Ephebiphobia - The irrational fear of teenagers - Anti-school site We'd really appreciate it if you could take this quick survey to help us figure out how to serve the needs of our visitors better. It's completely anonymous unless you provide contact info. Thanks! Ephebiphobia - The irrational fear of teenagers Yes, there's actually a phobia for teenagers, and it seems lots of people have it. by Wikipedia.org Ephebiphobia (from Greek 'ephebos' ?f?ï¿½?? = teenager, underage adolescent and 'fobos' f?ï¿½?? = fear, phobia), also known as hebephobia (from Greek 'hebe' (?ï¿½?) = youth), denotes both the irrational fear of teenagers or of adolescence, and the prejudice against teenagers or underage adolescents. It is essentially a social phobia comparable to xenophobia or homophobia.

Definitions Ephebiphobia can manifest in the following main categories : * the irrational fear of being near, among or in the company of teenagers; * the prejudice on the grounds of age (ageism) towards teenagers or underage adolescents, or the discrimination derived from this prejudice; * the fear, prejudice, hatred, intolerance or discrimination referring to love relationships between adults and adolescents, either when it is the manifestation of ephebophilia, of ephebosexuality, or when it is none of them; * the irrational fear, panic or hysteria, usually through the mass media (see culture of fear), relating to anything concerning the behavioral or social emancipation of underage adolescents (based on the belief that the adolescent's behavior is more appropriate for adults). The concept encompasses the irrational fear of a wide variety of issues, ranging from teenage sexuality, teenage pregnancy, preteen pregnancy, and teen motherhood, to proposals to change the law and assure more youth rights, like reducing the voting age, the age of majority, the drinking age, the marriageable age, the age of consent, the age of candidacy, eliminating curfew laws or assuring more students rights. Ageism against teenagers Ageism is discrimination against a person or group on the grounds of age.

Although theoretically the word can refer to the discrimination against any age group, ageism usually comes in one of two forms: discrimination against youth, and discrimination against the elderly. Ageism against youth is also known as "Adultism". Some underage teenagers consider themselves victims of ageism and believe they should be treated more respectfully by adults and not as second-class citizens. Some complain that social stratification in age groups causes outsiders to incorrectly stereotype and generalize the group, to claim for instance that all adolescents are equally immature, violent or rebellious. Some have organized groups against ageism. A growing number of sociologists address the issues of discrimination against youth, Adultism, and ephebiphobia as a digressive continuum for situating the conditions of adolescents throughout society. Pathological forms of ephebiphobia In extreme cases, pathological forms of ephebiphobia may be observed, especially when associated with violent acts (often but not always resulting in criminal acts).

Possible pathological behaviors include, among others, the following : * incarcerating teenagers or underage adolescents at home for a long period of time, or through the use of handcuffs (in any period of time), usually to prevent them from going out to parties, to the mall, to the movie theatre or to any place where they could potentially develop a social or a love relationship; * vigorously humiliating an underage adolescent in public; * compulsively or obsessively hiding a pregnant teen or preteen from public observation (as if she had a contagious disease), especially when moving or traveling to another place (neighborhood, city, region or country) solely with the purpose of hiding the pregnancy; * forcefully inducing or coercing an underage adolescent to have an abortion, by the means of violence, use of terror or threats of any kind (as if the baby were property of the perpetrator or threatener).

Sources * Shelley Wu, PhD, psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania - in About.com Psychology Glossary * Mike Males - "The New Demons: Ordinary Teens" - Los Angeles Times, April 21, 2002 (see "External Links") * Wendy Grï¿½nnestad-Damur and Lindy Pratch - presenters of the Alberta, Canada, Library Conference "No Ephebiphobia Here! Ephebiphobia: an abnormal and persistent fear of teenagers" (April 30, 2005). * Thimothy Shary, visitant assistant professor of screen studies at Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clark University - source used for the news article Studios caught in teen-age dilemmas Multiplex issues (Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) - July 20, 2001) (see Newslibrary.com) * Ephebiphobia is listed in the National Youth Rights Association's Glossary. The NYRA website is affiliated to the Wikipedian system. === Ephebiphobia – Symptoms and Causes of Ephebiphobia Share your stories and support others...

Ephebiphobia Tweet Imagine you are an elderly person walking down the street late at night. You spot a group of teenagers hanging out on the same side of the sidewalk that you are on. The group seemed rather loud and raucous, but begins to quiet down as you approach. You lock eyes with one of the kids and suddenly begin to question your safety. Do you cross the street or do you feel like this will bring unwarranted attention towards yourself? Your body begins to tremble and your heart drops. This is a fairly common occurrence that should not create such a stressful situation . While the teens are most likely preparing to make room for you to pass through, some may fear that they will be attacked. This may be diagnosed as ephebiphobia. Ephebiphobia is an irrational or unwarranted fear of the youth, usually seen in the elderly and reinforced by negative media imagery. Symptoms of Ephebiphobia There are many ways in which ephebiphobia can be diagnosed. Here are a few of the most common ways to tell whether or not you or someone you know may be ephebiphobic: Refusal to interact or participate with younger people regardless of the scenario.

