Doc Martin - 10 weird phobias
To celebrate the release of the fourth series of ITV1's Doc Martin on DVD on 1st March, we've put together a list of ten of the strangest phobias...
> Buy Doc Martin on DVD.
Series 4 sees the doctor questioning his place in the village following the departure of school headmistress Louisa. However, he soon faces plenty of other challenges as he discovers romantic distraction in the form of old medical school acquaintance Dr Edith Montgomery and sets out to cure his phobia of blood once and for all.
> Read our Series 4 review.
> Take a look at our Series 4 episode guide.
Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. It is not uncommon among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one personally, or seeing a sinister portrayal of one in the media. The weird appearance of the clowns - swollen red noses and unnatural hair colors - makes these persons look so mysterious and treacherous.
Gymnophobia: Fear of nudity
Gymnophobia is a fear or anxiety about being seen naked, and/or about seeing others naked, even in situations where it is socially acceptable. This phobia often arises from a feeling of inadequacy that their bodies are physically inferior. The fear may also stem from anxiety about sexuality in general, or from a persistent feeling of vulnerability associated with the thought that those who have seen the gymnophobe naked will continue to imagine the gymnophobe nude.
Neophobia: Fear of newness
Neophobia is the fear of new things or experiences. It is also called cainotophobia. In psychology, neophobia is defined as the persistent and abnormal fear of anything new. In its milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or break from routine. The term is also used to describe anger, frustration or trepidation toward new things and toward change in general. Some conservative and reactionary groups are often described as neophobic, in their attempts to preserve traditions or revert society to a perceived past form. Technophobia can be seen as a specialised form of neophobia, by fearing new technology.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia: Fear of Friday the 13th
A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in English, German, Polish, Bulgarian and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia, a word that is derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Παρασκευή, δεκατρείς, and φοβία, meaning Friday, thirteen, and phobia respectively.
Taphophobia: Fear of being buried alive
Fear of being buried alive is the fear of being placed in a grave while still alive as a result of being incorrectly pronounced dead. The abnormal, psychopathological version of this fear is referred to as taphophobia. Before the advent of modern medicine the fear was not entirely irrational. Throughout history there have been numerous cases of people being accidentally buried alive.
Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers
Pteronophobia is the irrational fear of being tickled by feathers. Certain childhood events, such as tickling a baby, can lead to this fear as the child may feel trapped. It is related to the fear of tickling.
Mageirocophobia: Fear of cooking
The bizarre fear of cooking is called mageirocophobia which comes from the Greek word mageirokos which means a person skilled in cooking. This disorder can be debilitating and potentially lead to unhealthy eating if one lives alone. Sufferers of mageirokos can feel extremely intimidated by people with skills in cooking, and this intimidation and feeling of inadequacy is probably the root cause of the disorder for many.
Ergasiophobia: Fear of work
Ergasiophobia can be a persistent and debilitating disorder in some people, causing significant psychological disability and dysfunction. These individuals may actually be suffering from an underlying mental health problem such as depression or Attention Deficit Disorder.
Eisoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors
Eisoptrophobia is a fear of mirrors in the broad sense, or more specifically the fear of being put into contact with the spiritual world through a mirror. Because their fear often is grounded in superstitions, they may worry that breaking a mirror will bring bad luck or that looking into a mirror will put them in contact with a supernatural world inside the glass.
Demonophobia: Fear of demons
Demonophobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of evil supernatural beings in persons who believe such beings exist and roam freely to cause harm. They become unduly anxious when discussing demons, when venturing alone into woods or a dark house, or when watching films about demonic possession and exorcism. Sufferers are most likely to be recognised by the strings of garlic around their neck, crucifixes, wooden stakes they carry, and a gun loaded with silver bullets. Okay, we made that last part up...
