Causes Of Fear Of Long Words Phobia
Most specific phobias, including the fear of long words phobia, are caused by an event that is recorded by parts of the brain as dangerous or deadly. The body then reacts as if the same event is bound to happen repeatedly. A person with severe Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is literally held a prisoner by his feelings of anxiety and panic he experiences at the thought or sight of long words.
No one is born with this phobia. Most people have simply learned it from an unpleasant episode. In fact; many individuals do not even remember how the fear started.
School going children might have experienced being laughed at or having been embarrassed when reading/pronouncing long words. The mind then continues to create the same response without any basis. For a person suffering from Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, the mind develops negative images, bad movie-like stills at the thought or sight of long words.
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.
How To Pronounce The Fear Of Long Words
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The fear of long words is ironically called hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. It may seem daunting at first, but if you take your time and break the word up into pieces, it is actually quite easy to pronounce, some might think this phobia is made up but quite frankly it is the official fear of long words.
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.
End Note On The Fear Of Big Words
The fear of long words, or sesquipedalophobia as it is commonly called, is a strange yet real problem. The good news is that it isnt a very serious condition and, in fact, quite easy to overcome. To be honest, you can effectively get rid of the fear of long words in as little as a day or even a few hours for that matter. All you need is to consciously strive for it.
If you want to feel more in charge of your thoughts and get over the anxiety about long, complex words, get in touch with us today.
We offer a range of mental health programs and courses for overcoming phobias that can help you solve this problem in no time. If you want to work at your own speed, you can opt for a home study program that allows you to get past your long word phobia without leaving the comfort of your room. Or if you prefer, you can work with a certified expert who can help you re-train your subconscious mind to change your reaction to long words.
Eager to get started?
Managing The Fear Of Long Words
For many people, the fear of long words is mild. If your phobia doesn’t significantly impact your life, making a conscious effort to expand your vocabulary can help. Look for opportunities to learn new words through reading or everyday conversation. If you come across an unfamiliar word, look it up. In many cases, familiarity can ease the symptoms of anxiety.
If your symptoms are more serious and are impacting your daily life, professional assistance may be needed. A mental health professional can help you work through your fears and provide coping strategies for managing your symptoms during the treatment process.
Sesquipedalophobia The Fear Of Long Words Explained
While the coronavirus outbreak has made almost everyone germophobic , there are people who suffer from more than 500 different types of phobia all over the world. For example, some people have hydrophobia , claustrophobia , aviophobia , arachnophobia , and so on. One such phobia is sesquipedalophobia the fear of long words.
The fear of long words might sound strange, and to some people, its even funny. They believe theres no such thing as sesquipedalophobia. But the fear of long words is very much real indeed. Yes, its a bit irrational, but it does exist, nonetheless.
People with long words phobia might experience a great deal of anxiety when they come across significantly long words. This can hinder their ability to read, learn, or write. It can even culminate into a fear of public speaking, keep them from developing a love for reading, and have similar undesirable effects in other areas of life.
If you think you have a phobia of long words, you have certainly come to the right place.
In this comprehensive guide to overcoming sesquipedalophobia, we discuss everything you might want to know about the fear of long words. This includes its symptoms, causes, treatment options, and lots of other information about fear and anxiety in general. And in case you happen to be among those who think that the long words phobia is overexaggerated, the revelations in the following article will surely make for an interesting read.
Az List Of Some Of The More Common Phobias
While not comprehensive, this phobia list offers a glimpse of the many phobias that can have a serious impact on a person’s life. As you may notice while you browse through this list, most specific phobias fall into one of four major categories:
- Fears of the natural environment
- Fears related to animals
- Fear related to medical treatments or issues
- Fears related to specific situations
One important thing to remember is that virtually any object can become a fear object. The names of specific phobias are often formed as nonce words, or words coined for a single occasion only.
These names themselves are often formed by taking a Greek prefix that represents the fear object and adding the -phobia suffix. Because of this, any attempt at a completely exhaustive list of phobias would simply be an exercise in futility. Any list of phobias could grow with the addition of newly coined terms for previously unnamed specific phobias.
While listing all of the phobias that may exist is not possible, it can be helpful to look through a list of some of the more commonly described phobias. As you can see by looking at this list, almost any object or situation can become the source of fear.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia And Other Phobias
If you think a fear of long words is a strange phobia to have, there are some even stranger ones that presumably present a real problem for a few people. Phobias are irrational fears, so we tend to make fun of people who have them. I realize this is rather cruel, but lets take a short foray into political incorrectness and look at some of the odder ones. If you dont suffer from them, you may find it amusing.
Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is actually quite common, especially among children.
Hylophobia is the fear of trees wood you believe it? I blame the Brothers Grimm and their fairy tales. Kids shouldnt read such scary stuff. Admittedly, I read their stories in the directly translated form as a child, and I loved the gruesome bits most of all.
Omphalophobia is the fear of belly buttons. Every few years, cropped tee shirts become the fashion, and that must be hard for the Omphalophobe, but just think what a trip to the beach would do to them.
Nomophobia could be something you will identify with. Its the fear of being without a mobile phone signal.
Triskadecaphobia describes the fear of the number 13. If I wanted to be nasty, I would list 13 phobias just to terrify a small percentage of my readership, but Ill be kind.
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.
Fear Of Long Words Symptoms
As phobias differ from person to person, so do their symptoms. If we categorize the symptoms into physical, mental and emotional, there can be multiple reactions and behavioral traits that are observed in Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobic people when faced with very long words like the name itself.
The following table shows some common symptoms experienced by people suffering from the fear of long words.
What Is Called The Fear Of Long Words
fear of long words phobiaphobialong words phobiawordknown as
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.
Furthermore, what is the meaning of Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia? hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. Noun. The fear of long words. Ben is a sufferer of a mild form of hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.
Regarding this, why is the fear of long words called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?
The Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia refers to the fear of big words or fear of long words. If you break the words of sesquipedalophobia then you can get to know much of it. Sesqui means one and a half in Latin, pedal means foot and phobia is the fear of anything.
What is Feretrophobia?
Feretrophobia is one such gruesome fear. You may have seen it on American Horror Story: Cult if you watch, but feretrophobia is the fear of caskets, coffins, and being buried alive.
- Anatidaephobia
- Pentheraphobia
- Chrometophobia
- Cherophobia
- Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
- Bananaphobia
Iratxe Hastreiter
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.
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 Valentine’s Day.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
As with every phobia, the symptoms of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia are different for everyone, because everyone reacts differently to phobias. A person can have a physical, mental, and emotional reaction to a stimulus that terrifies them. For instance, a person can react with severe anxiety, experiencing a panic attack from merely seeing or thinking about big words.
Insofar as physical symptoms are concerned, a person might shake, cry, develop a headache, experience an accelerated heart rate or shallow breathing, and may become nauseated at the thought. They may develop dry mouth and may experience difficulty speaking, reading, or writing.
The mind can also play tricks on a person. The person will often understand that they are experiencing an irrational fear, but they are still unable to control or rationalize it. They may feel powerless over the grip that it has on them.
The Unveiling Of The New Iphone 11 Pro Has Apparently Triggered Some Peoples Fear Of Small Holes
If youve never heard of such a thing, this fear is called trypophobia. Coined in 2005 on Reddit, it manifests when trypophobics come across clusters of small holes, such as on a crumpet, or in this case, multiple cameras on the back of a smart phone.
Being afraid of something isnt exactly uncommon, but for some people, what starts off as a slight fear can develop into a really debilitating anxiety called a phobia.
Phobias cause a lot of panic in situations where you perceive a high level of danger where there is little to none. Its distinct from just a fear of something, in that it can prevent you from carrying out everyday tasks and just going about your life.
There are ways of treating phobias, such as gradually exposing yourself to the thing youre afraid of, cognitive behavioural therapy , and some methods even use video games.
While there are some quite common phobias that youve probably heard of such as arachnophobia and claustrophobia, there are quite a few out there that are slightly more unique.
How Can You Treat Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
The worst thing about phobias is that you feel like you’ll never feel better. A phobia is a powerful fear that can root itself into your life and control every aspect of it, right down to impacting your quality of life by making you terrified even to leave your own home. The good news, though, is that every phobia, even hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia can be overcome.
The first things that probably come to mind are therapy and medication. However, medications should be treated as a last resort to heal phobias, because they are used to suppress the symptoms of the condition. Often, it is far more efficient to tackle the fear at its source. In this case, it is anxiety. Once you confront the source of what is terrifying you, you are better-equipped to put the fear behind you once and for all. Another point about medication is that various drugs come with side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Some of these symptoms can actually be anxiety or suicidal thoughts.
