If A Friend Has Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
Before you beg them to see a therapist, you can try a little therapy of your own just to see if it drives them even crazier than they already are. If it doesnt, it may cure them. Give them this article to read aloud, and dont let them stop until theyve gone through the whole thing. If they can get past Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch without having a fit, theres hope. If they can actually pronounce it correctly, I would love to meet them.
What Causes Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
When we develop a phobia, it generally surfaces as a reaction to something that the brain perceived to be dangerous or deadly. The same can be said for a phobia relating to big words. If this phobia of words is severe enough, the person will experience feelings of anxiety when confronted with a big word. This very post may be terrifying to you right now, what with so many instances of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia being used.
No one is born with hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. It is a learned fear that stems from a traumatic event. Most people who have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia had no idea when their fear started or what caused it. However, some of us may be more vulnerable to developing a phobia if someone in our family experienced an extreme fear of something. A vulnerability to phobias can be an inherited or genetic trait, though the phobias themselves may differ among family members.
One possible reason for developing such a phobia may trace back to a child being mocked for reading a passage in front of the class and mispronouncing a larger word, or an adult experiencing the same situation while giving a presentation at work. They may have reacted with sweating, shaking, and a racing heartbeatall signs of anxiety.
Once this reaction has been established in the brain, the mind then continues to perpetuate the fear at various points throughout the person’s life without any reasonable explanation for doing so.
What Is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is considered to be a specific phobia, which is discussed on the Phobia Types page. The word consists of 36 letters. It is a combination of elements that form a word which is likely to induce the fear it denotes. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is also known as Sesquipedalophobia.
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Fear Of Long Words Causes
Most phobias, including the phobia of long words, are caused by an event that is recorded in the two particular parts of the brain called the amygdala and hippocampus, as terrifying or intimidating.
Repetition of such conditions triggers the same anxiety by bringing back the memory of the original stressful event.
A phobia is not a congenital condition. A toddler is not scared of heights or afraid of long words. It is acquired with unpleasant experiences during the course of life and sometimes even due to terrifying stories heard from others.
In fact, sometimes it is even hard to remember the event that led to developing a Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Zoophobia: A Menagerie Of Fears
The most common type of specific phobia is zoophobia or fear of animals. Zoophobia is actually a generic term that encompasses a group of phobias involving specific animals. Examples include arachnophobia — fear of spiders ophidiophobia — fear of snakes ornithophobia — fear of birds, and apiphobia — fear of bees. Such phobias often develop in childhood and sometimes go away as the child ages. But they can persist into adulthood.
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Nomophobia: Fear Of Being Without Cellphones
Oh dear Cellphones! These little gadgets have become inseparable part of our lives. We all get a little heart attack everytime we do not feel our cellphone in our pockets. But some people might actually pull it over the extreme. Nomophobia is such kind of fear of being without a cellphone, cellphone battery or network coverage.
Weirdest Phobias You Never Imagined
Phobia is getting terribly scared of particular objects, people or situation without any sensible explanation. Phobias are disturbing and occur when you least expect to. In fact, it seems like human beings can get scared of almost anything in this world. We bring to you the top ten weirdest phobias that you never knew.
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Common Causes And Triggers Of Verbophobia
There are a large variety of reasons that cause or trigger the fear of words. But the most prominent ones are are:
- Upbringing People who are raised by people that either are afraid, or have transmitted a sense of uncertainty or danger related to words, might experience Verbophobia most commonly.
- Past Experience It might be also induced, or suggested from people that might have had bad past experiences with/in words.
- Genetics A persons ancestors that have been fearful of words were probably more likely to survive and pass down these fearful genes to their children and so on.
What Is A Traditional Food Eaten On Halloween
That said, Halloween involves many food traditions, some with ancient roots. Pumpkins are carved, kids bob for apples, and candy is consumed in massive quantities lots and lots of candy. In fact, the amount of candy eaten on Halloween has long outnumbered the amount eaten at Christmas and Valentines Day.
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Q2 Why Is It Called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
This the longest word in the dictionary. It is called so because of its origin.
The word hippo means horse in Greek, potam is river.
The word monstr is derived from Latin and it means monstrous and sequippedali means a foot and a half long.
At last, phobos means fear. Overall, the whole word refers to the fear of long words.
Is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious A Real Word In The Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word as a nonsense word, originally used esp. by children, and typically expressing excited approbation: fantastic, fabulous, while Dictionary.com says it is used as a nonsense word by children to express approval or to represent the longest word in English.
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What Is Hippopotomonstroses
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 doesnt officially recognize this phobia. Instead, hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is considered a social phobia.
