Fear of small children. When fear is more...

1. selachophobia – fear of sharks

2. Nosophobia – fear of illnesses

3. algophobia – fear of pain

4. Iatrophobia – fear of doctors

5. acrophobia – fear of heights

6. glossophobia – fear of speaking in public

7. Brontophobia – fear of thunder

8. Ripophobia – fear of dirt

9. claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces

10. Eisoptrophobia – fear of mirrors

11. ophidiophobia – fear of snakes

12. Dentophobia – fear of dentists

13. Felinophobia – fear of cats

14. hematophobia – fear of blood

15. rodentophobia – fear of rats

16. Vespertiliophobia – fear of bats

17. ranidaphobia – fear of frogs

18. spermophobia – fear of germs

19. keraunophobia – fear of lightning

20. Gephyrophobia – fear of bridges

21. monitorophobia – fear of observation

22. entomophobia – fear of insects

23. catagelophobia – fear of ridicule

24. social phobia – fear of awkward behavior

25. atychiphobia – fear of failure

26. social phobia – fear of society

27. agoraphobia – fear of public places

28. hoplophobia – fear of firearms

29. pyrophobia – fear of fire

30. eremophobia – fear of loneliness

31. Aichmophobia – sharp objects

32. rectophobia – fear of rejection

33. arachnophobia – fear of spiders

34. scelerophobia – fear of bad people

35. aviophobia – fear of flying

36. politiophobia – fear of the police

37. carcinomatophobia – fear of cancer

38. emetophobia – fear of vomiting

39. herpetophobia – fear of reptiles

40. Thanatophobia – fear of death

41. caninophobia – fear of dogs

42. aetatemophobia – fear of aging

43. achluophobia – fear of the dark

44. terrorophobia – fear of terrorism

45. ochlophobia – fear of crowds

46. ​​necrophobia – fear of corpses

47. pnigophobia – fear of suffocation

48. trypanophobia – fear of needles

49. aquaphobia – fear of drowning

50. dysmorphophobia – fear of physical disabilities

Full list of phobias:

CAD-PHOBIA – fear of coronary heart disease

CDLD‑PHOBIA – fear of coal dust

CFS‑PHOBIA – fear of chronic fatigue syndrome

COPD‑PHOBIA – fear of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CTS‑PHOBIA – fear of carpal tunnel syndrome

IBS‑PHOBIA – fear of irritable bowel syndrome

MVP‑PHOBIA – fear of mitral valve prolapse

OCD-PHOBIA – fear of obsessive-compulsive disorder

PLS‑PHOBIA – fear of phantom limb syndrome

PND‑PHOBIA – fear of postpartum depression

PTSD‑PHOBIA – fear of post-traumatic stress disorder

SAD-PHOBIA – fear of seasonal affective disorder

SIDS-PHOBIA – fear of sudden infant death syndrome

TMJ‑PHOBIA – fear of temporomandibular joint disorder

UFO-PHOBIA – fear of UFOs

X-PHOBIA – fear of the letter X

ABANNUMOPHOBIA – fear of abandonment

ABLUTOPHOBIA – fear of washing

ABORTIFUPHOBIA – fear of abortion

AVIDSOPHOBIA – fear of turning into a bird

AVIAPHOBIA – fear of flying (in air vehicles)

AURORAPHOBIA – fear of the polar lights

AUSTRALOPHOBIA – fear of Australia (everything Australian)

AUTOKINETOPHOBIA – fear of cars

AGIOPHOBIA – fear of sacred things

AGNOSOPHOBIA – fear of the unknown

AGONOPHOBIA – fear of rape (imaginary)

AGORAPHOBIA – fear of public places

AGRAPHOBIA – fear of violence

AGREXOPHOBIA – fear of love (lovemaking)

AGRISOOPHOBIA – fear of wild animals

ADDICEROPHOBIA – fear of a bad habit

ASIAPHOBIA – fear of Asia (everything Asian)

AIBOPHOBIA – fear of palindrome

AICHMOPHOBIA – fear of sharp objects

ACAROPHOBIA – fear of ticks

AQUAPHOBIA – fear of drowning

ACCULTURAPHOBIA – fear of assimilation

ACLIOPHOBIA – fear of deafness

ACONSCIOPHOBIA – fear of unconsciousness

ACROTOMOPHOBIA – fear of amputees

ACROPHOBIA – fear of heights

AKUSAPUNGEREPHOBIA – fear of acupuncture

ACOUSTICOPHOBIA – fear of sounds

ALECTOROPHOBIA – fear of roosters

ALKEPHOBIA – fear of deer

ALLIUMOPHOBIA – fear of garlic

ALLODOXOPHOBIA – fear of opposing opinions

ALBUMINUROPHOBIA – fear of kidney disease

ALGOPHOBIA – fear of pain (own)

ALTOCALCIFOBIA – fear of shoes

AMAXOPHOBIA – fear of carriages

AMARUPHOBIA – fear of bitterness

AMATOPHOBIA – fear of dust

AMAUROPHOBIA – fear of blindness

AMBULAPHOBIA – fear of body movement

AMERIPHOBIA – fear of America (everything American)

AMICHOPHOBIA – fear of scratching

AMNESIOPHOBIA – fear of amnesia

ANABLEPOPHOBIA – fear of looking up

ANASTHEMOPHOBIA – fear of height difference

ANGINOPHOBIA – fear of narrowness

ANGLOPHOBIA – fear of England (everything English)

ANGROPHOBIA – fear of anger (fear of getting angry yourself)

ANDROGYNOPHOBIA – fear of concealing gender

ANDROMIMETOPHOBIA – fear of women imitating men

ANDROTIKOLOBOMASSOPHOBIA – fear of ears (male)

ANDROPHOBIA – fear of men

ANECOPHOBIA – fear of homelessness

ANEMOPHOBIA – fear of wind

ANIMATOPHOBIA – fear of cartoon characters

ANKYLOPHOBIA – fear of joint immobility

ANTICOPHOBIA – fear of antiques

ANTHLOPHOBIA – fear of floods

ANTOPHOBIA – fear of flowers

ANTHROPHOBIA – fear of people

ANUPTAPHOBIA – fear of a single lifestyle

APEIROPHOBIA – fear of infinity

APOCALYPSOPHOBIA – fear of the apocalypse (end of the world)

APOTEMNOPHOBIA – fear of amputation

APPROBAREPHOBIA – fear of approval

ARAHIBUTYROPHOBIA – fear of peanut butter

ARACHNOPHOBIA – fear of spiders

ARGENTOPHOBIA – fear of silver

ARIPOPHOBIA – fear of cleanliness

ARCANOPHOBIA – fear of magic

ARCTOPHOBIA – fear of teddy bears

ARKUSOPHOBIA – fear of arches

ARSONOPHOBIA – fear of arson

ASYMMETRIOPHOBIA - fear of asymmetry

ASTHENOPHOBIA – fear of weakness

ASTRAPHOBIA – fear of the starry sky

ASTROLOGIOPHOBIA – fear of astrology

ASPHYXIOPHOBIA – fear of self-strangulation

ASCENAROPHOBIA – fear of hills

ATAZAGORAPHOBIA – fear of oblivion (from others)

ATAXIAPHOBIA – fear of ataxia

ATAXIOPHOBIA – fear of disorder

ATANPHOBIA – fear of oats

ATELOPHOBIA – fear of imperfection

ATEPHOBIA – fear of destruction

ATICHIPHOBIA – fear of defeat (failure)

ATOMOSOPHOBIA – fear of atomic energy and nuclear war

AUTOASSASSINOPHOBIA – fear of killing (one’s own)

AUTODYSOMOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (one’s own)

AUKTORITOPHOBIA – fear of government officials

AULOPHOBIA – fear of wind instruments

AUTOMISOPHOBIA – fear of a dirty body (one’s own)

AURANGEPHOBIA – fear of the color orange

AUROPHOBIA – fear of gold

AUTISMOPHOBIA – fear of autism

AUTOGONISTOPHOBIA – fear of being filmed on camera

AUTOPHOBIA – fear of loneliness

AFRONEMOPHOBIA – fear of thinking (irrational)

AFROPHOBIA – fear of Africa (everything African)