Willingness to vote or go against anything that may be viewed as a positive for youths, primarily to avoid assisting any part of their “agenda.” Complete avoidance of young people, regardless of the surroundings. Symptoms usually associated with a fear of the youth are very similar to those seen in panic or anxiety attacks . Sufferers may experience a shortness of breath, nervousness, rapid heart rate or an inability to think or speak when placed in a stressful situation. While this phobia is not physically harmful, it may develop into more serious problems later in life. Without proper treatment, ephebiphobia may lead to a personal seclusion away from most of society out of a fear of youths. This seclusion may even create more serious problems, most commonly depression , in the future. Remember, there is no sense in fearing the young people in the world. You have been where they are. Causes of Ephebiphobia In most situations, a fear of the young is a misplaced fear in itself. Ephebiphobia is more commonly rooted in a fear of the unknown that can be increased or skewed heavily by popular media.

If you feel like ephebiphobia is negatively impacting your life and you would like to make a difference, it may be time to start exploring different treatment methods. Both professional and self-help methods have had proven success in treating a fear of youth. Try doing some online research to find which treatment methods would best suit your lifestyle and help you make a positive personal change. View Resources Phobias: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis - Medical News Today Phobias: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis Written by Christian NordqvistReviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PMHNP-BC, GNP-BC, CARN-AP, MCHES 4 14 A phobia is an irrational fear, a kind of anxiety disorder in which the individual has a relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place, or thing. Individuals with a phobia go to great lengths to avoid a perceived danger which is much greater in their minds than in real life. If confronted with the source of their phobia, the person will suffer enormous distress, which can interfere with their normal function; it can sometimes lead to total panic. For some people, even thinking about their phobia is immensely distressing.

A phobia starts when a person begins organizing their lives around avoiding the object of their fear. A phobia is much more serious than a simple fear. People with a phobia have an overpowering need to steer clear of anything which triggers their anxiety. Contents of this article: Fast facts on phobias Here are some key points about phobias. More detail and supporting information is in the main article. Phobias are much more serious than simple fears Over 50 million people in the U.S. have a phobia Females more commonly suffer from phobias than males Despite phobic individuals being aware that their fear is irrational, they cannot control the feelings Symptoms may include sweating, chest pains, and pins and needles Specific brain areas are involved in phobias What is a phobia? The word "phobia" is used for a number of quite different concepts. If the phobia is of something that the phobic person very rarely comes into contact with, such as snakes, their daily lives will not be affected. However, some complex phobias are impossible to avoid, such as agoraphobia (fear of leaving home or being in public places) or social phobia (fear of being among groups of people).

There are three main categories of phobias: Specific phobias (simple phobias) A disproportionate fear about specific situations, living creatures, places, activities, or things. Examples include a fear of: Dentists (dentophobia) Birds (ornithophobia) Frogs (ranidaphobia) The two examples below, social phobia and agoraphobia, are known as complex phobias. They are linked to a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about certain situations, incidents, or circumstances, which make them much more disabling than simple phobias. Social phobia Social phobias are now called social anxiety disorder. A person with social phobia finds being in social situations difficult and sometimes unbearable. Going to parties, weddings, functions, or exhibitions cause sufferers anxiety; there is fear of being embarrassed or humiliated in public. It often includes a fear of being judged by other people. People affected with social phobia feel that they will be scrutinized and singled out in the crowd; they prefer to avoid social gatherings altogether. Psychologists say that a high proportion of adults with social phobia start taking measures to avoid social situations during their teenage years. Studies have shown that their progressively isolated lifestyles make them more susceptible to developing depression .

Experts emphasize that social phobia is not the same as shyness . Obese people may develop social anxiety disorder , simply because of their weight. Agoraphobia An individual with agoraphobia is frightened of finding themselves in situations where there is no escape; they fear being stuck in a desperate situation with no help. Agoraphobia may include a dread of traveling on buses or trains or going into large shops or shopping malls. When symptoms are severe, the patient may find stepping out of their own home unbearable. Sufferers have an increased risk of also suffering from panic disorder. As with social phobia, crowded and public places are avoided. How common are phobias? In industrial nations, phobias are the most common kind of anxiety disorder. They can affect people of any age, sex, and socioeconomic status. An estimated 19 million Americans have a specific phobia, 15 million have a social anxiety disorder , and 1.8 million have agoraphobia. A higher percentage of women suffer from phobias than men. Simple phobias usually start early on in life - during childhood, and often go away by the time the person reaches late teens. Complex phobias generally start later on.

Most common phobias Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) is among the top ten phobias worldwide. The ten most common phobias in the U.K. and U.S. are: Social phobia - fear of being in places with a lot of people Agoraphobia - fear of being somewhere with no support, away from home, open spaces Claustrophobia - fear of being in constricted, confined spaces Aerophobia - fear of flying Headache A feeling of anxiety is produced by simply thinking about the object of the phobia Children may cry, become very clingy, attempt to hide behind a parent's legs or an object, or have tantrums Complex phobias Complex phobias are much more likely to affect the patient's well-being than specific phobias. Those who suffer from, for example, agoraphobia, may have a number of other associated phobias as well, such as monophobia (fear of being left alone) or claustrophobia (fear of feeling trapped, closed spaces). In severe cases, agoraphobics will rarely leave their homes.

