The 5 rarest phobias in the world

The phobia is a psychological disorder with a major impact on both personal and social life of those who suffer. They are an irrational fear of a certain element or situation due to the belief that it represents a great danger.

Fear is a common emotion in all people, which is even necessary to keep us alive since it alerts us to a certain danger and prepares us to face and protect ourselves from it. Regarding the phobia, it is an irrational and limiting disorder in the face of some elements and / or situations, which generates a great state of anxiety.

Next we indicate which are the five strangest phobias in the world ; they occur only in some individuals around the world.

Chronophobia

It is one of the least common phobias globally; It consists of an irrational fear of the passage of time . It is an anxiety disorder that usually occurs in the elderly and people who are in prison.

In the case of the elderly, there are those who feel that they are in the final phase of their life, which can generate extreme levels of anxiety due to the passage of time; feelings of fear and anguish are also common in those who suffer from chronophobia.

This pathology is characterized because those who suffer from it feel great anxiety as a consequence of their irrational ideas about the passage of time; some of the most common symptoms are confusion, lightheadedness, inattention and concentration, as well as dizziness, headache, and palpitations.

Chronophobia is a very serious disorder that can sometimes even incapacitate the sufferer. And, unlike other types of phobias, in this case people are in constant contact with the element they fear so much: the passage of time.

There is no way to take time away from people with chronophobia. Therefore, according to experts on the subject, the most effective way to treat this form is through distraction; people must somehow forget that time exists, for which they can resort to different activities.

Ablutophobia

The fear of washing or bathing is known as ablutophobia , that is, any type of habit related to hygiene. Although people of all ages can develop this phobia, the truth is that it is more common in women and children .

Some children suffer from mild ablutaphobia during early childhood, which in the vast majority of cases disappears over time; little by little they adopt the hygiene routine. However, in those cases in which parents force their children to bathe severely, it is possible that the little ones associate bathing with punishment and unhappiness, thus developing severe ablutaphobia.

In the same way that it happens with the great majority of phobias, this is created in the mind as a response to a certain trauma; for example, a person who has nearly drowned in the bathtub may develop ablutophobia.

As is logical, this condition usually generates serious consequences in the social relationships of those who suffer it. Fortunately, there is treatment to treat this phobia; psychologists and psychiatrists make use of hypnosis or psychotherapy for this.

Somniphobia

Somniphobia, also known as hypnophobia, is a disorder characterized by an irrational fear of falling asleep. It is a phobia generated from the feeling that something terrible is going to happen during the hours of sleep, such as dying.

This phobia generates a situation of constant stress among those who suffer from it as they consciously try never to fall asleep. A very complicated situation that, as is logical, significantly affects the body and the mental health of individuals.

Somniphobia has a number of specific symptoms, such as drowsiness, sweating, dizziness, and even tremors and rapid heartbeat.

The truth is that this type of phobia can occur at any age, although it is more common in children who have suffered terrifying nightmares for them. It also occurs in older people who are afraid of falling asleep and never waking up.

Phagophobia

Phagophobia is an irrational fear of swallowing for fear of choking . Exposure to the consumption of both food and drinks or pills causes individuals to suffer from panic and anxiety attacks.

It is an exacerbated fear, which may be due to a traumatic experience such as having suffered a choking . Sometimes this experience does not have to have been lived in the first person; it is enough to witness a choking to develop phagophobia.

The symptoms of this condition are nausea, tremors, attention difficulties and excessive sweating . It is a relatively complicated phobia in terms of consequences since the vast majority of individuals suffer a great loss of weight as they stop consuming solid foods; Those who suffer from phagobia generally follow a diet based on liquids since they are easier to swallow.

In addition, it is common for patients to feel great helplessness and frustration , which generates stress and irritability.

Logophobia

Logophobia, also known as verbophobia, is an irrational and unjustified fear of words . It is one of the most complicated phobias; the vast majority of individuals experience a great fear of being ridiculed in front of a large number of people, which generates social isolation.

These people prefer to speak in front of a small number of individuals as they feel that their fear of certain words or phrases will not be as noticeable. It is worth noting that the stress that can generate when facing a conversation in front of many people, can even trigger the loss of consciousness. Other symptoms such as excessive sweating, nausea or dizziness are also common.

As with all phobias, logophobia has a treatment. This must be completely familiar, in which patients can express themselves with full confidence and little by little become fluent in conversations . In addition, to control the symptoms of the condition, some experts recommend taking painkillers and pain relievers.