ACHLUOPHOBIA – fear of the dark

ACEROPHOBIA – fear of acid

ACIDUSRIGAREPHOBIA – fear of acid rain

AEROACROPHOBIA – fear of open, high spaces

AERONAUSIPHOBIA – fear of air sickness

AEROPOLLUEREPHOBIA – fear of air pollution

AEROPHOBIA – fear of air

AEROEMPHYSEMOPHOBIA – fear of decompression sickness

AESOPHOBIA – fear of copper

AETATEMOPHOBIA – fear of aging

BACTERIOPHOBIA – fear of bacteria

BALLISTOPHOBIA – fear of bullets

BANANOPHOBIA – fear of bananas

BARBAFOBIA – fear of hairdressers

BARLIPHOBIA – fear of barley

BAROPHOBIA – fear of gravity

BASIOPHOBIA – fear of walking

BATISIDERODROMOPHOBIA – fear of the subway

BATMOPHOBIA – fear of thresholds

BATOPHOBIA – fear of tall buildings

BATOPHOBIA – fear of depth

BATRACHOPHOBIA – fear of amphibians

BATTUEREPHOBIA - fear of self-spanking

BACILLOPHOBIA – fear of bacilli

BELLUMAPHOBIA – fear of war

BELLUSAPHOBIA – fear of beauty salons

BELONOPHOBIA – fear of needles

BIASTOPHOBIA – fear of sexual violence

BIBLIOPHOBIA – fear of books

BINIFOBIA – fear of twins

BLATTAPHOBIA – fear of cockroaches

BLENOPHOBIA – fear of mucus

BOVINUPHOBIA – fear of cows

BOLSHEVISMOPHOBIA - fear of Bolshevism

BORBORYGAMIPHOBIA – fear of stomach rumbling

BOTANOPHOBIA – fear of plants

BOTTIAPHOBIA – fear of buttons

BOEIFOBIA – fear of boys

BRECHMOPHOBIA – fear of the brain

BROMIDROSIPHOBIA – fear of body odor (of other people)

BRONTOPHOBIA – fear of thunder

BRUNDISIPHOBIA – fear of bronze

BUGIPHOBIA – fear of beeches

BUDDHIST PHOBIA – fear of Buddhism

BUFONOPHOBIA – fear of toads

BCHEROPHOBIA – fear of the color brown

VACCINOPHOBIA – fear of vaccination

WALLONOPHOBIA – fear of the Walloons (everything Walloon)

VEGERVATOPHOBIA – fear of weight difference

VENTRILOCOPHOBIA – fear of ventriloquists

VERMINOPHOBIA – fear of pests (animals)

VESPERTILIOPHOBIA – fear of bats

VESTIPHOBIA – fear of clothes

WICKAFOBIA - fear of witchcraft

VIOLENTIOPHOBIA – fear of abuse

VIRGINITIFOBIA – fear of rape of a virgin

VITRICOPHOBIA – fear of stepfather

VUTEVTINDIONOPHOBIA – fear of picnics

HABITUSIOPHOBIA – fear of habits

HADEPHOBIA - fear of hell

GALEOPHOBIA – fear of ferrets

HALITOPHOBIA – fear of bad breath

HALLUCINATOPHOBIA – fear of hallucinations

Halophobia – fear of breathing

HAMARTHOPHOBIA – fear of mistakes

GAMOPHOBIA – fear of marriage

GASTROENTERICOPHOBIA – fear of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

HAPHEPHOBIA – fear of touching (from other people)

GEBOPHOBIA – fear of teenagers

GEUMOPHOBIA – fear of taste

HEDONOPHOBIA – fear of pleasure

HEXAKOSIOHEXECONTAHEXAPHOBIA – fear of the number 666

HELIOPHOBIA – fear of laughter (your own)

HELIOPHOBIA – fear of the sun

HELLENOLOGOPHOBIA – fear of scientific terms

HELMINTHOPHOBIA – fear of worms

HEMATOPHOBIA – fear of blood

HEMICRANIAPHOBIA – fear of headaches

HEMORRHOIDOPHOBIA – fear of hemorrhoids

GENVERRUKAPHOBIA – fear of genital warts

GENIOPHOBIA – fear of chins

GENOPHOBIA – fear of sex

GENUPHOBIA – fear of knees

HEPATITOPHOBIA – fear of hepatitis

GERASCOPHOBIA – fear of old age

GERBILLOPHOBIA – fear of gerbils

GERMANOPHOBIA – fear of Germany (everything German)

GERONTOPHOBIA – fear of older people

HERPESOPHOBIA – fear of herpes

HERPETOPHOBIA – fear of reptiles

HETEROPHOBIA – fear of heterosexuality

GEPHYROPHOBIA – fear of bridges

HYBRISTOPHOBIA – fear of criminals

HYGROPHOBIA – fear of body fluids

HYDRARGYROPHOBIA – fear of drugs (mercury)

HYDROPHOBIA – fear of water

HYELOPHOBIA – fear of glass

HIELOEPISTEGOPHOBIA – fear of glass ceilings

HYLEPHOBIA – fear of materialism

HYLOPHOBIA – fear of the forest

GYMNOPHOBIA – fear of nudity

GYNEMYMETOPHOBIA – fear of men imitating women

GYNEPHOBIA – fear of women

GYNOTICOLOBOMASSOPHOBIA – fear of ears (female)

HYPENGIOPHOBIA – fear of responsibility

HYPERTHYROIDOPHOBIA - fear of Graves' disease

HYPERTRICHOPHOBIA – fear of hair (falling out)

HYPNOPHOBIA – fear of hypnosis

HYPOGLYCEMIOPHOBIA – fear of hypoglycemia

HYSTERECTOMOPHOBIA – fear of hysterectomy

HYPEPHOBIA – fear of fabric (not clothing)

GLOBAPHOBIA – fear of globalization

GLOSOPHOBIA – fear of speaking in public

GLUTTOPHOBIA – fear of overeating

GNOSOPHOBIA – fear of the known

GODOPHOBIA – fear of travel

HOLLANDOPHOBIA – fear of Holland (everything Dutch)

HOMILOPHOBIA – fear of sermons

HOMICHLOPHOBIA – fear of fog

HOMOPHOBIA – fear of homosexuality

HOMOCIDEPHOBIA – fear of killing (another person)

GONIPHOBIA – fear of knees bending backwards

GONOREOPHOBIA – fear of gonorrhea

HOPLOPHOBIA – fear of firearms

HORMEPHOBIA – fear of shock

GRAVAROPHOBIA – fear of bereavement

GRANOPHOBIA – fear of grains

GRAPHOPHOBIA – fear of handwriting

GROSSUSOPHOBIA – fear of large objects and objects

GULOPHOBIA – fear of wolverine

DACRYPHOBIA – fear of tears

DACTYLOPUNGEROPHOBIA – fear of pointing

DACTYLOPHOBIA – fear of fingers

DAOPHOBIA – fear of Taoism

DARATAPHOBIA – fear of wheat

DATUSIOPHOBIA – fear of dating

DEVORAPHOBIA – fear of being eaten alive

DESERTOPHOBIA – fear of the desert

DEIPNOPHOBIA – fear of dinners

DECAPITOPHOBIA – fear of beheading

DEXTROPHOBIA – fear of being right-handed

DELUDEREPHOBIA – fear of delusions

DEMENTOPHOBIA – fear of madness

DEMONOPHOBIA – fear of demons

DENDROPHOBIA – fear of trees

DENTOPHOBIA – dentists

DEPRESSOPHOBIA – fear of depression

DERMATOPATHOPHOBIA – fear of skin diseases

DERMAPHOBIA – fear of skin

DESYNCHRONOPHOBIA – fear of jet lag

DEFECALGESIOPHOBIA – fear of bowel movements (painful)

DEFECTOPHOBIA – fear of defects

DECIDOPHOBIA – fear of decisions (decision making)

DIABETOPHOBIA – fear of diabetes

DIAREOPHOBIA – fear of diarrhea

DIVORTIOPHOBIA – fear of divorce

DIESOMNIOPHOBIA - fear of empty thoughts

DIETOPHOBIA – fear of dieting

DICEPHOBIA – fear of justice

DINOPHOBIA – fear of whirlpools

DIPLOPHOBIA – fear of double vision

DIPSOPHOBIA – fear of drinking

DISABILIOPHOBIA – fear of undressing

DYSMORPHOBIA – fear of ugliness

DISOMOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (of others)

DISTICHIPHOBIA – fear of accidents

DYSPHOPHOBIA – fear of bad news

DOMATOPHOBIA – fear of home

DORAPHOBIA – fear of animal skin and fur

DOXOPHOBIA – fear of opinions

DROMOPHOBIA – fear of the street

EUROPHOBIA – fear of Europe (everything European)

HEREYOPHOBIA – fear of heresy

ZELOPHOBIA – fear of jealousy

ZEMMIPHOBIA – fear of mole rats

ZOMBIPHOBIA – fear of zombies

ZOONECROPHOBIA – fear of dead animals

ZOOPHOBIA – fear of animals (pets)

IDEOPHOBIA – fear of ideas

HIEROPHOBIA – fear of religious objects

ICONOPHOBIA – fear of icons

ILLINGOPHOBIA – fear of dizziness

IMPOTENTOPHOBIA – fear of impotence

INANIREPHOBIA – fear of starvation

INVIDIAPHOBIA – fear of envy

INDIGESTIOPHOBIA – fear of indigestion

INDIOPHOBIA – fear of India (everything Indian)

HINDU PHOBIA – fear of Hinduism

INCONTINEPHOBIA – fear of urinary incontinence

INSOMNIAPHOBIA – fear of insomnia

INSULOPHOBIA – fear of islands

INFANTOPHOBIA – fear of babies

INFERTILIOPHOBIA – fear of infertility

IOPHOBIA – fear of rust

IRISOPHOBIA – fear of rainbows

ISLAMOPHOBIA – fear of Islam

ICELANDOPHOBIA – fear of Iceland (everything Icelandic)