The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines a very specific definition for social phobias. Medical professionals use the DSM-5 to help them make diagnoses.
According to the DSM-5, criteria for social phobias include:
- a fear or anxiety about social situations where a person may be examined, like meeting new people or having a conversation
- the fear or anxiety is disproportionate to the social situation
- the fear or anxiety is persistent and the social situation is excessively avoided
- the fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinical distress
Aerophobia: Afraid To Fly
Someone who has aerophobia is afraid of flying. The phobia generally develops after a person has a traumatic experience involving an airplane, such as going through extreme turbulence or witnessing another passenger have a panic attack. Even after the incident is forgotten, the fear stays and can even be triggered by watching film of a plane crash on TV. Hypnotherapy is commonly used to identify the initial trauma and to treat this phobia.
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Are There Words That Are Even Longer
Since youre still reading this, your aversion for long words cant be all that bad, but after reading about the longest words ever to be coined and used, you may change your mind.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus is the longest word that Shakespeare ever used. It means the ability to receive honors, but its not only its length that makes it stand out it also uses alternating consonants and vowels and is the longest word to have this interesting characteristic.
Antidisestablishmentarianism is the longest word in the Oxford Dictionary that wasnt just invented and that isnt a technical term. Unless you are concerned about the disestablishment of the Church of England as the official church in England and Wales, it probably isnt worth learning.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a technical term for a medical condition caused by inhaling silica dust, is the longest word to be listed in a formal dictionary. Luckily for those unfortunate enough to have it, learning how to pronounce this eye-watering word wont be necessary since it has another, much easier name.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is a place in Wales that demonstrates the Welsh fondness for combining consonants in seemingly unpronounceable ways, but luckily for its residents, the name has been abbreviated to Llanfair PG. Amazingly, Microsofts spell-checker recognizes this word when it is in UK English mode.
What Treatment Options Are Available
In general, a phobia can be treated in many different ways. Exposure therapy is the most common and effective form of phobia treatment. This version of psychotherapy helps change your response to the object, situation, or word causing you fear and anxiety.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is another common form of treatment used to manage or cure a phobia. CBT blends exposure therapy with other therapeutic techniques in order to help you cope with your anxiety. It will also help limit any overwhelming thoughts.
Medications can also be helpful in managing anxiety disorders. However, not much is known about their effectiveness in treating this particular phobia.
Other treatment options include:
- talk therapy with a psychiatrist, counselor, or social worker
- mindfulness strategies such as mindful breathing, listening, and observation to help you cope with anxiety
- attending a support group to connect with other people facing the same or similar phobia
You could also manage your phobia symptoms by making certain lifestyle changes, such as:
- getting enough sleep each night
- eating a healthy and balanced diet
- cutting out substances that can make anxiety worse, like caffeine
- facing fearful and anxiety-inducing situations head-on
When confronted with long words, you may also find it helpful to:
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Whats The Logic Behind Naming Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia So Long
Well, there is a shorter name for it too, sesquipedalophobia! Before I knew the real reason I was really angry at those who named the phobia of long words. I mean how can someone be so insensitive right? The name of your phobia itself will give you anxiety and stress. Mocking something so serious is not right. Do you have similar thoughts?
Let me clarify this for you, it has a little bit of satire in it but its not mockery. There is a purpose behind naming the phobia so long. The intention behind it was to reduce the fear associated with long words.
1. Firstly, whenever you tell someone about your phobia you will have to use the name. By saying and hearing a long word over and over again the anxiety and fear associated can come down a notch. Its like facing your fear.
2. Secondly, to understand the word Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia you will have to break it down. Breaking down a long word into parts helps in reducing the fear. Because then you look at it as 3 or 4 smaller words clubbed together. This technique of breaking down can be practiced with other long words too.
Therefore, Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is purposely designed in a way that it can help in reducing the intensity. There are many other phobias named using the same strategy.
Like Dodecaphobia, it is a fear of the number 12. Dodecaphobia is a 12 letter word. The fear of palindrome is named Aibohphobia, it is the fear of words/phrases that spell the same forward and backward .
What Causes Phobias
Some phobias develop when someone has a scary experience with a particular thing or situation. A tiny brain structure called the amygdala keeps track of experiences that trigger strong emotions. Once a certain thing or situation triggers a strong fear reaction, the amygdala warns the person by triggering a fear reaction every time he or she encounters that thing or situation.
Someone might develop a bee phobia after being stung during a particularly scary situation. For that person, looking at a photograph of a bee, seeing a bee from a distance, or even walking near flowers where there could be a bee can all trigger the phobia.