Causes of phobias It is unusual for a phobia to start after the age of 30; most of them begin during early childhood, teenage years, or early adulthood. They can be caused by a stressful situation or experience, a frightening event, or a parent or household member who has a phobia which the child becomes progressively aware of. Common causes for specific (simple) phobias These usually develop when the child is aged 4-8. In some cases, it may be the result of something that happened early in life. The trigger might have been an unpleasant experience in a confined space, which festered and developed into claustrophobia over time. As mentioned above, witnessing a family member's phobia is a common cause for phobias that started during childhood. A child whose mother has arachnophobia is much more likely to develop the same phobia. Experts stress that phobias picked up from parents are learned fears - they are not genetically inherited. Common causes for complex phobias The causes of agoraphobia or social phobia are still a mystery; nobody is sure exactly why they appear. Researchers believe they are caused by a combination of life experiences, brain chemistry, and genetics.

Social phobias are more likely to be caused by an extremely stressful experience than agoraphobia, researchers say. Phobias and survival - there may be evolutionary explanations for many phobias. In prehistoric environments, remaining in wide open spaces would have increased the risk of being attacked and eaten by a predatory animal. The instinct to stay at home, especially for young children, aids survival. Young children in their caves and huts would have had to learn to avoid dangerous snakes and spiders quickly. Social phobia may have been a useful survival instinct during ancient and prehistoric times. Being among people you do not know, from perhaps another tribe, was much more dangerous than finding yourself among a crowd of strangers in a shopping mall today. Neurobiology of phobias Specific areas of the brain - the amygdala in particular - are associated with phobias. Some areas of the brain - the prefrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the amygdala - store and recall dangerous or potentially deadly events. In future occasions, if a very similar event is confronted, those areas retrieve that same memory, causing the body to react as if it was happening again.

With some people, the event may feel as if it is repeating itself many times. Some effective treatments manage to get the brain to replace the memory and reactions with something more rational. Phobias are irrational phenomena - the brain overreacts to a stimulus. Unfortunately, the brain areas that deal with fear and stress keep retrieving the frightening event inappropriately. Neuroscience researchers have found that phobias are often linked to the amygdala , which lies behind the pituitary gland. The amygdala can trigger the release of "fight-or-flight" hormones, which put the body and mind in a highly alert and stressed state. Tests and diagnosis of phobias When diagnosing a phobia, a doctor will aim to determine whether or not an object triggers unreasonable fear. People with a phobia are nearly always aware that it is present, and they are not defensive when discussing their symptoms with a doctor. This helps diagnosis enormously. Even so, millions of sufferers never discuss their fears with a doctor. This is unfortunate because there are effective treatments available. Treating phobias If the phobia does not cause severe problems, most patients find that by simply avoiding the source of their fear is enough to stay in control.

Some phobias are not possible to avoid, as may be the case with aviophobia (fear of flying). In such cases, professional help should be sought. The good news is that with proper treatment, most phobias can be cured. Treatment needs to be tailored to the patient for it to work - no single treatment works for everybody. The doctor, psychiatrist, and/or psychologist may recommend behavior therapy, medications, or a combination of both. Therapy is aimed at reducing the symptoms of fear and anxiety, and to help patients manage their reactions to the source of their fear. Medications Ephebiphobia, a human syndrome? Ephebiphobia, a human syndrome? karrie #1Apr 6th, 2008 The idea of ephebiphobia came up in discussion with my husband today, sparked by the song title 'teenage dirtbag' (which, I know, has nothing to do with the actual issue of ephebiophobia, but the term sparked a discussion in me nonetheless).

I posed the question, 'to what degree are teens really 'worse' today, rather than just living up to an increased expectation of bad behavior?' Given modern media coverage, we hear of every nasty incident involving youth, and with hysterical coverage. "It isn't a surprise to many young people or adults: There are people throughout society who refuse to go near youth, to the point where they move away, lobby against, and vote against anything positively affecting young people, with the idea that those actions will keep youth away from them. These actions may be symptoms of a social condition called ephebiphobia. Ephebiphobia is the fear of youth. (external - login to view) In the United Kingdom ephebiphobia is also called paedophobia. This term was coined 10 years ago to capture the society-wide panic that has gripped media, politicians, and even schools. It is generally based in negative stereotypes and bad experiences from childhood, and is perpetuated by the way popular media portrays young people. " "In 2002, author Mike Males (external - login to view) wrote, "Ephebiphobia... is a full-blown media panic.

Images of ï¿½ordinaryï¿½ teenagers besieging grown-up havens are everywhere... Todayï¿½s ephebiphobia is the latest installment of a history of bogus moral panics targeting unpopular subgroups to obscure an unsettling reality: Our worst social crisis is middle-Americans own misdirected fear." What are your views on ephibiphobia? Social Phobia - National Library of Medicine - PubMed Health [Psychological treatments in social phobia in childhood and adolescence: a qualitative review] Bibliographic details: Rosa-Alcazar AI, Olivares-Olivares PJ, Iniesta M. [Psychological treatments in social phobia in childhood and adolescence: a qualitative review].