ISOPTEROPHOBIA – fear of termites

HYSTERICOPHOBIA – fear of hysteria

ITALOPHOBIA – fear of Italy (everything Italian)

JUDEOPHOBIA – fear of Judaism

ICHTHYOLACCOPHOBIA – fear of aquariums

ICHTHYOPHOBIA – fear of fish

CADENTEMOPHOBIA – fear of gambling

KACOPHOBIA – fear of ugly appearance

CALIAANDROPHOBIA – fear of handsome men

KALIGYNEPHOBIA – fear of beautiful women

CANINOPHOBIA – fear of dogs

CANNABIFOBIA – fear of marijuana

CAPITALOPHOBIA – fear of capitalism

CARBOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of carbohydrates

CARDIOPATHOPHOBIA – fear of heart disease

CARDIOPHOBIA – fear of the heart

CARDIAC SURGERY PHOBIA – fear of heart surgery

CARNOLEVAREPHOBIA – fear of attractions

CARNOPHOBIA – fear of meat

CARCINOMATOPHOBIA – fear of cancer

CASICAREPHOBIA – fear of waterfalls

CASTRATOPHOBIA – fear of castration

CATAGELOPHOBIA – fear of ridicule

CATAPEDOPHOBIA – fear of jumping

CATARACTOPHOBIA – fear of cataracts

CATISOPHOBIA – fear of sitting

CATHOLICOPHOBIA – fear of Catholicism

QUADRATOPHOBIA – fear of quadratic equations

QUADROPHOBIA – fear of quartering

QUATROPHOBIA – fear of quartets

QUIRITAREPHOBIA – fear of screaming

CELTOPHOBIA – fear of the Celts (everything Celtic)

KENOPHOBIA – fear of emptiness

KERAUNOPHOBIA – fear of lightning

CYBERPHOBIA – fear of cyberspace

KYMOPHOBIA – fear of waves

KINESOPHOBIA – fear of movement

CYPRIDOPHOBIA – fear of prostitutes

Cypriphobia – fear of sexually transmitted diseases

KYPHOPHOBIA – fear of stooping

CLOUDEROPHOBIA – fear of fences

CLAUTROPHOBIA – fear of enclosed spaces

KLEPTOPHOBIA – fear of theft

CLYSMOPHOBIA – fear of enemas

CLIMACOPHOBIA – fear of stairs

CLIMATOPHOBIA – fear of climate

CLINOPHOBIA – fear of beds

CLIOPHOBIA – fear of listening

CNIDOPHOBIA – fear of stings

COITOPHOBIA – fear of coitus

COITUSINTERCURSOPHOBIA – fear of sexual intercourse

COITUSMOREPHOBIA – fear of sexual intercourse with wild animals

COITUSORALISIPHOBIA – fear of oral intercourse

COIMETROPHOBIA – fear of cemeteries

KOINONIPHOBIA – fear of rooms

COCAINE PHOBIA – fear of cocaine

COMETOPHOBIA – fear of comets

COMMITTEROPHOBIA – fear of long-term relationships

COMMUNISMOPHOBIA – fear of communism

COMPETEROPHOBIA – fear of competition

COMPUTER PHOBIA – fear of computers

CONDOMOPHOBIA – fear of condoms

CONSECOTALEOPHOBIA – fear of chopsticks

CONSCIUSIOPHOBIA – fear of consciousness

CONTINGEREPHOBIA – fear of infection

CONTRAROTAPHOBIA – fear of control

CONTRACTOPHOBIA – fear of seduction

COUNTERPHOBIA – fear of avoiding frightening situations

CONFRONTOPHOBIA – fear of confrontation

COPOPHOBIA – fear of fatigue

COPROSTASOPHOBIA – fear of constipation

COPROPHOBIA – fear of bowel movements

CORNOOPHOBIA – fear of corners

CORONOPHOBIA – fear of crowns

COSMOPHOBIA – fear of space

COULROPHOBIA – fear of clowns

CREATUSIPHOBIA – fear of creativity

CREMNOPHOBIA – fear of rocks

CRYOPHOBIA – fear of cold

CRYSTALLOPHOBIA – fear of crystals

CRITICOPHOBIA – fear of criticism

XANTHOPHOBIA – fear of the color yellow

XENOGLOSSOPHOBIA – fear of foreign languages

XENOCLEPTOPHOBIA – fear of foreign thieves

XENOPHOBIA – fear of foreigners

XENOATROPHOBIA – fear of foreign doctors

XEROPHOBIA – fear of dryness

XYLINALINOPHOBIA – fear of cotton wool

XYROPHOBIA – fear of the razor

CULTUSOPHOBIA – fear of cults

CURSUSOPHOBIA – fear of curses

LAVATORIPHOBIA – fear of restrooms

LAGOPHOBIA – fear of rabbits

LACTAPHOBIA – fear of breastfeeding

LACTOPHOBIA – fear of milk

LARINGOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry throat

LATEXOPHOBIA – fear of latex

LAHANOPHOBIA – fear of vegetables

LEVISIOPHOBIA – fear of floating (in the air)

LEUCOPHOBIA – fear of the color white

LEMUROPHOBIA – fear of vampires

LENTUPHOBIA – fear of slow speed

LEONTOPHOBIA – fear of lions

LEOPARDOSOPHOBIA – fear of leopards

LEPROPHOBIA – fear of leprosy

LIBROPHOBIA – fear of scales (weighing)

LIGYROPHOBIA – fear of noise

LYGOPHOBIA – fear of gloomy moods

LYCANTHROPHOBIA – fear of wolves

LILAPSOPHOBIA – fear of storms

LIMNOPHOBIA – fear of lakes

LINGERIPHOBIA – fear of underwear

LINONOPHOBIA – fear of strings

LYSOPHOBIA – fear of madness (one’s own)

FLYSSEISODOPHOBIA – fear of losing virginity

LITICAPHOBIA – fear of litigation

LOBOTOMOPHOBIA – fear of lobotomy

LOGOPHOBIA – fear of words

LOCUSOPHOBIA – fear of places (specific places)

LUNOPHOBIA – fear of the moon

LUTRAPHOBIA – fear of waterfowl with fur

MAGEROCOPHOBIA – fear of cooking

MAEUSIOPHOBIA – fear of pregnancy

MACROPHOBIA – fear of waiting

MAMMAGYMNOPHOBIA – fear of breasts (female)

MAMMANDROPHOBIA – fear of breasts (male)

MAMMAPHOBIA – fear of breasts

MANIAPHOBIA – fear of madness (of others)

MARXOPHOBIA – fear of Marxism

MASERPHOBIA – fear of Singapore (everything Singaporean)

MASTIGOPHOBIA – fear of spanking in public places

MASTICOGUMMIPHOBIA – fear of chewing gum

MATEROPHOBIA – fear of mother

MEGABIOPHOBIA – fear of large animals

MEGALOPHOBIA – fear of large objects and items

MEDOMALACUPHOBIA – fear of erectile dysfunction

MEDORTOPHOBIA – fear of the penis (erect)

MELANOPHOBIA – fear of the color black

MELISSOPHOBIA – fear of bees

MELKRYPTOVESTIMENTOPHOBIA – fear of black underwear

MELOPHOBIA – fear of music

MENDICAREPHOBIA – fear of beggars

MENINGITOPHOBIA – fear of brain diseases

MENOPAUSEOPHOBIA – fear of menopause

MENTALISTRETARDOPHOBIA – fear of mental retardation

MERINTHOPHOBIA – fear of being tied down

MERCURIOPHOBIA – fear of mercury

METALLOPHOBIA – fear of metal

METATESIOPHOBIA – fear of out-of-limit places

METHYLOPHOBIA – fear of alcohol

METROPHOBIA – fear of poetry

MYCOPHOBIA – fear of mushrooms

MICROBIOPHOBIA – fear of small animals

MICROPHOBIA – fear of small objects and objects

MINIMALOPHOBIA – fear of minimalism

MYSOPHOBIA – fear of dirty bodies (of others)

MYTHOPHOBIA – fear of myths

MNEMOPHOBIA – fear of memory (memories)

MOBILOPHOBIA – fear of cars (as a driver)

MOLISMOPHOBIA – fear of infections

MONITOROPHOBIA – fear of observation (from others)

MORPHOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of wet objects

MOTOROPHOBIA – fear of cars (as a passenger)

MOTTEPHOBIA – fear of moths

MUSEOPHOBIA – fear of museums

MUSOPHOBIA – fear of mice

NAUZEAPHOBIA – fear of nausea

NAUTOPHOBIA – fear of ships

NANOSOPHOBIA – fear of dwarfs

NARCOLEPSIPHOBIA – fear of narcolepsy

NARRATOPHOBIA – fear of pornographic literature

NASOPHOBIA – fear of noses

NATALISOPHOBIA – fear of birthdays

NATAROPHOBIA – fear of swimming pools

NAZISMOPHOBIA – fear of Nazism

NEGROPHELINOPHOBIA – fear of black cats

NEGROPHOBIA – fear of black people

NECROPHOBIA – fear of corpses

NEOPHARMACOPHOBIA – fear of drugs (new)

