ALBAWABA - It is natural for individuals to be afraid of some things, for example, some people show fear of heights, darkness, or sometimes they can't stand being in confined spaces. Nonetheless, there are a few who harbor unique, or even unheard of by most, phobias.
First, we need to define what a phobia is: "Phobia" is an unfounded and illogical anxiety or dread towards an entity, scenario, or organism.
Phobias are characterized by significant distress and often cause a person to avoid the source of their fear or suffer from extreme anxiety when faced with it. Phobias such as "Acrophobia" (fear of heights) are common, but here are some phobias that aren't so common:
1. Nomophobia (Fear of not having a phone)
We live in a digital age, where a lot can be done without having to do it in person, so it shouldn't really be that shocking that some people devolved a phobia of the possibility of not having their phones on them. To them, their phone might be the only way to communicate with their loved ones, or maybe they need their phone for work-related reasons. Regardless of what the reason is, some people will find it more difficult to live without phones than others.
2. Plutophobia (Fear of money)
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It is common for people to desire and want money, but there exists a distinct dread of wealth or money known as Plutophobia. Those with Plutophobia harbor fears of affluent individuals or even the prospect of attaining wealth themselves. In general, they avoid dealing with money and feel uneasy around it.
3. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (Fear of long words)
Very ironically, the longest word in the English dictionary is the word that refers to the phobia of fear of long words. Another, shorter name for this phobia is "sesquipedalophobia". The fear of long words is thought to stem from the discomfort of mispronouncing such words, particularly in instances where one is compelled to recite them aloud publicly. Additionally, people with dyslexia are more likely to get this phobia.
4. Arithmophobia (Fear of numbers)
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Math class isn't many people's favorite growing up, but for people who suffer from Arithmophobia, math class and numbers, in particular, are a different pain. People with this fear usually experience anxiety if they're dealing with math or anything to do with numbers in general. It's very hard to go through life with this phobia as it would be very hard for someone to do basic life activities, such as shopping, without having to deal with numbers.
5. Decidophobia (Fear of having to make a decision)
Decidophobia refers to an intense fear of decision-making in which the affected individual may struggle to trust their own judgement. This aversion to decision-making could drive them to rely excessively on others, seeking advice from sources such as astrology to help them make choices. Decidophobia may form part of a broader mental health disorder known as a dependent personality disorder, characterized by a pattern of behavior that includes deference to others in decision-making.
