Obesophobia: The Fear of Gaining Weight

Obesophobia or Pocrescophobia is the abnormal fear of gaining weight. This phobia is listed as a rare disease by the Office of Rare Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.

This phobia begins with a simple desire to lose weight and then it turns into a compulsive desire to avoid all things that will cause weight gain. The more these things are avoided, the more they are feared. Gaining weight is seen as a failure to those with Obesophobia and therefore they experience an abnormal fear toward anything that will cause them to fail.

This phobia is life-threatening. Not eating properly can have devastating effects on your health. If anyone suffers from this phobia, how has it affected your life?

Feeling Out of Control

Phobias can make you feel out of control very quickly. You realize that you shouldn't be feeling the way you are, but yet at the same time you don't know how to make it stop. It doesn't take long before the irrational fears take over your life. "Why can't I just be normal?" How many of you have asked yourself that question? I ask it on a regular basis. It would be so nice to go to bed and not worry about my house burning down or to be able to go to the circus without freaking out over the clowns.

Not only do you have to deal with the fear, but you also have to deal with all the people around you who don't understand what you're going through. They're quick to judge and make fun of you. Sometimes this part of it becomes harder to deal with than the actual phobia. There's nothing like someone else making you feel crazier than you already do.

Does your phobia make you feel out of control? If so, do you have any tips on how to get things back under control?

Androphobia: The Fear of Men

Androphobia is the abnormal and persistent fear of men. This phobia results in the avoidance of situations where men are present. That’s pretty much everywhere.

Like most phobias, androphobia is triggered by a traumatic event at a young age. In my opinion I feel that it can be triggered at any age by physical and emotional abuse, rape or any other life changing event that involves a man.

This is definitely one of those phobias that have to leave you not only afraid, but alone. If you don’t want to go where a man will do then you can’t go out to eat, go to the store or to the movies. Everywhere you go, you will run that risk of having to be near a man. I think this phobia will lead to severe anxiety problems.

If you have Anthrophobia let us know what it feels like and how you cope.

Claustrophobia: Fear of Enclosed Spaces

Claustrophobia is one of the more common phobias. It is the fear of enclosed spaces. It is classified as a situational phobia because it is triggered by a certain situation.

Claustrophobia usually develops as the result of a traumatic event during childhood such as being trapped in a small space or other events later on in adulthood that result in being confined to a small space.

The symptoms of claustrophobia include sweating, accelerated heartbeat, nausea, fainting, light headedness, shaking, hyperventilation and fear of actual imminent physical harm.

I personally know the symptoms of claustrophobia all too well. I’ve suffered from it for as long as I can remember. It’s irritating to say the least. I hate going to the doctor because I hate being in those little rooms with the door closed. I can’t sleep with my bedroom door closed, I have to open the blinds and curtains as soon as I wake-up and the inner door of my house as to be open while I’m awake. I don’t even like closing the bathroom door, especially when I’m taking a shower.

Would anyone else with this phobia like to share their triggers?

Heliophobia: The Fear of the Sun

Heliophobia is a morbid fear of sun exposure. Natural sunlight provides us with vitamin D and many with this phobia tend to have vitamin D deficiencies. Vitamin D aids in the prevention of depression, osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers.

I don’t always like to be out in the sun, but I’m not afraid of it. I have great sympathy for anyone who has this phobia. It has to be hard to function normally. If you have this phobia I would really like to know what a day in your life is like. Some day hopefully everyone will understand what it’s like to live with a phobia.

Bovinophobia: The Fear of Cattle

Bovinophobia is an irrational fear of cattle and other domesticated ungulates. There are a couple of reasons why people have this phobia. Some with the phobia may have had a bad encounter with cattle before, such as being chased or intimidated in some way. Others may not have had an encounter but just strongly believe that a cow or bull will attack them if they get too close. Whatever the reason, Bovinophobia is a real fear and is nothing to joke about.

I’m very glad I don’t have this phobia since a herd of cattle just moved in down the street. However, a house guest of mine is a bit apprehensive about our new neighbors. She was chased by a bull when she was young and is terrified of any type of cattle now. She’s actually the reason why I looked this one up. I had never heard of it before now.

Are you scared of cows? Tell us why and how they make you feel.

Cacophobia: The Fear of Ugliness

Cacophobia is the fear of ugliness or of things that are ugly. I couldn’t find a lot of information about this one. some of the main triggerI am very curious to know what causes this phobia and whats may be. Ugliness can be unpleasant, but I can’t imagine having a phobia towards it. What exactly is considered to be ugly? If anyone suffers from this phobia, please tell us more about it.