NEOPHOBIA – fear of new things

NEPHOBIA – fear of clouds

NIHILOPHOBIA - fear of anything

NICTOHILOPHOBIA – fear of the forest at night

Nyctophobia - fear of the night

NYMPHOPHOBIA – fear of teenagers (girls)

NOVERCAPHOBIA – fear of adoptive mothers

NOMENATOPHOBIA – fear of names

NORMOPHOBIA – fear of conformity

NORTHAMERICAN PHOBIA – fear of North America (everything North American)

NOSOCOMEPHOBIA – fear of hospitals

NOSOPHOBIA – fear of illness

NOSTOPHOBIA – fear of home (returning home)

NOCENTEMOPHOBIA – fear of wine

NOCEREPHOBIA – fear of interference

NUMEROPHOBIA – fear of numbers

OBESOPHOBIA – fear of obesity

OBLIVIOPHOBIA – fear of oblivion (from others)

OBLIGATION PHOBIA – fear of obligations

OBSESSIOPHOBIA – fear of obsession

OVOPHOBIA – fear of eggs

ODONTOACHOPHOBIA – fear of toothache

ODONTOPHOBIA – fear of teeth

OCTOPHOBIA – fear of the number 8

OCULOPHOBIA – fear of eyes

OLFACTOPHOBIA – fear of (certain) odors

OMBROPHOBIA – fear of rain

OMMATOMALOPHOBIA – fear of the evil eye

OMNIBUSOPHOBIA - fear of the bus

ONEIROGMOPHOBIA – fear of wet dreams

ONEUROPHOBIA – fear of dreams

ONYCHOPHOBIA – fear of nails

ONOMATOPHOBIA – fear of being called by name

OPIOPHOBIA – fear of drugs (prescription drugs)

OPTAREPHOBIA – fear of shopping

OPTOPHOBIA – fear of opening eyes

ORALISIPHOBIA – fear of the mouth

ORDINEMOPHOBIA – fear of order

ORYZAFOBIA – fear of rice

ORNITHOPHOBIA – fear of birds

ORTHOGRAPHOBIA – fear of spelling mistakes

ORCHIDOPHOBIA – fear of orchids

OSTRACONOPHOBIA – fear of crustaceans and molluscs

OSPHRESIOPHOBIA – fear of body odor (one’s own)

OTOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry mouth

OPHIDIOPHOBIA – fear of snakes

OCHLOPHOBIA – fear of crowds

OCHOPHOBIA – fear of a vehicle (being in it)

OENOPHOBIA – fear of wine

PAGOPHOBIA – fear of frost

PALLONOPHOBIA – fear of balloons

PANICOPHOBIA – fear of panic

PANTHEROPHOBIA – fear of panthers

PANTOPHOBIA – fear of everything

PANFOBIA – fear of everything

PAPAPHOBIA - fear of the Pope

PAPYROPHOBIA – fear of paper

PARADOXOPHOBIA – fear of paradoxes

PARALIPOPHOBIA – fear of irresponsibility

PARAMNESIAPHOBIA – fear of déjà vu

PARANOIAPHOBIA – fear of paranoia

PARAPLEGAPHOBIA – fear of people with disabilities

PARASKEVEDICATRIAPHOBIA – fear of Friday the 13th

PARAPHOBIA – fear of sexual perversion

PARENTEPHOBIA – fear of parents

PARTHENOPHOBIA – fear of girls

PARTUROPHOBIA – fear of labor pains

PATEROPHOBIA – fear of fathers

PATOPHOBIA – fear of suffering

PATRIOPHOBIA – fear of heredity

PEDICOOPERIPHOBIA – fear of shoes

PEDIOPHOBIA – fear of dolls

PEDOPHOBIA – fear of children

PECCATOPHOBIA – fear of sin

PELADOPHOBIA – fear of bald people

PELLAGROPHOBIA – fear of pellagra

PENIAPHOBIA – fear of poverty (one’s own)

PENNAPHOBIA – fear of wings

PENTERAPHOBIA – fear of mother-in-law and mother-in-law

PENTEROPHOBIA – fear of father-in-law and mother-in-law

PERSONALIPARENTEPHOBIA – fear of raising children

PERFECTOPHOBIA – fear of perfection

PIGOPHOBIA – fear of the buttocks

PICTOPHOBIA – fear of images

PINGWIPHOBIA – fear of fat

PIPAREOBIA – fear of pipes (full)

PYROSIPHOBIA – fear of heartburn

PYROPHOBIA – fear of fire (fire)

PLAGAPHOBIA – fear of the plague

PLACOPHOBIA – fear of tombstones

PLANNUMAPHOBIA – fear of plans

PLEURODELIPHOBIA – fear of newts

PLEGEPHOBIA – fear of being hit

PLUBMISMUPHOBIA – fear of lead poisoning

PLUVIOPHOBIA – fear of showers

PLUTOPHOBIA – fear of wealth

PMS-PHOBIA – fear of premenstrual syndrome

PNEUMATOPHOBIA – fear of spiritual phenomena

PNIGEROPHOBIA – fear of immobilization

PNIGOPHOBIA – fear of suffocation

POGONOPHOBIA – fear of beards

PODOPHOBIA – fear of steps

POINEPHOBIA – fear of punishment (in all forms)

POLYITEROPHOBIA – fear of changing sexual partners

POLYCRATIPHOBIA – fear of success

POLIOSOPHOBIA – fear of polio

POLITICOPHOBIA – fear of government

POLYPHOBIA – numerous things

POLICE PHOBIA – fear of the police

POLLUTIOPHOBIA – fear of pollution

POLONIAPHOBIA – fear of Poland (everything Polish)

PORCUPHOBIA – fear of pigs

PORNOPHOBIA – fear of pornographic images

PORPHYROPHOBIA – fear of the color purple

POSESSIOPHOBIA – fear of possession

POTAMOPHOBIA – fear of rivers

POTOPHOBIA – fear of drinks

PRIAPISAPHOBIA – fear of priapism

PRIMATEPHOBIA – fear of monkeys

PROCTOPHOBIA – fear of the rectum

PROSOPHOBIA – fear of progress

PROTESTANTOPHOBIA – fear of Protestantism

PSEUDOZOOPHOBIA – fear of fantastic animals

PSEUDO-NECROPHOBIA – fear of death (imitation of death)

PSEUDOPATOPHOBIA – fear of illness (imaginary)

PSELLISMOPHOBIA – fear of stuttering

PSYCHEPHOBIA – fear of butterflies

PSYCHOPHOBIA – fear of the psyche

PSYCHROPHOBIA – fear of colds

PSORAPHOBIA – fear of itching

PTERONOPHOBIA – fear of feathers

PUBERTAPHOBIA – fear of puberty

PUBICANCEROPHOBIA – fear of pubic lice

PUPAPHOBIA – fear of puppets

RABDOPHOBIA – fear of spanking

RABIPHOBIA – fear of rabies

RADIOPHOBIA – fear of radiation (medical)

RADONOPHOBIA – fear of radon

RANIDOPHOBIA – fear of frogs

RECTOPHOBIA – fear of rejection

RECTOPHOBIA – fear of diseases of the rectum

RETROTEMPOPHOBIA – fear of traveling back in time

RETROPHOBIA – fear of the old

RIPOPHOBIA – fear of dirt

RITIPHOBIA – fear of wrinkles

RITUALISIPHOBIA – fear of rituals

RODENTOPHOBIA – fear of rats

RUINOPHOBIA – fear of destruction

RUSOPHOBIA – fear of Russia (everything Russian)

SALYROPHOBIA – fear of salty body fluids

SALIPHOBIA – fear of salt

SAMAINOPHOBIA – fear of Halloween

SARMASSOPHOBIA – fear of touching (people)

SATANOPHOBIA – fear of Satan

SEDATEPHOBIA – fear of silence

SEISMOPHOBIA – fear of earthquakes

SECRETOPHOBIA – fear of secrets

SELAPHOBIA – fear of flashes of light

SELACHOPHOBIA – fear of sharks

SEPARATOPHOBIA – fear of separation

SEPTOPHOBIA – fear of rot

SESQUIPEDALOPHOBIA – fear of words (long or difficult to pronounce)

SIDERODROMOPHOBIA – fear of trains

SIDEROPHOBIA – fear of stars

SYMBIOPHOBIA – fear of close connections

SYMBOLOPHOBIA – fear of symbols

SYMMETROPHOBIA – fear of symmetry

SYMPHOROPHOBIA – fear of disasters

SYNGENESOPHOBIA – fear of relatives

SINISTROPHOBIA – fear of left-handedness

SYNOPHOBIA – fear of China (everything Chinese)

CITY CENTRUPHOBIA – fear of the Central Row

SITOPHOBIA – fear of food

SYPHILOPHOBIA – fear of syphilis

SCABIOPHOBIA – fear of scabies

SCALATOROPHOBIA – fear of escalators

SCATOPHOBIA – fear of fecal contamination

SCOPOPHOBIA – fear of looking

SCOTOMOPHOBIA – fear of blind spots in vision

SCOTOPHOBIA – fear of Scotland (everything Scottish)