Therapy should be your first step, because a therapist can work with you on customizing your treatment plan. A typical treatment plan will probably go something like this: first, the person will be exposed to the word. Then, they can progress to thinking about the word, and then finally to speaking it aloud. Exposure is one of the best treatment methods there are. Exposing a person gradually to longer words can lessen the person’s panic, until they are more comfortable and confident in facing longer words.
What Is The Longest Given Name For A Phobia
Q: So we all have phobias, right? I mean, we may not want to admit it, but weve all got inch of anxiety that haunts us. Mine is cockroaches. I CANT STAND THEM! Even if I see a dead one, Ill be out the door screaming my head off before you can say ewww, dead cockroach. Apparently, my definitely not irrational fear of cockroaches has the definitely confusing scientific title of: Katsaridaphobia. What a long and obscure title for fear that seems pretty straight forward. This phobia got me thinking, I wonder what phobia has the longest given name?. In an effort to continue my quest of exploring totally pointless facts, I did what any good detective would do and shacked up with my informant Google, who more than happily gave me the in formation I needed.
A: There are actually a lot of different, but equally interesting long titled phobias, and here are just a few.
- Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia fear of the number 666
- Paraskavedekatriaphobia fear of Friday
- Spasmenagaliaphobia fear of broken glass
- Tickcapucapitiphobia fear of having a tick head stuck in your body.
- Siderodromophobia fear of traveling by train
- Finally, comes the 36 letter whopper Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia which is ironically a fear of long words.
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.
Origin Of The Word Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia can be divided into several parts to know its etymology.
According to the oxford dictionary, Hippopotamine is used to refer to something very large or big.
The other word is monstr is a Latin word which means, monstrous being or something that is huge and scary.
Sesquippedalio is also a Latin word, Sesquippedali which means measuring a foot and a half long.
And lastly, Phobia, a Greek word which is originally derived from Phobos, meaning fear or horror.
Talking Treatments For Verbophobia
Talking treatments or talking therapies, which include counselling, might be very effective at treating fear of words or Verbophobia. Talking therapies are very laid back treatments and physically non intrusive which involve talking to a highly trained and proficient professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to:
- help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them .
- help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them
- help you make sense of things and understand yourself better
- give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who wont judge you
Talking therapies are in most cases the same as counselling, therapy, psychotherapy, psychological therapy, talking treatment. There is usually a very little difference between whats meant when talking about any of these.
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.
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.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Phobias
is an act of fear management. It stresses gradually changing the way we feel about our object of fear.
Its based on taking note of our anxious behavior every time we are faced with Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia and slowly applying corrective methods. It is based on the principle of the interconnectedness of thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors.
What Causes The Fear Of Long Words
Unlike most of the other types of phobia, sesquipedalophobia is relatively rare. Therefore, theres a lack of research as to what causes this fear in people. Many people suffering from this problem dont usually remember how it started.
However, one thing is known for certain: no one is born with sesquipedalophobia.
The fear of long words is generally acquired by past events or memories that your brain recorded as unpleasant, embarrassing, or perhaps even dangerous.
The following is a more in-depth look at the different factors that can lead to the development of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
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.
How To Overcome The Fear Of Long Words
Phobias, no matter what they are related to, are a form of mental disorder and, therefore, must be dealt with immediately. Whether your phobia is associated with a certain situation, animal, environment, objects, or even something as harmless as words, you need to take the necessary measures to overcome it.
Luckily, overcoming the fear of long words isnt that difficult. There are various treatment options for sesquipedalophobia, including therapy, medications, and counseling. You can choose whatever you feel will work best for you.
Here is a brief overview of how to get rid of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia:
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.
How Do I Overcome A Fear Of Long Words
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is the fear of long words. It is an extension of the term sesquipedaliophobia, which is more simply described as a fear of words in general. As ironic as it is to have a phobia name that sufferers may be afraid to try and pronounce, hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is nevertheless a real fear that may require professional help to overcome.
Phobias begin in different ways for different people. A person who has a fear of long words may have developed this syndrome over many years, with repeated incidents of being shamed or embarrassed for not being able to say or write long words. This phobia is often associated with shame or lack of self-confidence, and may grow out of a deep belief that a person is not smart enough to say, use, or understand long words. In order to overcome a fear of long words, a person must try to confront the origins of the phobia and understand why he or she is afraid.
A fear of long words can manifest in very real symptoms of anxiety. People with this phobia may experience increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, dizziness, or nausea when confronted with a long word to pronounce or read. As the fear is overcome, these symptoms will likely dissipate in the wake of good phobia management strategies.