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 don't know what the name of this phobia is but im terrified of spoons. I hate them. I do not use them. I use forks, chopstix and straws for everything. Soup, ice cream, yogurt, cereal. I'm told that this is an irrational fear, but I just can't help it!
Posted by Jenna  on  Mon Jul 19, 2010  at  01:22 PM
Jenna, apparently a phobia of spoons is Koutaliaphobia, though it could be linked to a lot of phobias such as Metallophobia (The phobia of metal), or it could be linked to something such as hyperacusis which is a sensitivity to a certain frequency of sound, which in this case might be something like a spoon hitting a plate, etc.
Posted by Miki  on  Mon Jul 19, 2010  at  01:27 PM
I Havve a Fear Of Midgets and people with cerebral palsy i am young and whhen i grow up i hope i get over it when ever i tell people that tell me its meanand there just like us but i can help it \

- Emma
Posted by Emma  on  Tue Jul 20, 2010  at  08:42 AM
I know this may seem weird but I have a terrible fear of my face being licked. anytime someone tires to lick my face, or near my face i have a small panic attack.
Posted by Katie  on  Tue Jul 20, 2010  at  04:04 PM
I am 13... I am really afraid of eating fish, or any kind of seafood. I hate watching other people eat it... It gives me chills just thinking about it
Posted by Lindeezee  on  Fri Jul 23, 2010  at  12:50 AM
I havent read to the point where someone has the same phobia as me, but I HATE getting my nails painted, because my mother forces me to. I am so scared of painted nails and feet to the point where I have panic attacks and start to cry! Anyone else share the same?
Posted by Hailey  on  Mon Jul 26, 2010  at  07:56 PM
Hailey-I actually have to opposite....i cant stand it if my LEFT hand isnt painted! my right hand doesnt matter but my left must have nailpolish on the nails! :shut:

But i cant stand the sound of silverwear scraping against a plate! Ewwwww my skin crawls just thinking about it }=P
And i hate the feeling on my nails scraping against anything dry and hard! its just like...the vibrating or something...
i also dont like it when i see people or find myself biting nails....or when i see people chewing on their hair...gives me chills
Posted by Molly  on  Thu Jul 29, 2010  at  08:13 PM
This is crazy to see people have some of the same fears that I do.

1. I cant have my belly button touched by anyone not even myself.
2. I cant touch Newspaper. (it is so oily or just weird feeling)
3. I CAN NOT scratch anyones back or any other part of their body. I am assuming it started when I was little and my dad told me to scratch his back all the time and I did but his skin would peel off into my finger nails. It makes me gag.... I have vomited over scratching my husbands back. (what is this phobia called?)
Posted by Chelsea Ramos  on  Mon Aug 02, 2010  at  10:57 PM
@ Katie from Noodle Tx... I cant have anyone lick my face either. Or even kiss my cheek. My family will all purposely try and hold me down to lick my face. I also cant have them rub there face to mine... the oils of their face just make me sick and having anyone brush up against my arm or rub my arm (upper arm where the deltoid muscle is) makes me cringe!!
Posted by Chelsea Ramos  on  Mon Aug 02, 2010  at  11:15 PM
I feel I've recently developed a phobia of rubbing things, only certain things, especially where the skin gets stuck (Because of sweat and the like), then the thought of rubbing, making the skin peel back.

First time I experienced it was in school, had to write something on one of those smart boards - everyone else just used their finger, so i was going to - then just as I started writing, the skin on my finger pulled back, and just creeped me out, started to panic a little - I had to use the pen thing it comes with. Ever since, I've had to use either the pen, or something else quite hard - without damaging the board, of course. Sometimes i can bare to use my knuckle, as it's already quite taught, and won't stick and peel.

And it just started to develop, I feel sick standing bare foot on lino flooring, peeling back as I slide my foot across - sometimes even lifting it up again, if my foot sticks just a little bit, the skin stretches and I feel physically sick.

