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.
Categories: Psychology Posted by Alex on Fri Nov 21, 2003 |
Comments (449) |
More from the Hoax Museum Archives: | |||
Im terribly afraid of brain sergury or bones such as the spine and the skull i also have a fear of hospitals :/ but i also have skoliosis which i think has a infuence on it.. eh i cant stand x-rays of the skull or spine well not other people really mainly my own x-rays they terrify me i end up over thinking it..it always crosses my mind atleast 3 times a day if not more and when it does its hard to get rid of the thoughts is there a cure....? does anyone else feel the way i do about these things?
Posted by Angie torres on Tue May 18, 2010 at 10:41 PM
OMG i have the biggest fear of ants! i have never really trusted them, but last year i stepped in a fire ant collony and every simce then it has been a million time worse! everytime i see them crawling on the groung i get nervious and jumpy.i don't know what my problem because ants are just so small! does any one know how to get rid f this fear. it is just so terrible and everyone thinks it is sooo funnyto point them out to me!! help!
Posted by Emmy on Fri May 21, 2010 at 11:11 AM
I have a fear of stains whether it's stained clothes, sheets or carpet
Posted by Kissy on Sun May 23, 2010 at 12:01 AM
i have arachnophobia which is a fear of spiders and i shake, cry and am sick when i see one. I also have a fear of cardboard, the same as James, but worse, i shiver and shake, when i hear it against something and i cant look at it or touch it. Once at school my teacher asked me to carry a piece of cardboard somewhere and i refused and told the teacher why and she phoned home and i got a detention and had to see a phsicologist about it, but then thy realised it was an actual phobia. for both phobias i have tablets from the hopspital.
Posted by Amy on Wed May 26, 2010 at 01:39 PM
So I have this fear of touching the bottom of oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, etc. Basically any body of water I can't see well through but even goes so far as to only be knee high and I begin to freak. Anyone with a similar phobia?
Posted by Sky on Thu May 27, 2010 at 10:16 PM
O_O whenever i read a scary book im afraid of mirrors. what phobia is that?
Posted by olivia on Sun Jun 06, 2010 at 12:22 PM
i have a phobia of wet paper and a phobia of receipts... i always have someone else take it when i go buy something... it's incredibly sad and weird but I just can't handle receipts, gross!
Posted by bee on Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 02:30 PM
I'm Absolutely Terrified Of Styrofoam. & For As Long As I've Been Alive, And Afraid Of It,, I Thought I Was The Only One. Even Just Looking At It Makes My Skin Crawl. The Sound Of It Makes Me Shudder & If For Whatever Reason, I Touch It,, My Palms Itch Like Crazy & I Feel Every Single Hair On The Back Of My Neck Stand On End. It's The Weirdest Thing. I Have No Idea Why It's So Freaking Scary To Me,, At All.
Posted by Rita on Fri Jun 11, 2010 at 09:46 PM
i have a fear of my palms (especially the pads of my fingers) touching or brushing against anything dry. If i have dry hands and they accidently brush against rough clothing, carpets, paper, paper towels it makes me feel physically sick and sends shivers down my spine. Even the thought of rubbing my fingers on a carpet makes me want to throw up. Does anyone have a name for this or have a similar fear?? help!
Posted by Alexis on Sun Jun 13, 2010 at 02:11 PM
To Hydropapryophobe: My boyfriend also has a fear/phobia about wet paper. Not sure where it comes from, but wet paper makes him want to vomit. You are not alone. Wish I could find out more about this bizarre phobia
Posted by Curious on Tue Jun 15, 2010 at 08:38 AM
When I get out of the shower and I'm drying my hair, I'm afraid that my cat is going to come claw my dick. What is the name for this?
Posted by John on Tue Jun 15, 2010 at 02:44 PM
I Hate PVA
Posted by Jacob on Wed Jun 16, 2010 at 05:34 AM
this is hard for me to talk about my eyes are beggining to swell with water because it is oh so hard to think about...i haven't been out of the house in 17 years i am deathly afraid of someone licking me i don't know why it just scares the bejeebers out of me this also causes me to be afraid of any living animal if anyone can help or tell me why i have this problem i would greatly appreciate the help
god bless,
lucy
Posted by Lucille on Wed Jun 16, 2010 at 11:56 PM
god bless,
lucy
I HATE BEING NEAR UNDERWEAR> Is that normal??
Posted by liz on Mon Jun 28, 2010 at 10:31 AM
i don't know why but i cant touch anything like napkins, paper, wood, and other stuff like that. wen ever i get foon on my hands, i wipe it on the tablecloth or on my clothes. my mom thought it mite be ocd im 13 and i really doubt that its ocd... im so glad imnot the only one my mom and brother think its sooo weird!
Posted by Amanda on Wed Jun 30, 2010 at 01:47 PM
omg!i get irritated when people move their toes or touch me with their toes whether or not they r wearing socks or shoes or nothing at all111!! eww i hate it
Posted by ytiug on Mon Jul 05, 2010 at 09:04 PM
I can't stand my hands being dry, or touching dry things, like paper.
ugh, i can't stand it, when i was a little bit younger i would always have my fingers in my mouth because i hated my hands being dry, it gives me the chills and i get sick! and i thought i was alone about the whole people looking at my neck thing, like i never wear my hair up because i can't stand people looking at the back of my neck, it kills me!
Posted by katlin on Sat Jul 10, 2010 at 07:31 PM
ugh, i can't stand it, when i was a little bit younger i would always have my fingers in my mouth because i hated my hands being dry, it gives me the chills and i get sick! and i thought i was alone about the whole people looking at my neck thing, like i never wear my hair up because i can't stand people looking at the back of my neck, it kills me!
ever since I can remember I've had this weird thing about not being able to touch or rub my hands or feet together. and It's hard for me to touch my skin like put on lotion, or scratch my feet, hands, legs. in school, I was rediculed for it kids were forever rubbing their hands together, and laughing. If someone has this phobia, or knows what it is called let me know, please. I've been dying to find out for ever.
Posted by jane on Sat Jul 10, 2010 at 10:43 PM
i am afraid of beards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scratchy ones, bushy ones, dirty ones and even invisible ones! Help me i'm weeley scared . They are comin 2 get me
Posted by Billy nOmates on Mon Jul 12, 2010 at 07:24 AM
I have a weird phobia of scratching things & other people scratching things. Pretty much anything except skin. Like at the dentist when they clean your teeth, oh god! Does anyone know the name for this phobia?
Posted by Lee on Sun Jul 18, 2010 at 02:55 PM
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
- Emma
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
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
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
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?)
@ 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
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.
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