[Los tratamientos psicologicos en la fobia social infantil y adolescente: una revision cualitativa.] Anuario de Psicologia 2009; 40(1): 23-42 El tratamiento de la fobia social en ninos y adolescentes: una revision meta-analitica [The treatment of social phobia in children and adolescents: a revision of a meta-analysis] Bibliographic details: Olivares Rodriguez J, Alcazar A I, Caballo V E, Garcia-Lopez L J, Orgiles Amoros M, Lopez-Gollonet C. El tratamiento de la fobia social en ninos y adolescentes: una revision meta-analitica [The treatment of social phobia in children and adolescents: a revision of a meta-analysis]. Psicologia Conductual 2003; 11(3: 599-622 [The treatment of specific and generalised social phobia in Europe: a meta-analytic review] Bibliographic details: Meca J S, Alcazar A I, Rodriguez J O. [The treatment of specific and generalised social phobia in Europe: a meta-analytic review] .

[El tratamiento de la fobia social especifica y generalizada en Europa: Un estudio meta-analitico.] Anales de Psicologia 2004; 20(1): 55-68 Medication for social anxiety disorder Social phobia (SP), or social anxiety disorder, is increasingly viewed as a prevalent and disabling medical disorder. This systematic review of randomized placebo‐controlled trials (RCTs) provides evidence of the efficacy of medication, and SSRIs in particular, in treating social phobia. Summary statistics for responder status (using the Clinical Global Impressions scale change item (CGI‐I)) and for SP symptoms and symptom clusters (using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS)) demonstrated that medication was significantly more effective than placebo. This effect was most consistently observed amongst the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), and to a lesser extent amongst the MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) and the reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A, brofaromine and moclobemide. The same pattern was observed in the reduction of comorbid depression and associated disability. Furthermore, maintenance and relapse prevention studies confirm the value of longer‐term medication in treatment responders.

Second‐generation antipsychotic drugs for anxiety disorders Anxiety disorders are a prevalent and disabling condition. Because of high rates of treatment resistance, there is interest in new pharmacological treatment options such as second‐generation antipsychotics. This systematic review evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of second‐generation antipsychotics in the treatment of anxiety disorders. We found eleven randomised placebo‐controlled trials, comparing quetiapine, olanzapine and risperidone with placebo and antidepressants. The vast majority of the available data was on quetiapine (> 3000 participants). Participants with generalised anxiety disorder responded significantly better to quetiapine than to placebo, measured as a reduction in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM‐A). Participants treated with quetiapine were more likely to drop out due to adverse events, to gain weight, to suffer from sedation or to suffer from extrapyramidal side effects. The evidence on the other second‐generation antipsychotics is currently too limited to draw any conclusions. Passiflora for the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults Anxiety is a very common mental health problem in the general population.

Passiflora, a herbal medicine, could be an option for treating anxiety if shown to be effective and safe. This review summarised the evidence from currently available studies on passiflora. Only two studies were eligible for inclusion, involving a total of 198 participants. One study showed that passiflora was as effective as benzodiazepines, with similar dropout rates between the two treatments. Given the lack of studies, it is not possible to draw any conclusions on the effectiveness or safety of passiflora in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Phobias: List With Explanations of Each Phobia - Disabled World Phobias: List With Explanations of Each Phobia Print Published: 2009-01-11 (Rev. 2016-03-23) - Contact: Ian Langtree at Disabled World Synopsis: List and definitions of some of the more common phobias in children and adults including social phobia.

About Phobia In clinical psychology, a phobia is defined as a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational. In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will endure the situation or object with marked distress and significant interference in social or occupational activities. Main Document "A phobia is an irrational, intense, persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, or persons. This is a list of some of the more common phobias." A phobia can be classified as a disability in that it can effect a persons psychological being and ability to perform certain tasks. A phobia is an irrational, intense, persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, or persons. Most phobias are classified into two categories and, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), such phobias are considered to be sub-types of anxiety disorder. The two categories are: Specific phobias: Fear of particular objects or social situations that immediately results in anxiety and can sometimes lead to panic attacks.

Specific phobia may be further subdivided into five categories: animal type, natural environment type, situational type, blood-injection-injury type, and other. Agoraphobia: a generalized fear of leaving home or a small familiar 'safe' area, and of possible panic attacks that might follow. Agoraphobia may also be caused by various specific phobias such as fear of open spaces, social embarrassment (social agoraphobia), fear of contamination (fear of germs, possibly complicated by obsessive-compulsive disorder) or PTSD ( post traumatic stress disorder ) related to a trauma that occurred out of doors. List of Common Phobias A B C D E G H I L M N O P R S T X Z A Agoraphobia - Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder, often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack in a setting from which there is no easy means of escape. As a result, sufferers of agoraphobia may avoid public and/or unfamiliar places. Agoraphobia arises from an internal anxiety condition that has become so intense that the suffering individual fears going anywhere or doing anything where these feelings of panic have repeatedly occurred before.