There doesn't seem to be any official name for it, or at least i can't find one. Not sure how else to describe it.
Posted by Lythiium  on  Tue Aug 10, 2010  at  05:59 PM
I hate wooden spoons and popscicle sticks and chalk.I can't stand unfinished wood--the textue--the dryness.I feel like it is absorbing the oil from my hands.I can't stand to not wear socks and touch the bare floor because my feet feel dry especiall between large toe and toe next to it.Can't stand them to touch each other.Must slather lotion between them.
Posted by Pamm Williams  on  Thu Aug 19, 2010  at  05:32 PM
i have a fear of microwaves falling from the sky and crushing me, or my neck.
Posted by handy andy  on  Sun Sep 05, 2010  at  05:48 PM
I am DEATHLY afraid of chalk, whenever i touch it i cringe from the texture. I just hate the thought of it scraping off on my fingernails and the sound it makes on the blackboard... So, Can anyone help me?! It's my mom too... but she can at least touch it... Also, what phobia is this? some... chalk-o-phobia?
Posted by Doojer  on  Mon Sep 13, 2010  at  08:42 AM
I HATE bees and wasps they make me run, also strangly i hate PVA glue like my friend Jacob does anyone know what this phobia might be called? - Thanks
Posted by Murfy  on  Mon Oct 04, 2010  at  04:31 AM
I have a fear of alot of dry textures( chalk, paper, the way my hands feel after I wash them, biscuits, cardboard, construction paper ect.) they all Make me sick to my stomach, my teeth hurt and all my hair stands on end with goose bumps all over my skin! What can I do to get rid of this? I felt so alone until I found this site and never really wanted to talk to anyone because people are just so mean about these things but they don't know how it feels to have these phobias! It makes me sick to even talk about this stuff, what can I do?
Posted by Falon  on  Sat Oct 09, 2010  at  12:42 PM
I have a fear of spines. I hate the look of them and even the word is creepy. Like I hate the sound of backs cracking and I have a huge fear of being paralyzed because of a neck or spine injury. Anything having to do with landing on your head on neck freaks me out. I can't stand to see it or even think about it. I'm learning about spines in class and it freaks me out!
Posted by Lauren  on  Sun Oct 10, 2010  at  09:24 PM
Omg I have the fear of closing my eyes in the shower I though I was the only one it's crazy because the second my eyes are closed I freak out so I try not to close them which ends up getting shampoo in my eyes but the fear is so bad I would much rather my eyes burn than not be able to see dot more than a second in the shower I think someone will come and try and drown me or ill slip and break my neck or something I also have to shower with a see through curtian other wise I get really parinoid.
Posted by Brooke  on  Sat Oct 16, 2010  at  10:53 PM
i have a fear of slowing down and i do not like to slow down otherwise the cat will eat me and i will get no cheese i am very scared of slowing down so i do everything quickly i even poo very quickly sometimes i forget to wipe my arse.
Posted by Speedy Gonzales  on  Tue Nov 02, 2010  at  04:05 AM
i cant stand when people rub their hands together. it doesnt matter if their dry wet whatever it is i can not stand it! and people know that about me and do it to me all the time. and they think its funny. i dont try to make it a big deal because i dont want ppl to think i am just saying i cant stannd it for attentionn but when they do it im real mad and irritated and i get the goose bumps and feel just sick!! help!
Posted by jazzie  on  Thu Nov 04, 2010  at  07:54 PM
Hello! I noticed someone(not naming names)put down that they have a phobia of adhesive. Well, so do I!!!! I'm currently sixteen years old and have known I was scared of adhesive since I was five years old. I can not hold a piece of tape or anything that has adhesive on it for more 12 seconds. I timed myself......Is there a name for this?
Posted by Raquel  on  Mon Nov 08, 2010  at  05:22 PM
I have one son with a phobia of his sister. He is now on medication that has helped, but before the medication he had not seen her for two and a half years. He would scream as though someone was going to kill him, even if it was only her hand going around a corner. there was no family life. They couldn't watch TV together, go out in public,and to get them to school i had to put a towel up in the car to act as a screen. My second son has a phobia of other people eating. So he hasn't had a meal with us for about two years. Medication has not helped him. Does anyone know the name of these phobias?
Posted by nichole  on  Mon Nov 08, 2010  at  06:42 PM
