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What is a “phobia” (and should I be afraid if I catch one)?

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YES!  Just what Geek Slop likes to see – a kid interested in learning! This science word for today is: “Phobia”.

What is a Phobia?

Phobias are fears of specific things or situations that all people feel. In most cases, phobias are perfectly normal and serve to keep us safe. For instance, the fear of heights (acrophobia) keeps us from calmly walking off of tall buildings. On the other hand there are some phobias that are quite strange.

The big list of weird phobias

Here’s a list of very weird phobias.

Ablutophopbia: the fear of washing oneself or having a bath, a common condition suffered by nerds.

Allodoxaphobia: the fear of opinions. Keep your opinions to yourself and you will not upset these people

Anablephobia: the fear of looking up.

Anatidaephobia: the fear of being watched by ducks.

Anthropophobia: the fear of people.

Arachibutyrophobia: the fear of having butter stick to the roof of your mouth.

Basiphobia: the fear of standing or walking around.

Botanophobia: the fear of houseplants.

Cacophobia: the fear of ugliness.

Cathisophobia/Thaasophobia: An exact opposite of basiphobia, this is a fear of sitting!

Catoptrophobia: the fear of mirrors.

Chromophobia: the fear of bright colors.

Chronophobia: the fear of time.

Domatophobia: the fear of houses.

Ephebiphobia: the fear of teenagers.

Ereuthrophobia: the fear of blushing.

Euphobia: the fear of coming across good news.

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: the fear of long words.

Geniophobia: the fear of chins.

Genuphobia: the fear of knees.

Koumpounophobia: the fear of buttons on clothing.

Leukophobia: the fear of anything that is of the color white.

Linonophobia: the fear of string.

Mnemophobia: the fear of memories.

Nostophobia: the fear of returning home.

Octophobia: the fear of the number 8.

Onomatophobia: the fear of certain words or names.

Optophobia: the fear of opening ones eyes.

Pantophobia: the fear of EVERYTHING!

Phagophobia: the fear of swallowing.

Phobophobia: the fear of phobias themselves.

Philophobia: the fear of love.

Xenoglossophobia: the fear of foreign languages.

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