia!
Scratching stones together sends me whappy too lol
Posted by Mr B  on  Tue Apr 22, 2008  at  04:35 PM
Another one is the little round white paper lollypop sticks touching my mouth. it makes me suck my teeth at the thought.


Using sandpaper is horrible for me, its the sound and texture.
Posted by Mr B  on  Tue Apr 22, 2008  at  04:50 PM
Hey, i was reading through this and I share a lot of the same phobias as you. Except mine are sort of the opposite lol. I have to wear socks 24/7 because i freak out when i walk on carpet, or when they rub on my bed spread or sheets. I just hate the feeling and sound.. i cringe at the though. And i can't rub my hands on any fabrics either. I also have a really nervous habit where when i go out to eat i rip all the straw wrappers, and napkin wrappers, and anything paper and put it in a big pile in front of me. its insanee
Posted by Mackenzie  on  Thu May 08, 2008  at  06:03 PM
i have an incredible irritating sensation from fabric, in the teeth and under my fingernails.the thought of biting it freaks me out and if i accidntly scratch it with my fingernails my teeth cringe. somtimes it lasts for hours.
Posted by james  on  Wed May 21, 2008  at  08:23 PM
I am not afraid of paper but i get goosebumps whenever i see it or think about it or feel it. I would suggest typing things. I also suggest tablet pcs. they are a computer that you can write on. another thing i found out is that my identical twin has the same thing. its not something that you think is wrong. its how you think.
Posted by jimmy  on  Tue Jun 17, 2008  at  01:40 PM
Ok, ever since I can remember I have had this weird fear of different types of soap. It's not so much the soap really, it's the smell it leaves on my hands/body that really makes me freak out. It started off when I was a small child with diswashing detergent. My parents would make me wash the dishes with the blue Dawn detergent and I would just loose my mind and cry for hours until they finally gave up and would do it theirselves. To this day I cannot even touch the outside of a bottle of diswashing liquid or I feel like having a panic attack. I have to use the square diswasher tablets and wash dishes in the dishwasher. I'm totally normal about the square tablets. I'm also fine with any kind of liquid body wash, shampoos, car wash soap, etc. but am freaked out by bar soap and liquid hand soap. What is wrong with me?!?
Posted by Jessica  on  Sat Jun 21, 2008  at  01:30 PM
I have a phobia of a certain vegetable, even a fear of the name of it. I try to rationalize that many people love it, but if it's near me I cry and the two times in my life I've accidentally touched it, I gagged and nearly threw up. It's one of my husband's favorites, and I've asked him to protect me from it, but he doesn't do a very good job. He's suppose to clean up the kitchen after he has it, but he often misses some and then it's like it's jumping out to terrify me. I can't touch the faucet after he's touched the vegetable and washed his hands. Actually I slightly fear all wet vegetables, but the one is more of a hysteria.

I also don't like apes, chimps, and clowns but can cope with them.
Posted by Me  on  Thu Jun 26, 2008  at  07:30 PM
Does anyone know the name of the phobia when you fear seaweed?
I absolutly hate it, puts me off the beach !!!
Posted by Lydia  on  Mon Jun 30, 2008  at  06:31 AM
I am scared of being tickled, but not by a feather. When I was little my big sister and one of my ELDEST aunt's only daughter would tickle me, but not at the same time. I guess that it ended up becomeing a "phobia". Does anyone know what it is called?(not the being tickled by a feather one) When you e-mail me the answer please make the the title "PHOBIA" so that I know it isn't spam. (I have TOO MUCH spam)
Posted by Sarah  on  Thu Jul 03, 2008  at  12:25 AM
achondroplastiphobia is a term for fear of human dwarfs
Posted by jim woods  on  Thu Jul 17, 2008  at  06:46 AM
Hi, My friend has this weird phobia were he just needs to hold the television remote control. Do anyone know what thats called, or have the same fear??? Google was no help.
Posted by Misty L.  on  Wed Aug 13, 2008  at  07:36 PM
I absolutely cannot stand napkins and paper towels!! And when they are wet its 10x worse! I cant open my straws at restaurants, my mom opens them and then i blow thru it once to make sure no paper got stuck.. if i ever had paper in my mouth i would committ suicide.. I also am always afraid my legs are gonna break if i stand too long, i cant breathe when i look at midgets, Im afraid of breaking the string under my tongue or getting a paper cut in my eyeball! I hate when teachers erase the chalkboard because what if they accidently scratch the board?!?! I HATE forks scraping on plates.. I hate certain words like napkin, mush, coldcuts.. I hate my life.. help
Posted by Marisa  on  Mon Aug 18, 2008  at  07:57 PM
I have an extreme fear of myself touching my Akilies tendons, and my elbows, let alone other people touching them. Can anyone tell me what this Phobia is called?
Posted by Joshua Morris  on  Tue Aug 19, 2008  at  11:23 AM
I have an extreme fear of my Akilies tendons and elbows being touched, I have to wear altered socks, and I cannot wear shoes that touch them, and I cannot wear long sleeve shirts, and I cannot rest my arms on any kind of rest that touches my elbows. Can any one tell me the names of a fear of Akilies tendons, and elbows?
Posted by joshua morris  on  Tue Aug 19, 2008  at  11:26 AM
i'm absolutely terrified and nauseated from wet or crumpled paper , kleenex , paper towel , toilet paper , tissue paper .. i think you get the idea !
it absoloutly disgusts me , i have no idea why hahaha i could cry if someone rubbed like wet toilet paper on me or something
Posted by tess  on  Tue Sep 02, 2008  at  02:50 PM
I'm really scared of electricity...I get scared whenever I see the warning sign and power stations and those fenced off areas are really scary...they make me want to run a thousand miles. I'm interested in the science of electricity. I'd just rather stand back, thank you.