my girl friend has a fear of belly buttons she had a panic attack when she saw me poking my belly buttonwhat do i do !!!!!!!! what can be done
Posted by ramsay  on  Mon Nov 08, 2010  at  11:30 PM
I am wondering if anyone knows the name of the phobia of 'wet wood" like popsicle sticks?
Posted by stephanie  on  Sun Nov 14, 2010  at  04:27 PM
Hello. :cheese: My name is Mary and I have a phobia of people with amputated limbs. I can actually remember how it started. I was about 7 when I was watching tv with my mom and dad when "Ripley's believe it or not" came on and some girl with no arms or legs swam across the english channel or something..and I just kinda spaced out.It was the first time I saw a person like that and I just kinda shut off,mentally. That night I had a dream about it..well a nightmare really,where she just fell on me out of no where and it was completely dark and she was talking and gesturing with her...nubs. Ever since then I've been so afraid.My mom makes fun of me sometimes and I may chuckle about it,but it really is horrible. I have a huge fear of the nubs touching me...and when I think about it I kinda squirm around and I want to cry. I'm super normal,its just when I see someone with a missing limb I almost faint.I've been to therapy for it..and I can..cope but I can't have them touch me.I've had a massive panic attack and I had to go to the hospital..my heartbeat was visible through my shirt. :down: Even though I've never heard of someone with this phobia, is there anyone else who has a phobia like me?
Posted by Mary  on  Fri Nov 26, 2010  at  08:45 AM
OMG i cant stan cardboard and hate touching paper when its wet i thought it was jsut me i had to build a bed for my daughter last night in cam in soo much packahing there was a lot of cardboard i really dont care for plastic much either i had to get all of the packinging off and out of the house before i even started i tihink it has something to do with my dad over packaging christmass and birthday gifts when i was little i cant stand the feeling of cardboard when i am wet or dry the thought of my nails runs aginst it freakes me out its not that i am afraid of it but i hate it to the poin of giving me an anxiaty attack remeber people phobias arent ears they are anxiaty dissorders it would be silly to be afain of cardboard what can it do to me? but i hate it with a true and burning passion i would love to just burn it my skin and nails hurt from dealing with it so much the other day i hate it but i fiannaly did get that bed together after a martini nd my anxiaty meds and a tottall freak out i am sure the neighbors think i am a basket case but its just carboard ... 😊 and paper if i am wet and copious amounts of dust ....
Posted by Phi  on  Fri Nov 26, 2010  at  10:45 PM
Hey my name is Danielle and I am 14 years old.
I have a phobia of rubbing my hands together & I cant stand when other people do it. Jesse, we have alot it common,
Posted by Danielle Ward  on  Tue Dec 07, 2010  at  06:24 PM
i have a fear of cottonballs. it started with me just being grossed out. and slowly developed into screaming and crying when people tried to torment me with them, thinking its funny. when it's really not. it sends me into a panic attack.
Posted by lalalal  on  Tue Dec 14, 2010  at  09:22 PM
I'm scared of pencils. I cant touch them. They just freak me out. I can use Mechanical Ones "Pacers" but not a wooden pencil. Thinking about them makes me anxious, Like I wanna be sick. I have no issues with lead or wood in general but pencils give me the heebie jeebies.
Posted by Ashlie  on  Wed Dec 15, 2010  at  05:50 AM
I have a phobia of getting my hands wet and touching something I absolutley cannot do it. When I was little I would make my hands into a fist until they dried, finally I tried lotion and it worked! I have to use it a couple of times after I get my hands wet, it works! Hope this helps.
Posted by kas  on  Thu Dec 23, 2010  at  10:40 PM
Okay I seriously have the worst fear of my hands being wet or hands touching or anybody part that is wet touching another body Part .... Someone with a problem like this please email me . Thanks
Posted by anna  on  Sat Dec 25, 2010  at  09:07 PM
I have the paper issue as well. It's not a fear of the paper itself, but of touching it, the sound of someone touching it, all of it. Is that also papyrophobia? Any info would be GREAT
Posted by Noul  on  Wed Dec 29, 2010  at  05:25 PM