Agoraphobia can come on suddenly or develop gradually, typically developing between the ages of 18 and 35. Symptoms include: strong feelings of panic, dread, terror, and horror recognizing that the anxiety is overblown, yet not being able to "talk yourself out of it" rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, and an overwhelming urge to flee the situation - all physical reactions associated with extreme fear going to great lengths to avoid the situation that causes fear. Arachnophobia - fear of spiders. Arachnophobia is a specific phobia, an abnormal fear of spiders. It is among the most common of all phobias. The reactions of arachnophobics often seem irrational to others (and sometimes to the sufferers themselves). People with arachnophobia tend to feel uneasy in any area they believe could harbor spiders or that has visible signs of their presence, such as webs. Acidophobia, Acidophobic- preference for non-acidic conditions. The terms Acidophobe/Acidophobia//Acidophoby/Acidophobic refer to intolerance to acidic environments. The term is variously applied to plants, bacteria, protozoa, animals, chemical compounds, etc.

The anthonymous term is "acidophile". Cf. "alkaliphile". Acrophobia - Known by a number of names - Acrophobia, Altophobia, and Fear of Heights being the most common. Acrophobia can be dangerous, as sufferers can experience a panic attack in a high place and become too agitated to get themselves down safely. Like all fears and phobias, altophobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking heights or high levels and emotional trauma. Vertigo is often used, incorrectly, to describe the fear of heights, but it is more accurately described as a spinning sensation, which may be caused by looking down from a high place. Ailurophobia - fear of cats. Ailurophobia is a type of specific phobia. It is a persistent, irrational fear of cats. Algophobia - Algophobia is a phobia of pain, an abnormal and persistent fear of pain that is far more powerful than that of a normal person. Sensitivity may lead to algophobia, depending on the psychological makeup of the person, but sensitivity to pain could be on other than psychological grounds.

Anthropophobia - fear of people or being in a company, a form of social phobia . See our article on Overcoming Social Phobia . Anthropophobia is an extreme, pathological form of shyness and timidness. It may be manifested in fears of blushing, meeting the gaze of the others, awkwardness and uneasiness when appearing in society. Millions of people around the world suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder (also known as Social Phobia) and related conditions. Yet virtually everyone knows what it is like to feel shy or lacking in social confidence, often to an extent that can limit opportunities and happiness. Apiphobia, Melissophobia - fear of bees. Melissophobia - Fear of bees or bee stings, is a common fear among people. Aquaphobia, Hydrophobia - Aquaphobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of water. They may avoid such activities as boating and swimming, or they may avoid swimming in the deep ocean despite having mastered basic swimming skills. Medical professionals indicate that aquaphobia may manifest itself in a person through their specific experiences or due to biological factors. Some people may develop the phobia as a reaction to a traumatic water experience.

Other individuals may suffer from an "instinctive reaction" to the water which arises separate from any observable factors. They have a gut reaction that limits their fundamental comfort level in any sort of casual water activities, such as swimming. Many people mistakenly refer to aquaphobia as 'hydrophobia'; hydrophobia is in fact a symptom of later-stage rabies, and manifests itself in humans as difficulty in swallowing, fear when presented with liquids to drink and an inability to quench one's thirst. Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia, Keraunophobia - Astraphobia, also known as Brontophobia, Keraunophobia, or Tonitrophobia, is an abnormal fear of thunder and lightning, a type of a specific phobia. It is quite common in dogs and children. Symptoms of Astraphobia can be breathing difficulty, panic attacks, rapid heartbeat, nausea and sweating. These symptoms can manifest themselves in the form of a tantrum or fit, and might be easy to dismiss as such although a genuine phobia can cause the aforementioned feelings to be completely overwhelming. Children may act out as a result of not being able to cope with these symptoms and knowledge of why they are happening.

Autophobia - Autophobia (or Monophobia) is the phobia of being alone. Autophobia is a real personality disorder. The term is used to describe three different conditions: A fear of being alone, A fear of being egotistical, A fear of oneself. The third is the rarest of these conditions. Aviophobia, Aviatophobia - Fear of flying is a fear of being on a plane while in flight. It is also sometimes referred to as aerophobia, aviatophobia, aviophobia or pteromerhanophobia. Fear of flying may be a distinct phobia in itself, or it may be an indirect manifestation of one or more other phobias, such as claustrophobia (a fear of enclosed spaces) or acrophobia (a fear of heights). It may have other causes as well. It is a symptom rather than a disease, and different causes may bring it about in different individuals. A fear of flying is a level of anxiety so great that it prevents a person from traveling by air, or causes great distress to a person when he or she is compelled to travel by air. The most extreme manifestations can include panic attacks or vomiting at the mere sight or mention of an aircraft or air travel.

B Bacillophobia, Bacteriophobia, Microbiophobia - fear of microbes and bacteria. A person with bacteriophobia may have trouble getting rid of the fear of germs and is always worried about hygiene. Microphobia is similar to bacteriophobia as it is a morbid fear for small things such as microorganisms or germs. Biphobia - dislike of bisexuals. Biphobia is a term used to describe the fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against bisexuality or LGBT people who are bisexual or perceived to be bisexual. C Chemophobia - prejudice against artificial substances in favor of natural substances. Chemophobia literally means "fear of chemicals" and may be used in various ways. It is most often used to describe the assumption that "chemicals" are bad and "natural" things are good. Chiroptophobia - Fear of bats, sometimes called chiroptophobia (an incorrect derivation from the order Chiroptera of bats) may refer both to a specific phobia associated with bats and to common negative stereotypes and fear of bats stemming from prejudices and misinformation. Cibophobia, Sitophobia - aversion to food, synonymous to Anorexia nervosa .

