KOCHI: Please allow me to start off by thanking my seven-year-old buddy for back home for inspiring me to read up on a new word – globophobia. In simple terms, the fear of balloons. Never been a big fan of them, you see. And that makes me a killjoy when it comes to kiddy party decorations.
Globophobia can manifest in various ways. In some, it could be just the sight of balloons, deflated or inflated. In some, like me, it could be mild anxiety over inflated ones popping. The latter could be linked to phonophobia, or the fear of sudden loud noises.
Fear is an unyielding force that gnaws in the depths of our souls. It is an ancient companion; a primal instinct that pirouettes on the tightrope between our vulnerability and strength. And, it has the power to paralyse as well as propel.
Some fears turn into nasty little monsters that lurk in our cranium — phobias. They can be irrational and intense, to the extent of affecting one’s normalcy.
The term ‘fear’ has its origins in the Old English word ‘fǣr’, which can be traced back to the ancient Proto-Germanic term ‘fērō’. It initially denoted a sense of sudden calamity or peril. Over time, its meaning gradually expanded to encompass the emotional state of being afraid or anxious.
‘Phobia’, meanwhile, comes from the Greek word ‘phóbos’, meaning “morbid fear”. Phobias can be the result of childhood experiences, or the influence of family members.
Another hypothesis is that they could be traced back to “genetic memory”. Some researchers believe memories could be inherited, and they could be woven into the genome over time.
Michael Faraday invented balloons in 1824. God knows, perhaps, some ancestor of mine had a terrible, terrifying popping experience. Om Shanti.
According to studies, arachnophobia is one of the most prevalent phobias, with an estimated 30.5 per cent of the global population experiencing some level of fear or discomfort around spiders. Just a glimpse of a spindly leg can turn some into wobbly-kneed sprinters, screaming like a banshee. Any takers for the 1990 film Arachnophobia?
Can’t leave behind snakes, can we? Ophidiophobia, it is.
Another common one is acrophobia, or the fear of heights. Many people experience some level of discomfort or fear when exposed to heights, but for individuals with acrophobia, the fear can be debilitating and may lead to avoidance of situations involving heights.
This can manifest in various ways. I know someone who loves air travel and even enjoys midair turbulence, but would go into zombie mode in open heights like a terrace.
For some people, the mere sight of a towering skyscraper or a perilous cliff can send their hearts pouncing faster than a cheetah chasing its lunch. They seem convinced that one small misstep could make them a plaything of gravity.
Close to this one is megalophobia, or the intense fear of large objects — buildings, vehicles, trees, boulders, and even vast expanses.
It’s common to see claustrophobia being used in common parlance today. The fear of confined spaces can get really bad for some. There are people who prefer to climb multiple levels of stairs rather than take the elevator, fearing panic attacks.
Another rising woe is the fear of criticism or enissophobia, which is a specific phobia characterised by an excessive and irrational fear of being criticised or judged by others. Individuals with this phobia may feel extreme anxiety, self-consciousness, and discomfort in situations where they anticipate or receive criticism.
People with criticism phobia may go to great lengths to avoid situations where they might be evaluated, such as public speaking, performance reviews, or social gatherings.
It may stem from past traumatic experiences involving criticism, such as bullying, abusive relationships, or harsh parenting. A tendency to be highly self-critical can contribute to the development and maintenance of this phobia.
Closely connected are atychiphobia, or the fear of failure, and social phobia, the fear of social situations or scrutiny by others.
Social phobia can be specific in some cases, like people with paruresis or the ‘shy bladder syndrome’. They find it difficult or impossible to urinate when other people are around Hypnophobia, aka somniphobia, is another rare one. It is basically an intense and irrational fear of sleep or falling asleep. People with hypnophobia may experience anxiety or panic when faced with the prospect of sleep or bedtime. Sounds horrid.
This one is new to me — genuphobia, irrational fear or aversion to knees. It is said people with genuphobia may experience anxiety, discomfort, or panic attacks when exposed to knees, either on their own or those of others.
Bearded men like me can apparently be a bugbear to some. The sight of facial hair can trigger anxiety and unease in people with pogonophobia. Santa Claus means a full-blown panic attack to some.
Foodies might have heard of arachibutyrophobia, or the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Individuals with this phobia may experience extreme discomfort at the thought or sight of peanut butter or foods with similar textures.
Trypophobia, or the fear of clusters of small holes, is something that became a talking point on social media, with regard to multicam phones. I am told there are people who rush to the washroom after just seeing things like a lotus seed pod or a honeycomb.
Talk of social media, and the new tormentor on the block is nomophobia, or the fear of being without a mobile phone. Losing network coverage or running out of battery can induce panic, heart palpitations, and an overwhelming sense of disconnection in some people, they say.
Sounds like a distant cousin of autophobia, or the fear of loneliness. I can hear a feeble echo of Moby’s ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?’ track.
Coming to the really bizarre ones, there are apparently unfortunate souls who suffer from genophobia or erotophobia, or intense fear of sexual activities, thoughts, or situations. A similar tragic one is ablutophobia, or the fear of bathing or washing.
And then there is phobophobia, a meta-phobia, which means the fear of developing a phobia or experiencing intense anxiety related to phobias.
Phew! Now, for those who suffer from extreme phobias, it is paramount to understand that they are not alone, and help is available in various forms of therapy if needed. There is nothing to be ashamed or afraid of.
As Mark Twain wrote: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear.”
Okay, time for me to go get some eco-friendly party decor. Have a valiant weekend ahead!
Agoraphobia: Fear of open or crowded spaces
Nyctophobia: Fear of darkness or the night
Hemophobia: Fear of blood
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
Alliumphobia: Fear of garlic
Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
Lachanophobia: Fear of greens, veggies
Thanatophobia: Fear of death
Xenophobia: Fear or aversion towards foreigners or strangers
Glossophobia: Fear of public speaking
Mysophobia: Fear of germs
Molysomophobia: Fear of dirt or contamination
Chromophobia: Fear or aversion towards colours
Xanthophobia: Fear of the colour yellow
Prasinophobia: Fear of the colour green
Erythrophobia: Fear of the colour red
Cyanophobia: fear of the colour blue
Porphyrophobia: Fear of the colour purple
Melanophobia: Fear of the colour black
Papaphobia: Fear of the Pope or the papacy
Venustraphobia: Fear of beautiful women
Ergophobia: Fear of work or functioning in a workplace environment
Heliophobia: Fear of sunlight or the sun.
Dentophobia: Fear of going to the dentist
Enochlophobia: Fear of crowds
Iatrophobia: Fear of doctors
Trypanophobia: Fear of needles
Ailurophobia: Fear of cats
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
Entomophobia: fear of insects
Ornithophobia: fear of birds
Ichthyophobia: Fear of fish
Gamophobia: fear of marriage
Gynophobia: Fear of women
Thalassophobia: Fear of the ocean
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of long words