SCRIPTOPHOBIA – fear of notes in public places

SMICHENOPHOBIA – fear of smoking

SOMNOPHOBIA – fear of sleep

SORYCOMORPHAPHOBIA – fear of moles

SOTERIOPHOBIA – fear of dependence (on a person)

SOPHOBIA – fear of learning

SOCERAPHOBIA – fear of the wife’s or husband’s parents

SOCIALISMOPHOBIA – fear of socialism

SPAMOPHOBIA – fear of spam

SPACE PHOBIA – fear of space travel

SPECTROPHOBIA – fear of ghosts

SPERMATOPHOBIA – fear of sperm

SPERMOPHOBIA – fear of germs

AIDS PHOBIA – fear of AIDS

SPORTOPHOBIA – fear of sports

STAUROPHOBIA – fear of crucifixes

STAREOPHOBIA – fear of standing in one place

STASIBASIPHOBIA – fear of standing up

STATUOPHOBIA – fear of statues

STENOPHOBIA – fear of narrow places and objects

STIGMATOPHOBIA - fear of scars

STRICTUPHOBIA – fear of stress

STROUTIOPHOBIA – fear of ostriches

SUAVISIFOBIA – fear of sweets

SUICIDOPHOBIA – fear of suicide

SUPERNATURAPHOBIA – fear of the supernatural

SUPERSTICIOPHOBIA – fear of prejudice

SUSPIRAROPHOBIA – fear of sewers

SPHEXOPHOBIA – fear of wasps

SCHIZOPHRENIOPHOBIA – fear of schizophrenia

SCELEROPHOBIA – fear of bad people

SCIOPHOBIA – fear of shadows

TAASOPHOBIA – fear of sitting in one place

TAUROPHOBIA – fear of bulls

TAXOPHOBIA – fear of neatness

THALASSOPHOBIA – fear of the sea

THANATOPHOBIA – fear of death

TANGEREPHOBIA – fear of touching (objects)

TATUPHOBIA – fear of tattoos

TAPHEPHOBIA – fear of being buried alive

TACHOPHOBIA – fear of speed

TAENIOPHOBIA – fear of tapeworms

TV PHOBIA – fear of televisions

THEATROPHOBIA – fear of theaters

TEXT PHOBIA – fear of fabrics (certain types of fabrics)

TELEOPHOBIA – fear of ceremonies

TELEPHONOPHOBIA – fear of phones

THEOLOGICOPHOBIA – fear of theology

THEOPHANIAPHOBIA – fear of precious jewelry

THEOPHOBIA – fear of religion

TERATOPHOBIA – fear of deformed children

TERATROPHOBIA – fear of monsters

THERMOPHOBIA – fear of heat

TERROROPHOBIA – fear of terrorism

TETANOPHOBIA – fear of tetanus

TECHNOPHOBIA – fear of technology

TIGRISOPHOBIA – fear of the tiger

THYMOPHOBIA – fear of status

TYRANOPHOBIA – fear of a tyrant

TITILLAREPHOBIA – fear of tickling

TOCOPHOBIA – fear of childbirth

TOXICOPHOBIA – fear of poison

TOMOPHOBIA – fear of surgery

TOPOHYDROPHOBIA – fear of wet places

TOPOXEROPHOBIA – fear of dry places

TOPOPHOBIA – stage fright

TORTUROPHOBIA – fear of pain (other people)

TRAUMATOPHOBIA – fear of injury

TREMOPHOBIA – fear of shaking

TRYPANOPHOBIA – fear of injections (pricks)

TRYPOPHOBIA – fear of holes

TRISKAYDEKAPHOBIA – fear of thirteen (Number 13)

TRICHINOPHOBIA – fear of trichinosis

TRICHOPATOPHOBIA – fear of hair (patients)

TRICHOPHOBIA – fear of hair

TROGLOPHOBIA – fear of caves

TROPOPHOBIA – fear of moving

TUBERCULOPHOBIA – fear of tuberculosis

TUBUPHOBIA – fear of tunnels

TURAPHOBIA – fear of doors

TOURIST PHOBIA – fear of indigestion

TUROPHOBIA – fear of cheeses

ULULAPHOBIA – fear of owls

ULCEROPHOBIA – fear of ulcers

UMBILICOPHOBIA – fear of belly buttons

UNIFORMOPHOBIA – fear of uniforms

URANOPHOBIA – fear of the sky

URODELAPHOBIA – fear of salamanders

UROPHOBIA – fear of urine

URSOPHOBIA – fear of bears

UTRICARIAPHOBIA – fear of urticaria

FABRICOPHOBIA – fear of fabrics (fabric products)

PHAGOPHOBIA – fear of uncontrolled food intake

PHALAKROPHOBIA – fear of baldness

PHALOPHOBIA – fear of the penis (non-erect)

FANTASIC COMPANIOPHOBIA – fear of imaginary friends

PHARMACOPHOBIA – fear of drugs

FASCISMOPHOBIA – fear of fascism

FEBRIPHOBIA – fear of fever

FAIRIOPHOBIA – fear of fairies

PHELINOPHOBIA – fear of cats

FENGOPHOBIA – fear of daylight

FERRUMOPHOBIA – fear of iron

FIGEPHOBIA – fear of persecution

PHILEMAPHOBIA – fear of kisses

PHILOSOPHOBIA – fear of philosophy

PHILOPHOBIA – fear of love (falling in love)

FISUROPHOBIA – fear of cracks

FLATULENTIOPHOBIA – fear of bloating

PHOBOPHOBIAPHOBIA – fear of fear of phobias

PHOBOPHOBIA – fear of fear

PHONOPHOBIA – fear of conversation

FORAREPHOBIA – fear of boredom

PHORISOPOMOPHOBIA – fear of door handles

FORMICOPHOBIA – fear of ants

PHOTOALGIAPHOBIA – fear of eye pain

PHOTOAUGLIAPHOBIA – fear of bright lights

PHOTOBOSOPHOBIA – fear of light bulbs

PHOTOPHOBIA – fear of light

FRANCOPHOBIA – fear of France (everything French)

FRENDOPHOBIA – fear of passwords

PHRENOPHOBIA – fear of mental illness

PHRONEMOPHOBIA – fear of thinking (rational)

FRUSTRATOPHOBIA – fear of frustration

PHTEIROPHOBIA – fear of lice

CHAOSOPHOBIA – fear of chaos

HEIMAPHOBIA – fear of cold objects

CHELONAPHOBIA – fear of turtles

CHEMOTHERAPIOPHOBIA – fear of chemotherapy

CHEMOPHOBIA – fear of chemicals

CHEROPHOBIA – fear of happiness

CHIONOPHOBIA – fear of snow

CHIROPHOBIA – fear of hands

HIRSUTOPHOBIA – fear of hair (long)

CHLAMYDIOPHOBIA – fear of chlamydia

CHLOROPHOBIA – fear of the color green

CHOLERAPHOBIA – fear of cholera

CHOLEROPHOBIA – fear of the anger of others

CHOLESTERIN PHOBIA – fear of cholesterol

CHOROPHOBIA – fear of dancing

CHREMATYSTOPHOBIA – fear of robbery (in the role of a victim)

CHREMATOPHOBIA – fear of money

CHRISTOPHOBIA – fear of Christianity

CHROMOANTHROPHOBIA – fear of people with a different skin color

CHROMOPHOBIA – fear of flowers

CHRONOMETROPHOBIA – fear of clocks

CHRONOSPOINEPHOBIA – fear of chronic pain

CHRONOPHOBIA – fear of time

CETUSAPHOBIA – fear of marine mammals

CYANOPHOBIA – fear of the color blue

CYCLOANEMOPHOBIA – fear of cyclones

SCHOOL PHOBIA – fear of school

EUROTOPHOBIA – fear of the vagina

EDIFICIFOBIA – fear of buildings

EISODOPHOBIA – fear of virginity

EISOPTROPHOBIA – fear of mirrors

EQUINOPHOBIA – fear of horses

ECDISIOPHOBIA – fear of strippers

EXAMENOPHOBIA – fear of exams

EXERCISOPHOBIA – fear of exercise

ECCLESIOPHOBIA – fear of churches

ECOPHOBIA – fear of home (being at home)

ELEVATOPHOBIA – fear of elevators

ELEUTHEROPHOBIA – fear of freedom

ELECTROCONVULSIOPHOBIA – fear of electroshock therapy

ELECTROPHOBIA – fear of electricity

HELLENOPHOBIA – fear of Greece (everything Greek)

EMETOPHOBIA – fear of vomiting

ENDITOPHOBIA – fear of getting dressed

ENETOPHOBIA – fear of pins

Enissophobia – fear of shame

ENTOMOPHOBIA – fear of insects

ENURESOPHOBIA – fear of urinary incontinence during sleep

EOSOPHOBIA – fear of dawn

EPILEPSYOPHOBIA – fear of epilepsy

EPISTAXIOPHOBIA – fear of nosebleeds

EPISTEMOPHOBIA – fear of knowledge

EPISTOLOPHOBIA – fear of letters

ERGASIOPHOBIA – fear of work

EREMOPHOBIA – fear of loneliness

ERETROPHOBIA – fear of the color red

As teenagers explore the world around them, gain new experiences, and confront new and challenging problems, worries and apprehensions are an almost inevitable part of the process of growing up.

