The holiday season is not all cheer and merriment for most of us. From leaving the warmth of your bed every winter morning (Yes, it's hard!) to smiling pleasantly and avoiding uncomfortable conversations at family dinners, the festive season can be as demanding as it may be fun.
This not only dampens the festive spirit but can also take a toll on one's mental health. While professional help is advised in case of severe mental distress, identifying some of these common holiday-related phobias will help you fight them (This won't help you fight that extra-nosey relative, though).
1. Cryophobia: Fear of the cold. This could be experienced if you spend most of your time in Nainital, Shimla, Manali, Srinagar, an igloo, or a high-end shopping mall. This can be relieved by staying indoors, layering up, consuming fats and warm food.
2. Ipovlopsychophobia: Fear of getting your photo clicked. You may experience this if you are meeting your entire family after a long gap, have judgemental uncles tracking your moves, or decided to wear that unflattering sweater. This phobia can be relieved by, well, playing it cool.
3. Decidophobia: Fear of making decisions (Obviously). So, you may experience indecisiveness on a larger scale during the holidays, for instance, when you have to pick a gift for the nosiest aunty or decide on whether to eat another chocolate fudge cookie or not. This can be relieved by thinking through your decisions and winging it with a dash of self-confidence.
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4. Pedophobia: Fear of children. This may be experienced en route to the family holiday destination, or at the destination itself. This can be relieved by steering clear of children and plugging in earphones (Make sure you turn up the volume!).
5. Auroraphobia: Fear of the northern lights. Assuming that you're not of Scandinavian Sámi origin (They thought of it as a bad omen), you could be experiencing this only if the vast expanse of the universe reminds you of your insignificance, hence pushing you down an existential abyss. To relieve this very-millennial phobia, avoid the aurora-zone or watch 'Bojack Horseman'.
6. Siderodromophobia: Fear of travelling by trains. Experienced while travelling in trains, this phobia is associated with the shaky motion of trains that may cause a fear of derailment in passengers. To avoid this, you may have to consider other modes of transport to holiday destinations and convincing your entire family of the same or making up an excuse to travel separately. Remember, mental health always comes first!
7. Nomophobia: Fear of not being able to use your mobile phone. This is often experienced when retiring to remote spots for the holidays, or getting caught in extensive dinner table discussions with your family. To relieve yourself of this, try telling your boss that your work contract is not one of life-long bonded labour and hence, a holiday may mean being unable to answer work calls.
Happy holidays, folks!