A slow build occurs when a mild case of Cibophobia escalates over time to become a severe one. What is happening here is that the individual is 'accumulating' fearful associations to food or eating, so that the evidence used by the mind and nervous system is becoming increasingly irrefutable that fear is the appropriate emotion. That means that anxiety is created automatically in anticipation each time... creating a self-fulfilling prophesy. Claustrophobia - fear of confined spaces. Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder that involves the fear of enclosed or confined spaces. Claustrophobes may suffer from panic attacks, or fear of having a panic attack, in situations such as being in elevators, trains, or aircraft. It was found that 5-10.6% of people screened before an MRI scan had claustrophobia. Furthermore, it was found that 7% of patients had unidentified claustrophobia, and had to terminate the scanning procedure prematurely. 30% reported milder distress due to the necessity to lie in a confined space for a long time. For specific phobias in general, there is a lifetime prevalence rate of 7.2%-11.3%.

Other forms of Claustrophobia include conditions such as Agoraphobia and panic attacks. Coulrophobia - fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns). Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. It is not uncommon among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one personally, or seeing a sinister portrayal of one in the media. A design study carried out by the University of Sheffield found that children are frightened by clown-themed decor in hospitals. This fear can arise from seeing a clown in person, or in pictures. Cynophobia - fear of dogs. Cynophobia is the clinical name for an abnormal fear of dogs. The dog is a domesticated super-predator; this in combination with increasing media coverage of dog attacks could be contributing factors for development of this fear. D Dental phobia, Dentophobia, Odontophobia - fear of dentists and dental procedures. Dental fear refers to the fear of dentistry and of receiving dental care.

A pathological form of this fear (specific phobia) is variously called dental phobia, odontophobia, dentophobia, dentist phobia, or dental anxiety. It is estimated that as many as 75% of US adults experiences some degree of dental fear, from mild to severe. Many people report that their dental fear began after a traumatic, difficult, and/or painful dental experience. Dental fear may also develop as people hear about others' traumatic experiences or negative views of dentistry. Dysmorphophobia, or body dysmorphic disorder - a phobic obsession with a real or imaginary body defect. E Emetophobia - fear of vomiting. Emetophobia is the irrational fear of vomiting, being around others who are vomiting, and/or the vomit itself. In worst case scenarios, people with the phobia tend to avoid eating out, socializing and going to parties. They may hardly eat at all and that's why many are often diagnosed as anorexic, but not bulimic as this illness involves the induction of vomiting. Emetophobics will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid becoming violently sick.

Entomophobia - (also known as insectophobia) is the abnormal fear of or aversion to insects and similar arthropods, and even other "bugs", such as worms. Ephebiphobia - fear or dislike of youth. The irrational fear of youth is called ephebiphobia. First coined as the "fear and loathing of teenagers," today the phenomenon is recognized as the "inaccurate, exaggerated and sensational characterization of young people" in a variety of settings around the world. Equinophobia, Hippophobia - fear of horses. Equinophobia is a psychological fear of horses. Ergasiophobia, Ergophobia - fear of work or functioning, or a surgeon's fear of operating. An abnormal and persistent fear of work. Sufferers of ergophobia experience undue anxiety about the workplace environment even though they realize their fear is irrational.

Their fear may actually be a combination of fears, such fear of failing at assigned tasks, fear of speaking before groups at work, or fear of socializing with co-workers.The fear of work or functioning (also surgeon's fear of operating) can result in the following symptoms: breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or a full blown anxiety attack. Erotophobia - fear of sexual love or sexual questions. Erotophobia is a term used by psychologists to describe sexuality on a personality scale. Erotophobes score high on one end of the scale that is characterized by expressions of guilt and fear about sex. Erotophobes are less likely to talk about sex, have more negative reactions to sexually explicit material, and have sex less frequently and with fewer partners over time. Erotophobia can also be the fear of marriage or romantic relationships, especially by a man or in regards to heterosexual romance. Erythrophobia - pathological blushing .

Erythrophobia is an unusual and persistent fear of Facial Blushing or blushing in general. Blushing displays a marked redness of one's face. The term is seldom applied except when the redness is construed as a result of embarrassment, shame, or modesty. If redness persists for abnormal amounts of time after blushing then it is considered an early sign of rosacea. Many who try to hide blushing usually end up making the condition even worse. G Genophobia, Coitophobia - fear of sexual intercourse. This phobia may be caused by actual sexual trauma (such as rape or molestation especially at an early age) or by witnessing a traumatic sexual act in real life or in the media. Gephyrophobia - fear of bridges. Gephyrophobia is an anxiety disorder brought about by the fear of bridges. As a result, sufferers of gephyrophobia may avoid route that will take them over bridges. Gerontophobia - fear of growing old or a hatred of the elderly. Glossophobia - Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking. It is believed to be the single most common phobia affecting as much as 75% of the population.