I also have a fear if rubbing my hands together. At all times the insides of my hands where the lines are cannot touch together I get chills and cringe and when u was little, like 8 or 9 I used to cry at the thought of my two hands or feet touching together. I can't stand the sound that it makes either, and my friends tease my all the time to the point where I have to run out if the room. I don't know a name for this phobia though. I also can't stand if my hands are sweaty especially in-between the fingers. I also have a fear of bridges, boats, planes, elevators, and heights.
Posted by Zo  on  Thu Dec 30, 2010  at  09:36 AM
Okay, so someone else said something about this, but it was so long ago I don't know if anyone remembers. Ever since I began watching odd (scary) movies I have had intense panic attacks. When I was younger, it was one episode of the television show "So Weird" where a paranormal animal killed people, but first, his glowing eyes were spotted in the dark. At night I would SWEAR I saw those glowing eyes. I would force myself to close my eyes, and begin convulsions (stomach muscles having violent contractions) and I wouldn't be able to breathe. This happened for a while, but when I got older I watched the movie The Grudge. This was about seven years ago. Since then I constantly feel that she is behind me, or in the ceiling corner of my room, or in my shower, or anywhere really. I hear sounds that aren't there. I see figures that aren't there. When I tell people this they say "That movie isn't real, those things can't hurt you" I am completely aware of these things, but I continue to be terrified. Last night I had such a bad panic attack my boyfriend almost called my parents to ask if I needed to see a doctor. I don't know what to do. This fear is eating away at me. My first step is to find a name for it. What could it be?
Posted by Cory  on  Sat Jan 01, 2011  at  09:41 PM
What is the fear of is Dogs called. I know that fear of spiders is called Arachnophobia.
Posted by Epoxy Flooring Brisbane  on  Sun Jan 02, 2011  at  07:48 AM
so yeah i have the wet hands and feet phobia to i hate it my hubby goes to help me out of the bath when i have wet fingers it makes me vomit, does anyone know what its called ???
Posted by leanne  on  Thu Jan 06, 2011  at  09:04 AM
i have a fear of pubes. everytime i see them i try to rip them out and eat them and i hate the crunching sound of pubes in my mouth
Posted by Mike Rotch  on  Fri Jan 07, 2011  at  02:36 AM
this is a very informative article. i have always believed that many things may work for us and not for other people. stress and anxiety are easy to prevent if we just try to know what are the causes of these. some relaxation techniques can really help but it is still best for us to know what may really work by trying out different ways on how to prevent it.
Posted by How To Deal With Anxiety  on  Sun Jan 09, 2011  at  10:02 AM
I have a totally irrational fear of underground water...i don't know why, but it freaks me out REALLY bad...i was once in some caves, and came across an underground lake, I couldn't make it anywhere near the lake. I felt like something was in there. I wanted to kill the lake somehow... haha
Posted by Maluuni  on  Sun Jan 09, 2011  at  07:24 PM
Ahhh!!! i HATE! Paper! the sound of it touching and pencils or markers or highliters on it gross me out soooooooo much! i hate it its the grossest thing in the univers i hav to leave the room at school when ev we high light i spend my while day plugging my ears i only write in pen and if i hav to do charcoal art in school this month i mite die! ahh i also hav a phobia of rhianna and deer! :( help me!
Posted by Megan  on  Mon Jan 10, 2011  at  07:33 PM
I have a fear of styrofoam. I know it is weird, but the sound and the way it looks freaks me out! I don't understand it, but my skin starts crawling and I usually run out of the room. I wish I understood it or the reason for it, but I have been like that since I was a little girl.
Posted by Karen C.  on  Fri Jan 21, 2011  at  10:45 AM
i don't know why but i have a fear of roofs and other roofers, i just can't explain it but when i look at roofers i get the shakes.
Posted by south-london roofers  on  Sat Jan 29, 2011  at  03:36 AM
I am doing a grade 6 report on phobias. If anyone has any information on them please post because there seems to be a lack of useful info on them. 😖 Did you know that there is a phobia called Phobophobia. That is the fear of phobia(s)
Posted by GogoGirl  on  Sat Jan 29, 2011  at  08:28 AM
I have a phobia - almost - of people biting down on cotton, cardboard, fabric, or napkins... or things like that - ack. It just makes me tremble to even think about it. I also can't stand styrofoam, or hearing about human anatomy - how your body works or people describing problems with muscles, etc. I feel really weak and frail. I almost passed out when we were discussing tendons in class. Anyone else who has problems like that? D:

