Fun facts about some of the most unique phobias

There seems to be a phobia for just about anything, but have you ever wondered where those phobias stem from?

Photo by Markus Winkler

6 interesting phobias, along with their origin stories

1. Arachibutyrophobia: The fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth

Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. This fear is usually attributed to being afriad of sticky things or having a fear of choking. It can also stem from having peanut allergies or witnessing a traumatic situation regarding peanut butter.

2. Turophobia: The fear of cheese

Turophobia is the irrational fear of cheese. This has an arch nemesis called “turophile” which is the name for someone who is a cheese connoisseur. Turophobia can stem from someone having a past negative experience with cheese or dairy or witnessing somebody else have a negative experience with cheese.

3. Somniphobia: The fear of sleep

Somniphobia is the fear of sleep. This phobia is especially impactful because, unlike most others, people can’t avoid it—sleep is an essential part of life. It often stems from other nighttime disorders like sleepwalking, night terrors, or sleep paralysis.

4. Xanthophobia: The fear of the color yellow

Xanthopohbia is the fear of the color yellow and is within the chromophobia familiy, which is the fear of colors. There are also names for having fears of each particular color in the rainbow. The cause of this phobia can sometimes be attributed to the sun, with someone having a severely negative experience while also being exposed to the sun.

5. Arithmophobia: The fear of math

Arithmophobia is the intense fear of mathematics or numbers. This phobia isn’t necessarily about being afraid of seeing numbers but is more about the intense anxiety someone may feel while being in a situation where they must solve a math problem. This fear can most commonly develop from someone having a very negative experience with trying to solve math problems in the past.

6. Ergophobia: The fear of going to work

Ergophobia is the intense and irrational fear of going to work. Most people would argue that they have they fear of going to work, but this phobia brings the anxieties of work to new heights. This phobia most likely stems from an unfortunate experience at work.

Have you ever experienced any interesting phobias?