phobo-, phob-, -phobia, -phobias, -phobe, -phobiac, -phobist, -phobic, -phobism, -phobous

An irrational and obsessive dread of being deformed, or the illusion that one is deformed: Jackie had a very good figure and wanted to become a model, but, since she had dysmorphophobia, she was totally anxious and terrified that the little flaw on her hand would end her future career before it even started!

Concerning people who have anxieties about their faces, their breasts, or hips, etc., as well as of body or limbs being wrinkled, misshaped, too large, or too small, or of having unpleasant odors coming from body sweat or from one's breath, etc.: Dysmorphophobic individuals tend to believe that others will comment adversely about their appearance, and so such victims try to avoid the company of possible critics, either real or imaginary.

Some dysmorphophic persons may be unable to look others in the eyes and try to hide that part of their physical structure of which they are most self-conscious by growing their hair or wearing a hat to conceal imagined baldness or oddly shaped ears, by wearing dark glasses to hide the shapes of their eyes, or avoiding swimming so others will not see their figures.

There are also other dysmorphophic individuals who will not even look in mirrors because their own reflections upset them considerably, and they want to wash zealously to make sure that they are very clean and smell acceptable to others, although they are already very clean.

The fear of disasters or casualties: People who suffer an anxiety of injuring themselves or other people, or of damaging property or the environment, may be suffering from dystychiphobia.

Charles refused to drive a car because of his dystychiphobia and so he was always afraid that he might harm himself, a passenger, or a pedestrian in a collision.

People who have dystychiphobia, like accident phobics, try to avoid risky jobs, atmospheric conditions, a tiring work schedule, and equipment failures.

Dystychiphobia is related to an abnormal fear of decision-making and a strong stressfulness resulting from their dread of making mistakes.

An irrational aversion to churches or of organized religion: Ecclesiophobia may also include an abnormal disgust regarding priests, ministers, religious leaders, or clergy in general.

A morbid dislike of one's abode or an abnormal distrust or aversion of being in a house where he or she is living: There are some people who have ecophobia because of their home life or its surroundings, sometimes even including household appliances, equipment, electricity, bathtubs, household chemicals, or other common objects which make them feel terribly uncomfortable and insecure. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. An abnormal and persistent dread of mirrors: People affected by eisoptrophobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational and is often grounded in superstitions, because they may worry that breaking a looking glass will bring bad luck or that looking into a smooth polished surface that reflects their image will put them in contact with a supernatural world inside the glass or polished surface.

Mirrors and other reflective surfaces have long been associated with the strange or the bizarre. For example, in Greek mythology, Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in the water of a fountain. He thought he was seeing the image of a beautiful nymph. Unable to embrace or call forth the semblance, he pined away and was eventually transformed into a flower.

2. Etymology: eisoptrophobia is derived from the Greek eis, "into" and optikos, "vision, image, sight".

Sometimes eisoptrophobia is mistakenly used to refer to termites, but such a reference is actually "isopterophobia".

Additional eisoptrophobia information

Known by a number of names: Eisoptrophobia, Fear of Mirrors, and Fear of Seeing Oneself in a Mirror are the most common terms. The problem often significantly impacts the quality of life. It can cause panic attacks and keep people apart from loved ones and business associates.

Symptoms of eisoptrophobia typically include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and overall feelings of dread; however, everyone experiences eisoptrophobia in his or her own way and may suffer with different symptoms.

Someone who has an abnormal and persistent aversion of looking glasses: Every time Erin, as an eisoptrophobic, went into a public or private bathroom, he suffered extremely disturbing feelings of discomfort and anxiety.

Descriptive of an abnormal aversion when seeing a duplication of one's self in surfaces of objects: Howard often experienced an eisoptrophobic repulsion whenever he happened to have a glimpse of his face in a mirror or even when it was reflected in a window.

An abnormal horror of electricity or a morbid dread of anything electrical: Jeremy had an electrophobia and so he used candles at night instead of electric lights, and he didn't even have a TV or a radio.

An irrational avoidance of freedom: After being released from prison, Jakob was terribly frightened of being on his own and of having to make his own decisions, and therefore he went to a doctor who diagnosed him as suffering from eleutherophobia, which, with time and therapy, was cured.

An abnormal dread or fear of being trapped in a moving platform, cage, or enclosed car that carries people and things up and down in a building or mine, etc.: Greg decided to take the staircase instead of the lift to get to his dentist’s office because he was suffering from elevatorphobia.

An excessive anxiety pertaining to vomiting: Some people with this phobia avoid situations that might remotely provoke throwing up themselves or others throwing up, such as going on a boat, riding in a car, flying in an aircraft, riding in a roller-coaster, etc.

An abnormal dread of pins or needles: Ever since Mary was a child she had an aversion towards the sharp pointed objects which her mother used for sewing just because they wounded her fingers so badly when playing with them so long ago.

A fear of criticism, committing a sin, or being reproached for one's behaviour: After being scolded by her teacher one day, Rebecca was completely devastated fearing that she would be blamed again and found guilty of something, and this was followed by nervousness and sweating, and her doctor said that she was suffering from enissophobia.

An abnormal fear of multitudes of people, or of being in places swarming with people, or in populated areas: Some people who suffer from ochlophobia go to a lot of trouble to find less crowded neighborhoods in countrysides or even more isolated places in mountains or forests so they can live as far away from others as possible.

Doug, a shy boy, suffered from enochlophobia and offered his friends excuses for not going to the outdoor rock concert by saying that he was afraid of getting lost, getting a disease from someone in the mass of people, or maybe even being trampled!

© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.