According to one study, 43% of children aged 6 to 12 years experience many fears and worries. Fear of the dark, especially the fear of being alone in the dark, is one of the most common fears of children at this age, as is the fear of animals such as large barking dogs. Some children are afraid of fire, heights or thunder. Others follow reports on television and in newspapers and worry when they see reports of criminals, child abductors or nuclear war. If a family has recently experienced a serious illness or death of a family member, they may begin to worry about the health of the relatives around them.

During middle adolescence, fears tend to intensify and subside again. Most of them are minor, but even if they get worse, they usually go away on their own over time. However, sometimes these fears can become so strong, persistent and focused on one event that they develop into phobias or obsessive fears. Phobias, very strong, uncontrollable fears, can become persistent and debilitating, greatly affecting and interfering with a child's daily life. For example, a six-year-old child's phobia about dogs may cause him to panic, after which he will refuse to leave the house at all, fearing that there may be a dog there. A ten-year-old child may be so frightened by a news report about a serial killer that he will insist on sleeping in his parents' bed at night.

Some children this age may develop phobias towards people they encounter in everyday life. This severe shyness can prevent a child from making friends at school and forming relationships with most adults, especially strangers. They may deliberately avoid social events such as birthday parties or scout meetings, and will often find it difficult to communicate calmly with anyone outside their family.

Separation anxiety is also quite common among children of this age. In some cases, this fear may increase when a family moves to a new area or when children are placed in a child care facility where they feel uncomfortable. Such children may be afraid to go to summer camps or even go to school. Their phobias can cause physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach pains, and ultimately lead to a child becoming withdrawn and later depressed.

Around the age of 6-7 years, when children begin to understand what death is, another fear may arise. Realizing that death will eventually affect everyone, that it is a permanent and irreversible phenomenon, the completely normal worry about the possible death of family members - or even about the death of oneself - can only increase. In some cases, such preoccupation with death can lead to a state of incapacity.

Phobias

Symptoms

The feeling of fear is associated with a certain object or situation (fear of animals, claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces).

Behavior aimed at avoiding a situation that causes fear, as well as escaping from a similar situation or from an object.

Physiological changes caused by fear: tachycardia, increased sweating, tachypnea, shortness of breath, nausea.

The patient's reaction is inappropriate to the situation.

The phobia occurs as monosymptomatic or polysymptomatic.

Treatment

Explain the cause of the disease.

Before starting intervention using behavioral therapy methods, it is necessary to conduct a thorough analysis of objects and situations that cause fear.

Behavioral therapy. Systematic desensitization: gradual approach to an object that causes fear; Flood therapy: massive contact with the feared object and prevention of reactions.

Fear attacks and panic attacks

Symptoms

Sudden and unpredictable onset of fear; fear is not associated with any specific situation; physiological symptoms as in phobias; The duration of the attack is several minutes.

Treatment

Analysis of situations that cause a panic attack. Confrontational treatment in combination with training in strategies for overcoming fear.

Additionally - relaxation exercises, biofeedback training.

Drug treatment (rarely): antidepressants, anxiolytics.

Generalized fears

Also called spontaneous fears.

Symptoms:

• feeling of motor tension, feeling of oppression;
• autonomic complaints: complaints when swallowing, cold and sweaty extremities, tachycardia and palpitations;
• increased timidity, fear of danger, impaired concentration.

Treatment

Psychotherapy: teach coping strategies to reduce the severity of fear.

Supportive biofeedback techniques and relaxation exercises.

Maintenance drug treatment: antidepressants, antipsychotics.

Fear of separation, fear of school

Reason: excessively strong connection with a loved one. Sometimes a traumatic experience of separation in the past.

Symptoms:

• refusal to attend school and notifying parents about this;
• physical complaints without a identifiable organic cause;
• depressed mood;
• excessive fearfulness;
• fear of sudden illness, loss or disaster.

Treatment

Long-term refusal to attend school requires inpatient treatment.

The purpose of inpatient treatment: isolation of the patient, formation of his social independence, gradual accustoming to school.

Drug treatment: antidepressants.

Treatment of fears and phobias in children

Since fears are a normal part of life and often serve as a response to a real or at least perceived threat to the outside world, parents must reassure and support the child. When talking with him, parents should accept his experiences, but not exaggerate or strengthen them. Consider what is already being done to protect your child and work with your child to identify additional actions that can be taken. Such simple, sensitive and frank actions by parents will help solve or cope with most children's fears. If practical confirmation is not successful, the child's fears may turn out to be a phobia.

Fortunately, most phobias are treatable. In general, they are not a sign of a serious mental illness that requires treatment over many months or years.

The techniques described in this chapter will help your child cope with his everyday fears. However, if his worries persist and interfere with his enjoyment of life, the child “may need professional help from a psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in the treatment of phobias.

As part of a phobia treatment plan, many doctors recommend exposing a child to the source of their fears in small, non-harmful doses. With the guidance of a doctor, a child who is afraid of dogs can start by talking about his fears and watching photos or videos of dogs. After that, he can watch the dog from the window. Then, with one of the parents or a doctor nearby, the child can spend a few minutes in the same room with a friendly, affectionate puppy. Over time, the child will be able to feed the dog himself, and later be able to calmly be around unfamiliar larger dogs.

This gradual process is called desensitization - meaning that your child will become less sensitive to the source of his fear each time he has to face it. Ultimately, the child will no longer avoid the situation that has always served as the basis for his phobia. Although this process seems quite logical and uncomplicated, it should only be carried out under the close supervision of a professional.

Sometimes psychotherapy can also help children become more confident and less afraid. In addition, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques can help children in difficult situations.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend medications as part of a treatment program, but not as the only therapeutic intervention. Such medications may include antidepressants to help reduce the anxiety and panic that often underlie these problems.

Helping a child who is afraid

Here are some tips to help parents of children with fears and phobias.

• Talk to your child about his fears, while being an empathetic interlocutor. Explain that many children have their own fears, but with your help he will learn to cope with them.
• Do not humiliate your child or make fun of his fears, especially in front of his peers.
• Don't try to force your child to be brave. It may take some time before he learns to overcome his fears. However, you can try to convince him to gradually come closer and closer to the objects of his fears, but never insist on this. If your child is afraid of the dark, take him by the hand and stay in the dark room with him for a few seconds. If your child is afraid of water, walk with him in the children's pool as he wades through it, so that the water reaches the level of his knees. Praise him for every success, even the smallest one, and it will be easier for him to take the next step. Focus on what the child has already managed to cope with, and not on the source of fear itself.

All people, from children to adults, periodically experience anxiety and fear. The feeling of anxiety, especially if it happens at the wrong time, cannot be called a pleasant feeling. But such sensations are not only normal for children, but also necessary. Experiencing anxiety and worry prepares children for adulthood and teaches them to cope with difficulties in difficult life situations.

Most worries and fears are normal.

Anxiety can be defined as “an apprehension for no apparent reason.” This usually occurs when there is no immediate threat to the child's safety or well-being, but the child still feels the threat is real.

Anxiety forces the child to try to avoid an unpleasant situation as quickly as possible. The heartbeat accelerates, sweating may increase, and an unpleasant feeling in the stomach “sucks in the pit of the stomach” appears. However, in reasonable doses, anxiety helps a person remain alert, alert, and focused.

Having fear and anxiety about certain things can also be helpful because it forces children to behave appropriately and think about their safety. For example, fear of fire does not allow a child to play with matches or a lighter.

The nature of anxieties and fears changes as children grow and develop:

• Very young children experience anxiety at the sight of strangers, clinging to their parents when they have to encounter people they see for the first time.
• Babies between 10 and 18 months of age often experience emotional stress when one or both parents leave, leaving them alone or even in the company of close relatives.
• Children between the ages of 4 and 6 tend to worry about unreal things such as monsters and ghosts.
• Older children aged 7 to 12 often also have fears that reflect reality, such as fears of bodily harm and natural disasters.

As children grow, one fear disappears or is replaced by another. For example, a child who couldn't sleep with the lights off as a toddler can, after just a couple of years, comfortably entertain friends with ghost stories.

Some fears only apply to something specific. In other words, a child can calmly pet a lion at the zoo, but is terrified of the neighbor's dog.

Signs of anxiety

Typical childhood fears change with age. These include fears of strangers, heights, the dark, animals, blood, insects, or fear of being left without parents. Children often become afraid of a certain object or situation after they acquire a negative one, such as a dog bite or a car accident.

The fear of being left alone is a common and frequent occurrence, especially when starting kindergarten and school. Teenagers may experience anxiety related to acceptance in a group or academic performance.

If anxious feelings persist and do not go away, they can negatively impact a child's sense of well-being. Anxiety associated with adaptation in a team leads to long-term consequences. For example, children who fear rejection may never learn necessary and important social skills, which subsequently leads to their social isolation.

Many “adult” fears originate in deep childhood and are a consequence of childhood experiences. For example, fear of public speaking may be a result of embarrassment in front of peers dating back to school years.

It is important for parents to recognize and identify the signs and symptoms of anxiety in their children so that they can take timely action and not allow their fears to interfere with their children's daily lives.