Sometimes, though, there may be no single event that causes a particular phobia. Some people may be more sensitive to fears because of personality traits they are born with, certain genes they’ve inherited, or situations they’ve experienced. People who have had strong childhood fears or anxiety may be more likely to have one or more phobias.
Having a phobia isn’t a sign of weakness or immaturity. It’s a response the brain has learned in an attempt to protect the person. It’s as if the brain’s alert system triggers a false alarm, generating intense fear that is out of proportion to the situation. Because the fear signal is so intense, the person is convinced the danger is greater than it actually is.
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How Is It Diagnosed
Generally, individuals with this phobia will never seek out medical help. People with the phobia would presumably take jobs where they werent exposed to lengthy words and phrases.
However, if symptoms become unbearable or other symptoms emerge, your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms to determine if you have a phobia or anxiety disorder.
Theyll also review your psychiatric, medical, family, and social history. Your doctor will also refer to the DSM-5.
Since mental health and medical associations dont officially recognize hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia as a phobia, it technically isnt a diagnosable condition. However, your doctor may be able to offer general information about phobias and recommend treatment.
Claustrophobia: Needing A Way Out
Claustrophobia, an abnormal fear of being in enclosed spaces, is a common specific phobia. A person with claustrophobia can’t ride in elevators or go through tunnels without extreme anxiety. Afraid of suffocating or being trapped, the person will avoid tight spaces and often engage in “safety seeking behavior,” such as opening windows or sitting near an exit. That may make the situation tolerable, but it doesn’t relieve the fear.
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Effects Of This Phobia
Sesquipedalophobia can affect your life in a variety of ways. For example, you may avoid public speaking altogether, which can severely damage your work and social prospects. Not being able to read long books will also seriously sabotage any academic aspirations you may have. Given the correlation between university education and income, a fear of long words can damage your long-term financial opportunities and severely limit your livelihood.
What Are You Afraid Of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: “…we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” For many people, however, there are many other things to fear, some of them seemingly strange or unusual to other people who don’t fear them. Here is a list of nine things that enough people are frightened of that experts have classified them as bona fide phobias. What’s on your list?
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What Are The Symptoms
Symptoms may be triggered when a person sees a long word, such as antidisestablishmentarianism. This can cause a person with hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia to feel fear and anxiety. They may also avoid reading so they dont have to come across long words thatll cause them to panic.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the fear of long words can trigger embarrassment or feelings of being mocked when pronouncing or reading long words.
Other symptoms can include:
- avoiding reading because of your fear
- feeling distressed over academics or work involving long words
There are also more general phobia symptoms that you could watch out for, including:
- being aware that your phobia is unreasonable, but feeling powerless to control your fear
- unable to function as you normally would because of your phobia
- feeling nauseated
Not much is known about the causes this phobia. But there are some causes and risk factors that are common across multiple phobias.
These include:
Specific Or Simple Phobias
Specific or simple phobias centre around a particular object, animal, situation or activity.
They often develop during childhood or adolescence and may become less severe as you get older.
Common examples of simple phobias include:
- animal phobias such as dogs, spiders, snakes or rodents
- environmental phobias such as heights, deep water and germs
- situational phobias such as visiting the dentist or flying
- bodily phobias such as blood, vomit or having injections
- sexual phobias such as performance anxiety or the fear of getting a sexually transmitted infection
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Some Of The Most Common Symptoms Of Social Phobias
The following is a list of some, though not all, of the most common symptoms associated with social phobias:
Trembling Difficulty breathing
Given the fact that everyone experiences social phobias differently, your symptoms may vary wildly.
In the case of this particular phobia, long words and books that you think may contain them can cause you severe anxiety. While those exaggeratedly long words at the beginning of the article are done for effect and not serious, they can nevertheless give anxiety to sufferers of this condition. They may fear pronouncing the words incorrectly and facing social consequences. As a social phobia, fear of public shaming and mockery stemming from mispronouncing words or sounding stupid are among the biggest symptoms and effects of sesquipedalophobia.
The aforementioned symptoms are for general social phobias because, again, social phobias are highly subjective and notoriously difficult to pin down with specific symptoms for each one.
The closest we come with cases such as sesquipedalophobia is a tendency to avoid books, especially those you suspect may have long words. In severe cases, that fear of books and long words may even result in nausea. However much we love to rip into nauseatingly bad books, this shouldnt cause you physical symptoms.
Additionally, people with this condition may perpetually seek excuses not to read books, especially in public.