Definition of Erythrophobia Definition of Erythrophobia Gallery of Skin Problems Pictures Erythrophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of blushing. Sufferers of erythrophobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. Their anxiety results from worry about being the focus of attention and the subject of embarrassment. Attempts to suppress blushing often have the opposite effect. Sufferers of erythrophobia tend to avoid social gatherings and workplace projects that require them to interact with, or speak before, groups of co-workers. "Erythrophobia" also can refer to fear of the color red because of what it may symbolize, such as blood. The terms "redcoat" (British soldier in the American Revolution) and "red" (synonym for "communist") gave Americans valid reasons to fear red. Other terms with "red" that have a negative connotation include "redeye" (an overnight air flight), "caught red-handed" (caught with evidence of guilt) "red-herring" (a deceptive tactic), "red ink" (a financial loss) and "seeing red" (angry).

"Erythrophobia" is derived from the Greek "erythros" (red) and "phobos" (fear). "Erythros" also gives us the English words "erythema" (inflammation of the skin that causes reddening) and "erythrocyte" (a red blood cell). Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2016 Phobias - body, causes, What Are Phobias?, What Causes Phobias? Phobias Phobias Photo by: Emin Ozkan Phobias (FO-bee-az) are unrealistic, long-lasting intense fears of certain objects or situations. These fears can be so strong that people go to great lengths to avoid the object of their dread. KEYWORDS for searching the Internet and other reference sources Anxiety Social anxiety disorder Specific phobias Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), one of the greatest psychological thinkers in history, was a psychiatrist and the founder of psychoanalysis (SY-koa-NAL-i-sis), a treatment method that focuses on deeply hidden fears and internal conflicts.

One of Freud's most famous cases involved Little Hans, a 5-year-old boy who had a great fear of white horses with black mouths. After learning more about Hans and his family, Freud concluded that the horse actually stood for, or represented, the boy's father, a white man with a black mustache. Freud believed the boy was secretly resentful of his father but was too afraid to show his feelings. Instead, he "displaced" these feelings and developed an unreasonable fear of being bitten by a white horse. Freud theorized that phobias were actually displaced fears or conflicts. Modern researchers believe that the tendency for phobias may run in families and that many phobias are learned. What Are Phobias? People have long been fascinated by phobias, unreasonable, long-lasting fears of particular objects or situations. These fears can be so serious that people will severely limit their lives to avoid the object of their dread. Phobias can affect people of both sexes and all ages, although they are a little more common in women than men. About 8 percent of adults in the United States experience this problem, and many report that their phobias started in childhood.

There are three main types of phobias: specific phobias, social phobia (also called social anxiety (ang-ZY-et-tee) disorder), and agoraphobia (a-gore-ra-FO-bee-a), which can be described as a "fear of fear." Greek Speak The word "phobia" comes from the Greek word "phobos," meaning fear. The tongue-twister names for a number of specific phobias have Greek roots as well. For example: Acrophobia (AK-ro-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of heights. The word comes from the Greek "akron," meaning "height." Ailurophobia (ay-LOOR-o-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of cats. The word comes from the Greek "ailouros," meaning "cat." Algophobia (AL-go-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of pain. The word comes from the Greek "algos," meaning "pain." Autophobia (AW-to-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of being alone. The word comes from the Greek "autos," meaning "self." Cynophobia (SY-no-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of dogs.

The word comes from the Greek "kyon," meaning "dog." Erythrophobia (e-RITH-ro-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of the color red or of blushing. The word comes from the Greek "erythros," meaning "red." Gynephobia (GUY-neh-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of women. The word comes from the Greek "gyne," meaning "woman." Hemophobia (HE-mo-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of blood. The word comes from the Greek "haima," meaning "blood." Mysophobia (Ml-so-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of dirt and germs. The word comes from the Greek "mysos," meaning "uncleanness." Nosophobia (NOS-o-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of sickness. The word comes from the Greek "nosos," meaning "disease." Pedophobia (PE-do-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of children. The word comes from the Greek "pais," meaning "child." Xenophobia (ZEN-o-fo-bee-a): an abnormal fear of strangers.

The word comes from the Greek "xenos," meaning "foreign." Specific phobias People with specific phobias have a deep, unreasonable fear of specific objects or situations. Some common phobias include closed spaces, dogs, heights, escalators, tunnels, water, flying, and blood. The fear is not only extreme but also irrational. For example, a woman who is phobic about walking over a bridge may feel extreme panic in that situation, even though it poses no actual danger. Teenagers and adults with phobias realize that their extreme fears do not make sense, yet they are unable to control how they feel. Children with phobias usually don't realize that their fear is unfounded, and may believe, for example, that thunder is actually dangerous. No matter what someone's age, facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared object or situation brings on severe anxiety, an unpleasant feeling of fear or nervousness. To fend off anxiety, people often avoid what they fear. If the object or situation is a common one, this can limit their activities. To make matters worse, the more people avoid what they fear, the greater the anxiety becomes the next time they are faced with it.

A woman walking over a bridge is seized by intense fear. Owen Franken/Corbis Social phobia or social anxiety disorder People with social phobia (also called social anxiety disorder) have an extreme fear of being judged harshly, being embarrassed, or being criticized by others, which leads them to avoid social situations. Social phobia is much more than normal shyness. For example, people with social phobia may be afraid to eat in a restaurant, go to a party, answer a question in class, or give a speech. Some people have a broad form of the disorder, in which they fear and avoid almost any interaction with other people. This makes it hard for them to go to school or work or to have any friends at all! Agoraphobia People with agoraphobia are terrified of having a panic attack in a public situation from which it would be hard to escape. For example, they may be frightened of busy streets or crowded stores. If left untreated, the anxiety can become so severe that people refuse to leave their homes. If they do go out, they may be willing to do so only with a family member or friend, and they may still feel great distress. What Causes Phobias?