Some signs that your child is worried about something may include:

• excessive “stickiness” to parents, impulsiveness, constant bad mood
• nervous movements similar to a nervous tic
• trouble falling asleep or sleeping too much
• sweaty palms
• increased heart rate and breathing
• nausea
• headache
• stomach ache

In addition to these signs, parents typically report that their child is overly anxious and thoughtful. Listening carefully to the child, having a frank, emotional conversation with him, and sometimes simply having an abstract conversation about what his fears or concerns are, can help the child get rid of unpleasant feelings.

What is a phobia?

When anxieties and fears persist for a long time, this is already a problem. Many parents hope that the child will “outgrow” it, but very often the opposite happens and the anxiety becomes more pervasive and intense. Anxiety passes from a periodic state to a constant one and, thus, develops into a persistent and severe fear - a phobia, and this is already an extreme.

A phobia is very difficult to tolerate, both for children themselves and for those around them, especially if the stimulus (that which causes anxiety) cannot be avoided (for example, a thunderstorm).

“Real” phobias—fears associated with events and objects that actually exist—are one of the main causes of mental health problems in children. But things are not always so bad. If the phobia does not interfere with everyday life, the child may not need treatment, because phobias of this kind are likely to go away as they grow older or can be overcome by the child himself when he becomes an adult.

Recognizing Anxiety, Fear and Phobia

Try to answer the following questions honestly:

Is the child's fear typical of children his age?

If the answer to this question is “Yes,” there is a chance that your child's fears will pass before they become a serious cause for concern. This does not mean that anxiety should be discounted or ignored, but rather that it should be seen as a factor in normal development.

Many children experience age-appropriate fears, such as fear of the dark. For most children, leaving a night light on is quite a sufficient measure to overcome such fear, and then outgrow it. However, if problems persist or worsen, your intervention will need to be more intense.

What are the symptoms of fear, and how do they affect your child's personal and social life?

If symptoms are identified early and considered in light of the child's daily activities, appropriate adjustments and adjustments (conversation, open conversation, etc.) can be made to alleviate some of the stressors.

Is the fear unreasonable in relation to the actual situation?

If a child's fear seems out of proportion to the cause of the stress, this may signal the need to seek outside help, such as a counselor, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

Parents should look for a pattern in children's fears and worries so as not to make a mistake and present a single episode as more significant than it actually is. But if a pattern is found, the fear is constant and progressive, it is necessary to take appropriate measures. If you don't, the phobia will likely continue to affect your child later in life.

Contact a psychiatrist or professional psychologist who has experience working with children and adolescents.

How to help your child

Parents can help children develop the skills and confidence to overcome fear and thus prevent it from developing into a phobia.

To help your child cope with fears and anxieties, it is recommended to do the following:

• Recognize that the fear is real. No matter how insignificant and trivial a childhood fear may seem to you, for your child it is very real. If you can talk to your child about fears, this will allow the words to “take over” some of the negative emotions. If you talk about it, the power of worry inevitably weakens.
• Never minimize fear as a way to get your child to overcome it. Statement - “Nonsense! There are no monsters in your closet!” may force the child to go to the bedroom and lie down in bed, but this will not relieve him of fear.
• However, fears should not be satisfied. If a child is afraid of dogs, there is no need to cross to the other side of the street to avoid meeting the animal. This will only strengthen the belief that dogs should be feared and avoided. It is better to provide support, show care and tenderness as you approach the object of fear or as a “terrible” situation occurs.
• Teach children to evaluate their fear. Older children who are already able to visualize can be asked to rate their fear on a ten-point scale, where 1 is the weakest fear and 10 is the strongest. This will allow your child to “see” the fear as less intense than it appears to be. Younger children can be asked to measure fear by the fullness of their body, for example, “fear filled me to the knees,” “to the throat,” “to the waist,” or “to the top of the head.”
• Teach your child strategies for overcoming fear. Try the easiest to implement methods. Let your child use you as a “home.” For example, after taking two steps into a dark room, approaching the dog one or two steps closer than he usually does, or going to the window during a thunderstorm, let the child quickly return to the “house” before he dares to repeat his bold behavior. act a second time. He can also learn some self-hypnosis and self-affirmation techniques, such as “I can do this!” or “I'll be fine!”, which he will use and tell himself when feeling anxious. Relaxation techniques will also be helpful, including visualization techniques (flying on a cloud, lying on the beach), and deep breathing (imagining that one is a light ball floating in the sky and slowly releasing air to land).

In any case, the key to freeing a child from fears and anxieties is to help them overcome them. Using the simplest methods given in this article, you can help your child overcome their worries, fears and anxieties, and also teach them to better cope with difficult life situations.

2012-09-16

– pathological, excessively expressed reactions of fear that arise in anticipation or during direct exposure to a certain object or situation. They manifest themselves as increased anxiety, emotional stress, autonomic reactions (sleep disturbances, appetite disturbances, increased heart rate), and avoidant behavior. Diagnosis is carried out by conversation, clinical interview, and self-reports. The basis of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy, a method of systematic desensitization; in case of severe symptoms, antidepressants and tranquilizers are prescribed.

General information

Healthy children and adolescents experience fear. This emotion is a normal response to danger. The physiological mechanisms that form the basis of this condition mobilize the body to assess the situation and make a fight/flight decision. A phobia differs from normal fear in its expressed intensity, duration, inadequacy, and obsession. The child’s critical attitude to the experience, understanding of its illogicality, inexpediency, attempts to resist, and avoidance are typical. Severe phobias that limit behavior occur in approximately 1-1.5% of children and adolescents. The disorder is more often diagnosed in girls of preschool and primary school age. This is partly due to their greater openness and willingness to discuss their fears.

Causes of phobias in children and adolescents

Phobic disorders are formed on the basis of increased impressionability, suspiciousness, anxiety, and a tendency to fantasize. External factors can be:

• Ways of education. Phobias are provoked by a tough, directive attitude, overprotection, total control, and parental anxiety.
• Demonstration of violence, intimidation. Pathological fears arise after watching movies and television programs replete with scenes of violence, murder, persecution, and terror.
• Great fright. Persistent phobias develop after a single intense fright: an attack by street dogs, a fire, a fall from a height.
• Mental illness. Phobias are a component of obsessive-compulsive neurosis, schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety disorder.

Pathogenesis

According to cognitive theory, inadequate fears appear due to the inability to correctly perceive and process information. The assessment of the situation is distorted; insignificant, non-threatening stimuli provoke panic and a desire to escape. The greatest distortion of thought processes is determined in psychosis - delusional ideas and hallucinations become the content base. More adequate fears are formed with pronounced psychological traits, character accentuations, and reactive neuroses. The risk group consists of anxious, suspicious, suggestible, impressionable children. The behavioral concept views fear as a conditioned reflex reaction with an undying response to a stimulus. The triggering mechanism is external conditions - a stressful situation with fear, high anxiety of the parent, destructive parenting style.

Classification

The most significant from a practical point of view is the division of obsessive fears according to the degree of severity - changes in the emotional, somatic state, and the level of social maladjustment are assessed. Severe forms are characterized by panic, a state of horror, motor agitation, retardation, disturbances in the rhythm of breathing, heartbeat, and avoidance of situations where a stimulus may appear. In mild forms, phobias are partially controlled, there are no external emotional or vegetative changes, behavioral restrictions are compensated for (by the choice of route, ways of spending time). The domestic psychiatrist A. Karvasarsky proposed a classification of fears according to the plot - content. The following types of phobias are distinguished:

• Fear of space. Represented by fear of closed space (claustrophobia), open space (agoraphobia), depth, heights.
• Social phobias. The basis is fear of the reaction of others. Included are fears of blushing, speaking in public, and being the first to speak.
• Nosophobia. This group consists of various fears of diseases.
• Fear of death. Thanatophobia develops in situations perceived as life-threatening. Fear of certain animals and imaginary creatures is often a fear of death.
• Sexual fears. They are actualized in adolescents and young people, including fear of intimate contact, romantic behavior, and the consequences of masturbation.
• Fear of damage. Represented by concerns about possible self-harm and harm to others.
• Contrasting fears. Fear of committing an indecent, obscene act.
• Phobophobia. They develop secondary to attacks of fear as a fear of their repetition.

Symptoms of phobias in children and adolescents

Obsessive fears are unusual for young children, since there is no critical thinking that allows them to assess their own condition, identify the presence of phobias, and begin confrontation. In preschoolers, fears dominate and determine the direction of emotions, behavior, and the development of mental functions. Schoolchildren are able to understand the inadequacy and absurdity of existing fears and make attempts to fight. From the age of 5-8 years we talk about true phobias. Symptoms develop in situations with a certain degree of likelihood of exposure to a frightening stimulus. The more severe the disorder, the lower the risk required to develop symptoms.