Fear of oration is ranked even above that of death. Gymnophobia - fear of nudity. Gymnophobics experience anxiety from nudity, even if they realize their fear is irrational. They may worry about seeing others naked or being seen naked, or both. Their fear may stem from a general anxiety about sexuality, from a fear that they are physically inferior, or from a fear that their nakedness leaves them exposed and unprotected. Gynophobia - fear of women (also spelled as gynephobia) is an abnormal fear of women. Gynophobia used to be considered as among driving forces toward homosexuality. H Haptephobia - A fear of being touched, also called aphephobia, haphephobia, thixophobia. Heliophobia, Heliophobic - aversion to sunlight. Heliophobia - fear of sunlight. Heliophobia is a problem that afflicts hundreds of Americans, but one that suffers from a lack of true research. The Pacific Health Center suggested that many people have been staying away from the sun because of growing fears about skin cancer. This is not technically heliophobia, simply an unfounded and illogical solution. Hemophobia, Haemophobia - fear of blood.

Hemophobia is the extreme and irrational fear of blood. Acute cases of this fear can cause physical reactions that are uncommon in most other fears, specifically vasovagal syncope (fainting). People with hemophobia are usual afraid of sight of own blood, rarely they dread other persons' or animals blood. Herpetophobia - The fear of reptiles, amphibians or other similar animals. Heterophobia - fear or dislike of heterosexuals. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia - fear of the number 666. (literally, "fear of the number six-hundred and sixty-six") is the fear that originates in the Biblical verse Revelation 13:18 which indicates that the number 666 is the Number of the Beast, linked to Satan or the Anti-Christ. Homophobia - aversion to homosexuality or fear of homosexuals. Hoplophobia - aversion to firearms or firearms owners. Hoplophobia - fear of weapons, specifically firearms. Irrational, morbid fear of guns, it may cause sweating, faintness, discomfort, rapid pulse, nausea, sleeplessness, and more at mere thought of guns.

Hydrophobia, Hydrophobic - a property of being repelled by water. Hydrophobia - fear of water (a symptom of rabies). I Iatrophobia - Fear of doctors - Doctor visits can cause anxiety in nearly anyone. For some people, however, normal anxiety gives way to outright panic. Iatrophobia, or fear of doctors, is surprisingly common today. Ichthyophobia - fear of fish. Although the term technically refers to a specific phobia, in many contexts it may refer to any kind of fear of fish, such as fear of eating fish, or fear of dead fish. Galeophobia is a subtype of ichthyophobia specifically focused on one species, sharks. L Ligyrophobia - fear of loud noises. Phonophobia (also called ligyrophobia) is a fear of loud sounds. It can also mean a fear of voices, or a fear of one's own voice. Lipophobicity - a property of fat rejection. Lipophobicity, also sometimes called lipophobia is a chemical property of chemical compounds which literally means "fat rejection". Lipophobic compounds are those not soluble in lipids or other non-polar solvents.

From the other point of view, they do not absorb or adsorb fats. M Metrophobia - The fear of poetry. Many people first develop this phobia in school, when overzealous teachers encourage them to rank poems according to artificial scales, break them down and search for esoteric meanings. Musophobia - fear of mice and/or rats. Fear of mice and rats is one of the most common specific phobias. An exaggerated, phobic fear of mice and rats has traditionally been depicted as a stereotypical trait of women, with numerous books, cartoons, television shows, and films portraying hysterical women screaming and jumping atop chairs or tables at the sight of a mouse. Mysophobia - fear of germs, contamination or dirt. More commonly known as "germaphobia" or "germ phobia", is a pathological fear of germs, dirt, and above all of contamination. Mysophobia is common in the United States. Some experts link the growing incidence of this disorder to Americans' general perception of the world as being a dangerous, uncontrollable place. N Necrophobia - fear of death, the dead.

Necrophobia is the fear of death or dead things (e.g., corpses) as well as things associated with death (e.g., coffins). Neophobia, Cainophobia, Cainotophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, Kainolophobia, Kainophobia - An abnormal and persistent fear of anything new including new things, ideas or situations, of novelty. Nomophobia - Nomophobia is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. More than 13 million Brits fear being out of mobile phone contact, according to research. Experts say nomophobia could affect up to 53 per cent of mobile phone users, with 48 per cent of women and 58 per cent of men questioned admitting to experiencing feelings of anxiety when they run out of battery or credit, lose their phone or have no network coverage. Nosophobia - fear of contracting a disease. It is related to hypochondriasis, but there are several important differences between the two conditions. The most important difference is specificity. A person with hypochondriasis has several physical symptoms that he or she fears may be caused by illness.

Someone with nosophobia, however, is afraid of a specific disease and becomes convinced that he or she has the symptoms of that particular disease. Nyctophobia , Achluophobia, Lygophobia, Scotophobia - fear of darkness. Nyctophobia is a pathological fear of the dark. Its symptoms include breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly or sensation of detachment from reality and death. Fear of the dark is common in children, and often passes as they mature. If it persists for more than six months, fear of the dark should be professionally treated, as it can become crippling in older children and adults. O Ophidiophobia - Ophidiophobia or Ophiophobia refers to the fear of snakes. Fear of snakes is sometimes called by a more general term, herpetophobia, fear of reptiles. Ornithophobia - fear of birds. Ornithophobia is a type of specific phobia, an abnormal, irrational fear of birds. Osmophobia, Olfactophobia - fear of smells. Osmophobia or olfactophobia refers to a fear, aversion, or psychological hypersensitivity to smells or odors.