Classical conditioning Freud thought that phobias were caused by deeply hidden conflicts in the mind. One of his chief critics was John B. Watson (1878-1958), a psychologist and the founder of behaviorism, a school of psychology that focuses on how behaviors are learned and influenced by the environment. Watson answered Freud's case of Little Hans with his own case of Little Albert, an 11-month-old baby. Watson wanted to prove that the fear of a particular object could be learned, so he showed the baby a white rat at the same time that he made a loud bang on a metal pipe. Before this, the baby had not been afraid of the white rat and had reached for it playfully when it was presented without the noise. Albert had, however, shown a fear response to the loud noise, as most children his age will do. After seeing the rat and hearing the loud sound together several times, though, Little Albert learned to fear the rat, even without the noise. This is an example of classical conditioning, in which people learn to associate a certain response (fear) with a previously unrelated situation or object (the rat).

Given enough pairings of a fear response with a neutral, ordinary object, the object can become feared. * genes are chemicals in the cells of the human body that help determine a person's characteristics, such as hair or eye color. They are inherited from a person's parents. * amygdala (a-MIG-da-la) is a small almond-shaped structure in the brain that plays a part in processing emotions. Biological causes Much research has focused on finding biological causes of phobias. A tendency to have phobias seems to run in families, as does the tendency to have anxiety in other forms. Studies have shown that genes * may play a role in some cases. In other cases, anxious family members may unknowingly "teach" others to be fearful or avoidant. Other studies have looked at the part played by the body's fear response, which is rooted in a part of the brain called the amygdala * . When faced with real or imagined danger, the body sends signals to the amygdala, a part of the brain that connects memory with emotion.

The amygdala "remembers" the fear associated with this situation or object and sets in motion the "fight or flight" reaction, physical changes that ready the body to react to a threat. The heart starts to pound and send more blood to the muscles for quick action, while stress hormones * and blood sugar flood the bloodstream to provide extra energy. In people with phobias, a scary experience, even one involving a harmless situation, can create a deeply etched memory of fear. With the help of the amygdala, this memory can trigger an automatic fear response when similar situations come up again, even if the fear is unwarranted. What Are the Symptoms of Specific Phobias? Specific phobias cause intense, lasting fear that is excessive or unreasonable. The categories of specific phobias include: Animals: for example, dogs, snakes, or bugs Natural world: for example, storms, heights, or water Blood or injuries: for example, seeing a person who has been hurt in an accident or giving blood at the Red Cross Situations: for example, traveling through tunnels, crossing bridges, or flying in airplanes Others: for example, loud noises, choking, or getting a particular illness. Phobias can start at any age.

While it is normal for children to have several fears, occasionally childhood fears become so intense they are considered phobias. Some specific phobias that are common in early childhood (the dark, ghosts) disappear with time. Specific phobias that affect teens and young adults tend to be longer lasting. Only about one in five adult phobias goes away without treatment. * hormones are chemicals produced by different glands in the body. A hormone is like the body's ambassador: it is created in one place and sent through the body to have effects in different places. How Are Specific Phobias Treated? If the phobic object or situation is easy to avoid, people with phobias may not feel the need to seek treatment. When phobias interfere with people's lives, however, treatment can become necessary and often is very helpful. The usual treatment for specific phobias is exposure therapy, in which people are gradually introduced to what frightens them until the fear begins to fade. At least three-fourths of people with phobias improve with exposure therapy. Some may be reluctant to try this at first, since it involves facing fear rather than avoiding it.

Relaxation and breathing exercises also can help reduce anxiety, making it easier for people to participate in exposure therapy and face the object or situation they fear. In addition, medications to relieve anxiety sometimes may be prescribed. The psychologist John B. Watson (1878-1958) is considered to be the father of behaviorism. He believed that human behavior depends not on the mind or feelings, but instead on our environment and experiences and how we learn to react to them. Archives of the History of American Psychology, Photograph File—The University of Akron See also 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. Definition of Fear of blushing Definition of Fear of blushing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Slideshow Fear of blushing: An abnormal and persistent fear of blushing. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. Their anxiety results from worry about being the focus of attention and the subject of embarrassment. Attempts to suppress blushing often have the opposite effect. Sufferers of erythrophobia tend to avoid social gatherings and workplace projects that require them to interact with, or speak before, groups of co-workers.

The fear of blushing is termed "erythrophobia," which also can refer to fear of the color red because of what it may symbolize, such as blood. The terms "redcoat" (British soldier in the American Revolution) and "red" (synonym for "communist") gave Americans valid reasons to fear red. Other terms with "red" that have a negative connotation include "redeye" (an overnight air flight), "caught red-handed" (caught with evidence of guilt) "red-herring" (a deceptive tactic), "red ink" (a financial loss) and "seeing red" (angry). "Erythrophobia" is derived from the Greek "erythros" (red) and "phobos" (fear). "Erythros" also gives us the English words "erythema" (inflammation of the skin that causes reddening) and "erythrocyte" (a red blood cell). Last Editorial Review: 6/9/2016

Question: In the human body, erythrophobia is the abnormal fear of doing what?
Answer: Blushing