Do you have a unique phobia? Do not be afraid! You are not alone

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Do you have a unique phobia? Those with autophobia, the fear of being alone, need not worry about being alone in their fears.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, experienced a specific phobia in the past year.

The Recovery Village gave a list of 21 rare phobias that people may experience and where these fears might stem from. From the fear of the color yellow, or Xanthophobia, to the fear of navels, or Omphalophobia.

Let’s dive into some more unique fears.

Araquibutyrophobia

Are you allergic to peanut butter? Maybe you don’t like the consistency, or you’re worried about choking or blocking your airway. Or maybe I just don’t like the feel of something sticky. Araquibutyrophobia is for those who fear peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth.

nomophobia

In the day and age where cell phones are used religiously for various activities throughout the day, this next one makes perfect sense. For those who experience extreme FOMO, worry about missing a call, need to check social media constantly, or feel like they have a cell phone in their hand as an element of comfort, you may have nomophobia and the fear of staying out without your phone

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Now, whoever came up with this next one must have been playing a cruel joke because seriously? Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. It is also fittingly, but ironically, the longest word in the dictionary. This is thought to come from a fear of mispronouncing words out loud. People with dyslexia, fear of public speaking, etc. they can fall victim to it.

Globophobia

Do carnivals scare you? Especially the games where you throw darts and try to pop balloons? Can’t visit a circus, but not because of the usual fear of clowns? Well, anyone who has seen the movie “It” could understand having globophobia, a fear of balloons. Something to keep in mind for your birthday parties.

Pogonophobia

Some people don’t like Santa. Maybe it’s the fact that he owns tons of land despite only working one day a year. Or that he eats everyone’s cookies. Or maybe it’s the big white beard. Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. This may stem from a fear that a beard will hide one’s face or from a bad experience of someone with a beard.

ergophobia

This next one can be relatable to those who work their 9-5, feel constantly burnt out, or work in high stress environments. The fear of work. Ergophobia can affect those who worry about finding a job while others panic after getting one. According to The Recovery Village, this can be the result of negative work experiences such as an abusive employer or poor work-life balance.

linophobia

Getting a freshly knitted scarf or sweater from grandma for Christmas every year can be a dreaded experience in itself, but for those with linenophobia, it can be even worse. The fear of rope could come from a fear of being restrained, derived from personal experience or from seeing it elsewhere.

phobophobia

Now, have all these phobias scared you? You guessed it, there’s a word for that too. Phobophobia is the fear of phobias. It is also known as fear of fear itself. More specifically, people with phobophobia choose to avoid social or other situations that may cause anxiety.