The phobia generally occurs in chronic migraine sufferers who may have odor triggered migraines. Such migraines are most frequently triggered by foul odors, but the hypersensitivity may extend to all odors. One study found as many as 25% of migraine sufferers had some degree of osmophobia. Osmophobia - hypersensitivity to smells causing aversion to odors. Common during pregnancy. P Panphobia - fear of everything or constantly afraid without knowing what is causing it. Also known as omniphobia or pantophobia, is the fear of everything or a vague and persistent dread of some unknown evil. Paraskavedekatriaphobia, Paraskevidekatriaphobia, Friggatriskaidekaphobia - fear of Friday the 13th. If you base your belief on media attention, superstition about Friday the 13th might be the number one superstition in America today. Pedophobia - fear or dislike of children. Phonophobia - fear of loud sounds. Phonophobia - hypersensitivity to sound causing aversion to sounds. common during an alcohol hangover or migraine. Photophobia, Photophobic - a negative phototaxis or phototropism response.

Photophobia - hypersensitivity to light causing aversion to light (a symptom of Meningitis and a common condition of migraine headaches). Photophobia is a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light and the aversion to sunlight or well-lit places. In medical terms it is not fear, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure. Psychophobia - prejudice and discrimination against mentally ill. Psychophobia is fear of, prejudice or discrimination against the mentally ill. Over history the mentally ill were accused of being possessed by demons or the devil or of being witches or warlocks or devil worshipers. In modern times when psychology was developed it was found that such people had a mental illness and no demons or any other explanations mentioned above, yet the fear of the mentally ill has continues. Pyrophobia - The hate, or an abnormal or even irrational fear of fires or high temperatures. R Radiophobia - fear of radioactivity or X-rays. Radiophobia is an abnormal fear of ionizing radiation, also used in the sense of fear of X-rays. The term is used in several related senses: in reference to a neurological disorder, to a specific phobia, and (polemically, not medically) to general opposition to the use of nuclear energy.

Ranidaphobia - fear of frogs. Fear of frogs and toads has been recorded in the history of many cultures. For example, seeing a frog may be a bad omen or frogs and toads may give a person warts. At the same time in other cultures frogs are considered as good omen. A survey carried out by researchers from the Johannesburg Zoo have shown that in modern times old superstitions play less significant role and modern children are more concerned whether frogs are poisonous or harmless. S Sociophobia - fear or dislike of society or people in general. Social anxiety is a term used to describe an experience of anxiety (emotional discomfort, fear, apprehension or worry) regarding social situations and being evaluated by other people. It occurs early in childhood as a normal part of social functioning. People vary in how often they experience social anxiety or in which kinds of situations. It can be related to shyness or other emotional or temperamental factors, but its exact nature is still the subject of research and theory. Extreme social anxiety can be disabling and may be diagnosed as social anxiety disorder (social phobia). T Taphophobia - fear of the grave, or fear of being placed in a grave while still alive.

Fear of being buried alive is the fear of being placed in a grave while still alive as a result of being incorrectly pronounced dead. The abnormal, psychopathological version of this fear is referred to as taphophobia (from Greek taphos, meaning "grave"), which is translated as "fear of graves". Before the advent of modern medicine the fear was not entirely irrational. Throughout history there have been numerous cases of people being accidentally buried alive. Technophobia - fear of technology. Technophobia is the fear or dislike of advanced technology or complex devices, especially computers. Tetraphobia - fear of the number 4. Tetraphobia is an aversion or fear of the number 4. It is a superstition most common in East Asian regions such as China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The Chinese word for four (pinyin) sounds very similar to the word for death. Thermophobia/Thermophobic - aversion to heat. Thermophobic is used to describe an intolerance for high temperatures by either inorganic material or organisms. Tokophobia - fear of childbirth. Primary tokophobia is the fear of childbirth which pre-dates pregnancy and can start in adolescence.

Secondary tokophobia is due to a previous negative experience regarding traumatic birth, poor obstetric practice or medical attention, postpartum depression or other such upsetting events. Transphobia - fear or dislike of transgender or transsexual people. Transphobia (or less commonly, transprejudice) refers to discrimination against transsexuality and transsexual or transgender people, based on the expression of their internal gender identity. Triskaidekaphobia, Terdekaphobia - fear of the number 13. Terdekaphobia is an irrational fear of the number 13; it is a superstition and related to a specific fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia. Trypanophobia, Aichmophobia, Belonephobia, Enetophobia - fear of needles or injections. Trypanophobia is the extreme and irrational fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles. It is occasionally referred to as aichmophobia, belonephobia, or enetophobia, names that are technically incorrect because they simply denote a "fear of pins/needles" and do not refer to the medical aspect of trypanophobia.

The name that is in common usage is simply needle phobia. X Xenophobia - fear of strangers, foreigners, or aliens. Xenophobia is a fear or contempt of that which is foreign or unknown, especially of strangers or foreign people. Xenophobia - fear or dislike of foreigners. Xerophobia/Xerophobic - aversion to dryness. Z Zoophobia - a generic term for animal phobias. Zoophobia or animal phobia may have one of two closely related meanings: a generic term for the class of specific phobias to particular animals, or an irrational fear or even simply dislike of any non-human animals.

Question: Ephebiphobia is the irrational fear of which members of society?
Answer: Teenagers