Posted by Melissa  on  Mon Sep 08, 2008  at  04:36 PM
I SO KNOW WHAT U MEAN ABOUT STYROFOAM EVERYTIME I SEE IT I FEEL REALLY ILL ..LIKE IM GOING TO THROW UP ... I START TO ROLL MY NECK AND BITE N MY BACK TEETH ITS SO GROSSS I HATE IT
Posted by GENEVIE MORIN  on  Tue Sep 23, 2008  at  04:33 PM
i think you guys are all douche bags just get over your fear
Posted by sdhakf  on  Wed Oct 08, 2008  at  01:36 PM
just to let you all no i have a fear of midgets too-they creep me out so bad i wanna run away. i feel awful about it and my friends make fun of me for it but i really cant help it. i apologize to any ppl i'm offending but its a serious thing... :down:
Posted by Sarah  on  Thu Oct 09, 2008  at  07:01 PM
I am absoloutly terified of clusters of dots or holes apparently its a just released phobia called trybophobia, i will scream at the top of my longs if i see them!
Posted by Cheyenne Griffith  on  Mon Oct 13, 2008  at  03:01 PM
I have a fear of dry things! Dry skin, rough carpet, cardboard, gravel, sand, construction paper, etc. etc. Anything that makes me thing of something dry, I start to gag and get chill bumps and want to clench my hands! Ugh! It is absolutely terrible. I have seen it get worse of the last couple of years, I better see a psych soon! I looked it up tonight it is called Xerophobia, fear of dry things.
Posted by Jenni  on  Sun Oct 19, 2008  at  11:41 PM
I have a huge fear of touching paper at all. When I do have to touch it, I have to wear gloves. Then I run to wash my hands, and I have to put on lotion. I know it sounds really weird. I lost my job 1 1/2 ago because of this. It has totally ruined my life.
Does anyone else have this?
Posted by Teresa Gustafson  on  Thu Oct 23, 2008  at  10:24 AM
I have a fear of soap and making sure it is all rinsed off good or I will be itchy and burning. Even if I think someone else has had contact with soap I think it transfers. I carry a wet washcloth around with me and constantly wipe my hands. It drives me insane. Does anyone else have this sort of phobia?
Posted by gymnastixmom  on  Thu Oct 23, 2008  at  11:53 PM
🐛
I have a similar fear of soap!!!! Read my post on page 7 or 8!
Posted by Jessica  on  Fri Oct 24, 2008  at  12:21 AM
Sorry, it's on page 9!
Posted by Jessica  on  Fri Oct 24, 2008  at  12:23 AM
Thank you for the response on the soap, I appreciate it. Does anyone else have a fear of soap or fear of getting soap on you and not getting it rinsed off? I am even afraid to touch door handles, fear that someone didnt rinse their hands good and it is on there. This is destroying my life and my parents said I wasnt like this as a child. I just wish I could touch it and be okay if its on me without getting rinsed. I take like a 30 min shower. Im afraid stuff I touch will have soap from someone else touching it too.
Posted by gymnastixmom  on  Fri Oct 24, 2008  at  08:04 AM
hello, i have a really bad fear of spines. i can't stand looking at them.
i feel like im going to vomit everytime the word spine is even said, i can't even stand people touching their own spines. i really wanna know what the proper word is for this. can someone please let me know?
Posted by Tsh  on  Sun Oct 26, 2008  at  08:48 PM
I hate finger nails and anything to do with them. I hate getting them ripped backwards and i grit my teeth and a bunch of crap like that to get past the thought of nails.
Posted by austin  on  Thu Oct 30, 2008  at  03:17 PM
i have a serious fear of midgets that was fully realized in a walgreens last night.
Posted by carl  on  Fri Oct 31, 2008  at  08:13 PM
My 13 year old daughter has anxiety and OCD.
She is afraid of wet laundry, she has to wear gloves to put the stuff from the washer into the dryer. She hates the feel of lotions and creams, a lot of fabrics, tags on her clothes touching her skin and the strangest one is fear of her belly button being touched. She can be in a dead sleep and she will freak out if someone even goes near her belly button.
Posted by Lori  on  Sat Nov 01, 2008  at  07:54 AM
I myself have OCD and have some pretty weird phobias- First MIDGETS! It's the fact hat I'm an Artist, and midgets are just... deformed... their arms and UH! Second Jeans. I Don't own a single pair. The feel is gross and icky! And the sound when you rub your palm to it! Third High pitched or chalky sounds, like when you scratch cotton shirts or when people have those ringtones adult's cant hear, AUG! Fourth Porcelain Dolls that look real, EW! My girl friend bought me one and I cried, it was very pretty, and had a beautiful dress, but OH HELL NAH! Last is I absolutely cannot dry my hands after I wash them, after doing anything I must wash m hands, but I have to let them dry naturally. Gods! And I'm 15.
Posted by Desiree  on  Thu Nov 06, 2008  at  06:44 PM
What is the fear of foam. I am not as bad as i was when I was younger, seeing as I can take bubble baths with out hypervenalting but I still cant stand a lot of it. I ususaly just use the soap bar. I feel crazy when I think about it, one time my brother chased me around with foam from the dish water, it was horriable.
Posted by lola  on  Mon Nov 10, 2008  at  07:19 PM
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