Nyctophobia is an extreme fear of the dark. This phobia is very common among children but can affect people of all ages.
Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by a severe fear of the dark. It is triggered by the brain's disfigured perception of what would, or could happen when in a dark environment.
According to clinical psychologist John Mayer, Ph. D., author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life, fear of the dark is “very common” among adults. “It is estimated that 11 percent of the U.S. population is afraid of the dark,” he says, noting that it's even more common than a fear of heights.
21 Rare and Weird Phobias You've Likely Never Heard Of
- Arachibutyrophobia (Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth) ...
- Nomophobia (Fear of being without your mobile phone) ...
- Arithmophobia (Fear of numbers) ...
- Plutophobia (Fear of money) ...
- Xanthophobia (Fear of the color yellow) ...
- Ablutophobia (Fear of bathing)
Here are some of the strangest phobias one can have
- Ergophobia. It is the fear of work or the workplace. ...
- Somniphobia. Also known as hypnophobia, it is the fear of falling asleep. ...
- Chaetophobia. ...
- Oikophobia. ...
- Panphobia. ...
- Ablutophobia.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is one of the longest words in the dictionary — and, in an ironic twist, is the name for a fear of long words. Sesquipedalophobia is another term for the phobia. The American Psychiatric Association doesn't officially recognize this phobia.
Children are most often afraid of the dark starting at around the age of about 2 through the preschool years, although it can appear in older children as well. A fear of the dark usually lasts for a few weeks to a few months.
Bibliophobia is an intense fear of books or reading. It's a type of anxiety disorder. Books are almost everywhere, and they're difficult to avoid. Bibliophobia can cause physical symptoms, disrupt daily life, and affect success in school and work.
Thanatophobia is an extreme fear of death or the dying process.
Fear of the dark is a common and typical fear for most children. Fear of the dark usually starts to crop up in toddlerhood. When children's cognitive abilities expand – so does their imagination! For some kids, this fear never goes away.
“Be as calm as possible when you're talking to your child about her fear of the dark,” Dobbins says. “Listen and make sure you don't exaggerate and exacerbate to make it worse.” Give the child a sense that she is safe, that she can handle her fear, Dobbins says. And give the fear a name.
Arachnophobia – Arachnophobia is possibly the most well-known of all phobias. It is the fear of spiders, or arachnids. Estimates put arachnophobia at affecting roughly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men.
Excitement. One of the reasons your child is so loud is that they are excited, so try to go easy on them! When a child is really interested in something, very excited, or completely involved in their play-time, their voices tend to shriek at higher intervals and they can't contain their excitement.
Parents who share a bed with their child can sleep better in light of new research in the journal Pediatrics that finds the practice doesn't give rise to learning or behavior problems.
Nightmares can start when the child is about two years old, and reach a peak between the ages of three and six years. About one quarter of children have at least one nightmare every week. Nightmares usually occur later in the sleep cycle, between 4am and 6am. Try to be supportive and understanding.
Phobophobia is an intense fear of being afraid. Some people might be terrified of the physical symptoms that come with fear, such as rapid breathing or dizziness. Others are scared of developing another phobic disorder. You may need psychotherapy or medication as treatment.
Maybe the very thought of undergoing certain medical procedures involving blood makes you feel sick to your stomach. The term for the irrational fear of blood is hemophobia.
There's a name for that: arachibutyrophobia. Arachibutyrophobia, coming from the Greek words “arachi” for “ground nut” and “butyr” for butter, and “phobia” for fear, it's a fear of being choked by peanut butter.
Fear of the dark is very common among toddlers. It's also a sign of a child's developmental progress, says Maureen Girvan, an instructor of early learning and child care and teacher education at Red Deer College in Red Deer, Alta. “To younger babies, when they can't see something, it no longer exists.
Fear of strangers is very common. It happens as your baby develops a healthy attachment to familiar people – like you. Because babies prefer familiar adults, they might react to strangers by crying or fussing, going very quiet, looking fearful or hiding.