The phobia manifests itself at the level of emotions, autonomic reactions, and behavior. The emotional sphere is characterized by tension, anxiety, and fear. Younger children cry, scream, run away, and seek help from adults. Schoolchildren and teenagers, trying to resist fear, find a logical justification for avoiding the situation, restraining the manifestations of fear and anxiety. Vegetative changes differ in combination and degree of severity. Characterized by dizziness, nausea, increased heart rate, increased sweating, weakness, numbness or motor disinhibition, and a feeling of lack of oxygen. The experience of fear occurs in a dream and is accompanied by insomnia.

The earliest phobias of preschoolers are fears of animals (dogs, horses, wolves), non-existent characters (Koshchei, zombies, moving skeletons). Often they expand and become a fear of darkness, silence, and loneliness. Younger schoolchildren begin to experience thanatophobia; often a vague fear of death takes on the concrete form of fear of war, serious illness, natural disaster, or criminal attack. Social phobias associated with loss of position in a significant group predominate among adolescents. By the end of adolescence, obsessive fears of intimate relationships are added.

Complications

The main complications of phobias are emotional disturbances and social maladjustment. As the obsessive fear progresses, the restrictive behavior spreads to cover a wide range of familiar situations. In an effort to maintain a comfortable state, the child (teenager) reduces and “simplified” everyday activities: refuses to walk in the park, streets with active traffic, does not show the initiative to communicate with peers, or participate in school events. In severe cases, the space is limited to the child's room and the constant presence of the parent is required. Concomitant emotional disorders include depression and anxiety.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of phobias requires the establishment of full-fledged trusting contact between the doctor and the child. Children and teenagers with obsessive fears tend to experience embarrassment, shyness, and avoid showing emotions in front of strangers. The examination is carried out by a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist. It includes:

• Interview, conversation. The psychiatrist asks about existing symptoms, their duration, severity, and impact on everyday events. When conducting a clinical conversation, the doctor formulates questions, taking into account the patient’s previous answers. The absence of rigid boundaries promotes more open contact. A diagnostic interview reveals signs of phobias as defined by the official classification of diseases. The structuring of questions allows you to obtain more objective information.
• Self-report methods. A psychologist and psychotherapist use various scales that allow them to rank fears, determine the dominant ones, and establish the degree of anxiety and fear. Situation maps are used to identify stimuli and their intensity. Additionally, drawing tests with a detailed survey (“house-tree-person”, “non-existent animal”), methods of interpreting life situations (PAT, TAT, Rosenzweig test) are used. The questions are formulated as specifically and simply as possible. This allows you to reduce the level of emotional tension in the child caused by the examination situation.
• Questionnaires for parents. The accompanying parent is offered questionnaires reflecting the characteristics of the child’s emotional reactions, behavior, and well-being. The most common use of rating scales is the Children's Behavioral Inventory and the Louisville Children's Fear Questionnaire. The results are processed using the method of factor analysis, the final data allows us to assess the child’s social competence, behavioral problems, and emotional deviations.

In the presence of dominant fear, differential diagnosis is not difficult. Often, phobias are a component of broader mental disorders: neuroses, schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis.

Treatment of phobias in children and adolescents

Treatment is based on the use of behavioral therapy techniques. Young children come with their mother and father, who act as co-psychotherapists. This accelerates the positive dynamics - the child feels calmer, more confident, and the parent applies elements of therapy at home. A common method of psychotherapy is systematic desensitization, developed by J. Wolpe. It is based on the theory of I.P. Pavlov, which explains pathological fear as an undying reflex to a stimulus. The reaction does not disappear, but is repeated again because the patient avoids the threatening factor. To achieve the extinction of a reflexive conditioning (phobia), constant gradual exposure to a stimulus is necessary. The therapeutic process consists of several stages:

• Cognitive processing. The psychotherapist uses logical arguments, rational explanations of the causes of fear. Corrects irrational ideas about a threatening stimulus. Motivates and encourages the patient to discuss their emotional state.
• Relaxation training. An important characteristic of fear is uncontrollability. Through breathing techniques and muscle relaxation, the psychotherapist teaches the child to manage his physical and emotional state. The ability to relax and concentrate increases confidence and builds readiness to work with a phobia.
• "Convergence" The patient and the psychotherapist select several homogeneous, but different in intensity stimuli (situations). They are ranked from less frightening to those that provoke panic and the desire to run away. The process of “bringing together” begins with a weak stimulus, while relaxation and cognitive processing techniques are used in parallel. Gradually the fear fades away. At the final stage, the child ceases to be afraid of situations with an intense stimulus.

Severe emotional disorders (panic attacks, anxiety, depression) are corrected with medication. The psychiatrist selects antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.

Prognosis and prevention

The prognosis of phobias in children depends on the duration of their course, the severity of symptoms, and the presence of concomitant diseases. The likelihood of recovery is high if fears have developed on the basis of emotional and personal traits, and not pathological mental processes. Preventive measures are based on the adequate attitude of close relatives to the child’s fears. It is important to recognize the reality of fear, to exclude neglect and devaluation of the child’s experiences. It is necessary to discuss the problem in a calm atmosphere, without shaming you for cowardice. In a situation where it is possible to meet a stimulus, you need to support the child and express confidence in his courage. It is worth applying the principle of systematic desensitization - gradually accustoming to the object (situation).

A new phenomenon is emerging in various European countries. It lies in the fact that parents feel a sense of fear towards their own children, and even more so towards strangers. It should be recalled that paedophobia should not be confused with pedophilia. However, experts believe that this phobia is to some extent a perversion that literally turns on its head any relationship involving children and adults. If at a certain time children were afraid of their parents, now different trends are observed. Also, pedophobia refers to the fear not only of communicating with children, but also of having them and becoming a parent. Moreover, some pedophobes are even afraid of dolls made in the shape of infants.

Research on paedophobia has been conducted in many countries, and scientists have established a shocking fact. It turns out that more and more often adults refrain from scolding their child for wrong actions, stopping him, or reading a moral lesson. Moreover, this attitude is observed not only in relation to children, but also to older children who behave antisocially. It has been proven that the reason for this phenomenon is that fathers and mothers are afraid of the teenager’s violent reaction. That is, they fully admit that in response they may receive a rude reprimand or even a physical blow. And although such cases are not so frequent, nevertheless, they are not an exception. That is why, sometimes it is preferable for parents to pretend that nothing happened.

Scientists pay a lot of attention to the study of this problem, and also come to another conclusion - that the fear of close communication with any children is due to the fear of discovering such a deviation as pedophilia in oneself. All this is directly related to cultural prohibitions regarding sexual relations with people of childhood, as well as to the prevailing false idea that children are asexual. In this case, people misunderstand their nature.

Currently, experts offer several versions that, to one degree or another, explain the origin and development of paedophobia. If we consider the option that states that pedophobia arose in a person in early childhood, then scientists suggest that an irrational fear of infants appears in a child when a new addition occurs to the family and a brother or sister appears in the house. In this case, as a rule, all the attention of adults is switched to the baby, and the older child is often left without attention, constantly sent to stay with his grandmother, and even moved out of his favorite room. The child’s psyche is very unstable, and he does not understand why this tiny creature takes all the love of his parents. At first, resentment arises, and only later, if the parents do not come to their senses in a timely manner and do not pay attention, then this state transforms into hatred of small children, and then into paedophobia.

At the same time, there is a certain contrast that concerns adults who suffer from pedophobia. For example, a printed publication called “The Madness of Modern Families” was published in England. This book gives a very accurate description of “crazy parents”, in which many people recognize their own reflection. For example, if parents buy their child a more expensive and prestigious phone than they have themselves, or do schoolwork for him, periodically remembering to make special mistakes in his work so that it looks more believable to the teacher. Such mothers and fathers constantly worry whether it is time for the child to have something to eat, or whether he is thirsty on a hot day. In addition, as soon as a child mentions that one of his friends has the latest technical innovation, they immediately deny themselves something, but buy the desired thing for their offspring. Based on all these signs, it can be unequivocally stated that such parents have the makings of paedophobia. Although in our time, as in any other time, it is difficult to be an exemplary parent, you should still adequately assess the demands and actions of your child.

Those suffering from paedophobia are convinced that the child is not a person; on the basis of this, their communication with a child or even a teenager occurs as with a “subhuman”. At the same time, a nihilistic attitude and hyperprotection are manifested, which is too demonstrative and inappropriate. Communication comes down to superficiality; showing affection and tenderness is out of the question. Children whose parents are paedophobes often suffer from childhood nihilism - they oppose themselves to adults.

This phobia may not have obvious symptoms if the disease manifests itself in a moderate form, and the patient has sufficient willpower not to demonstrate his fear of society and others. But in some cases, when irrational fear overcomes a person’s sanity, problems may arise during which the pedophobe behaves inappropriately. A person can be aggressive, or, conversely, weak-willed and whiny. If there is a child nearby in an empty seat on public transport, then the person suffering from paedophobia will most likely move as far as possible, or even get off much earlier than his stop, just so as not to see children near him.

There are also physical manifestations of phobia. They are usually expressed in symptoms such as dizziness, sudden weakness, and rapid pulse. The patient's mouth becomes dry and sweats profusely. If blood pressure drops sharply, fainting is possible. It should be emphasized that all these signs, although they have a negative impact on the human nervous system, nevertheless, they do not threaten life, as patients with pedophobia themselves are sometimes sure.