Did You Know

Do You Have A Medical Phobia and Not Even Know It?

<div><p>Even the bravest of us have something that we're afraid of. You might be able to stare down a spider, but how do you feel about public speaking? Mice may not bother you at all, but what if you had to call your mother-in-law? Funny or not these are very real, very relatable phobias that someone has, and maybe you have just a bit of too.</p><p>1. Rhytiphobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/checkingforwrinkles-shutterstock.jpg" title="Wrinkles" alt="Wrinkles" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Shutterstock</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Anyone north of 30 knows this fear. It's the phobia of getting wrinkles! Many of us spend a lot of our morning getting ready, staring into our mirrors scanning our faces for any change. Now you know it's not vanity, it's just a fear!</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>2. Nomophobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/phoneanxiety-today.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/phoneanxiety-today_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/phoneanxiety-today_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/phoneanxiety-today_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w" sizes="89vw" title="Cell Phone Anxiety" alt="Cell Phone Anxiety" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Today</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>This one is probably one of the newer phobias on the list, but it's one we all have to some extent. The fear of being without your cell phone grabs all of us, whether it's in the form of a frantic patting down of the bed sheets or a compulsive checking of the pockets or purse. Nomophobia strikes deep within all of us.</p><p>3. Peladophobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/griffincenterbald.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/griffincenterbald_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/griffincenterbald_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="Going Bald" alt="Going Bald" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Griffin Center</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>This one is much more common in men than women, but women aren't immune to a fear of going bald. Some normal shedding is common, but do you start to worry when you see a few more hairs than normal in the sink? You might have Peladophobia.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>4. Mysophobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/menshealthgerms.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/menshealthgerms_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="Germs" alt="Germs" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Men's Health</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>This is a phobia you definitely know about, but you probably were calling it by a different (and incorrect) name: germophobia. The fear of germs or being dirty goes by the much less appropriate name of "mysophobia".</p><p>5. Testophobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/testspbs_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w" sizes="89vw" title="Tests" alt="Tests" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>PBS.com</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Here's a name that actually <em>does</em> make sense. Testophobia is, you guessed it, a fear of taking tests. Most of us experience a bit of anxiety when we sit down to show our stuff, but for some of us tests are the stuff of nightmares.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>6. Textophobia</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/cottonballsgoodhousekeeping.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/cottonballsgoodhousekeeping_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="Cotton Balls" alt="Cotton Balls" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Good Housekeeping</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Do you have a specific fabric that you just can't stand? The scratchiness of wool, or the weird smoothness of rayon. Most of us have preferences, but textophobia is the strong aversion to certain fabrics. (Full disclosure: for me it's cotton balls.)</p><p>So next time you think you have a quirk just remember, you might actually be suffering from a phobia.</p><p></p><p></p></div>

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