And my dad has a fear of wet feet. Whenever the floor is mopped he won't cross it unless he's wearing shoes and he just squeals (it's actually kind of funny.)
Posted by Brooksong  on  Sat Jan 29, 2011  at  05:50 PM
I have a phobia of standing on a wet floor in socks or bare feet! When i turn the shower off, i have to get out of the shower and dry my feet before anything else! I cannot stand on a floor that is wet, mostly hard flooring, but sometimes carpets. If something is spilled on the floor, i will not walk on the floor until it is fully dry, because i begin to shake and feel sick...
Not normal. Not normal at all :(
Posted by Leah  on  Sat Feb 05, 2011  at  03:24 AM
i cant stand eyelashes they creap me out i be thinking they bug legs growing out of my face they give me goose bumps everytime i think or so eyelashes i pull atleast 10-15 eye lashes out a day im scard they wont grow back but i cant stand them if i could pull other people eyelashes out i would whats wrong with me
Posted by Alexis Taylor  on  Fri Feb 11, 2011  at  01:38 AM
I have a huge fear of... marijuana? :/ I dunno why! I think because it has caused alot of problems with my friends and stuff... but whenever people talk about it around me I start like hyperventilating.

and when someone asks me to try it, I have a mini panic attack!

I know that's odd... But If anyone else has that problem, you should notify me...
Posted by Erin  on  Thu Feb 24, 2011  at  09:40 PM
I can't stand to hear bathroom fans they are so annoying. I also can't stand touching just about anything without having lotion on my hands and feet and my lip always have to have chap-stick. Another thing about feet, I always have to wear shocks even to bed because of that I don't wear sandals or flip-flops. What is wrong with me? I'm I normal? My parents siblings think I act like a baby for when mention this stuff to them. Find out please!
Posted by VM  on  Fri Mar 04, 2011  at  12:00 PM
My friend is standidng right next to me and she has a fear of Dora the Explorer. I think its crazy. But, is there a way to cure it and what is this phobia called. She runs away if she hears it!!!!!!!! PLEASE HELPPPPPPP!!!!!!! 😊
Posted by URA FREAK  on  Fri Mar 11, 2011  at  07:46 PM
Well i have 2 really bad ones.. i cannot touch food!!!!!!! the oils gross me out so bad i start to cry and almost blackout. i always have to use forks/spoons for even hand held foods. and my 2nd one is more odd.. im deathly afraid of fish out of water? i have no idea why but i cant even be around fish out of the fear that they will end up out of there tanks im not afraid of them just them dieing from no water. please tell me why i have these weird phobias!! and how to get rid of them if possible!
Posted by Alishia  on  Tue Mar 22, 2011  at  06:07 PM
okayy soo im thirteen and i think i have a wierd phobia. i have a fear of dead skin or dead skin cells. i start to freak out if someone is picking at dead skin and i just hate it. but hey we're all human, right?
Posted by shayy  on  Tue Mar 22, 2011  at  06:35 PM
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